Oedipus the King and Ghost - 1009 Words

The two famous playwrights Oedipus the King by Sophocles, written thousands of years back for Greek audiences and Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen which was written as a criticism of the Norwegian society in the 1890’s. The universal theme that both Sophocles and Ibsen explored in their plays is that people are punished through their own actions, and unfortunately those ungrateful events can occur to essentially good people, who suffer through no fault of their own, but as a result of the actions by others. In Oedipus the king, Oedipus was a very powerful figure in the play; he was born the son of Laius and Jocasta, the king and queen of Thebes. When they heard the Apollo’s prophecy which was foretold that Oedipus will†¦show more content†¦The death of Jocasta and Captain Alving associated with their actions are presented in both playwrights. In Oedipus the king, Jocasta committed suicide when she discovered that Oedipus was the murderer of Laius and her biological son. She is suffering through the actions which she has committed; she can no longer live with the shameful and incestuous life. Her actions to defy the gods lead to her suffering and death. In Ghosts, Captain Alving Peng 001096-039 dies as a result of his own intemperance. His death was associated with the disease that he had, which was a result of his excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures. The suffering of incestuous relationship explored in both plays was caused by the actions of the parents. As a result, Oedipus was banned from the society because he is ironically looking for the murderer of Laius and the culprit responsible for the problems. Oedipus was exiled from the Thebes and he was considered a curse to the society. His children are also exiled because they are socially unaccepted as well since they are considered children of incest. Similarly, in Ghosts, Oswald shows romantic interest in Regina, which he later found out the incestuous relationship, this occurred as a result of Captain Alving’s actions. Oswald not only suffers through the disease that was passed to him by his father, but also the shame of the action andShow MoreRelatedHamlet And Oedipus The King1668 Words   |  7 Pagesgood, but end up causing their own death. Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King† tells the life of a king named Oedipus who is trying to solve the mu rder case of the former king. A similar plotline is seen in Shakespeare’s â€Å"Hamlet†, where Hamlet tries to uncover who killed his father, who was also the king before his untimely death. Both characters set out to do something good, but create many problems and ultimately find themselves corrupted. Oedipus’ initial introduction presents the character as a well-roundedRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Between Oedipus The King And Hamlet887 Words   |  4 Pages What is the different between Oedipus the King and Hamlet. Oedipus the King was written by Sophocles in 430-425 BCE. Oedipus the King is about King Oedipus finding out his true origins and him fulfilling a prophecy. In order to save his Kingdom Oedipus has to find out who murdered the king before him. Looking for the murderer Oedipus begins to learn about his origins and true self. Hamlet on the other hand is about a Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, trying to avenge his fathers death. There are manyRead More William Shakespeares Hamlet and Sophocles Oedipus the King1362 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeares Hamlet and Sophocles Oedipus the King   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Though Shakespeares’ Hamlet and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King were written in two different eras, echoes of the latter can be found in the former. 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