Essays on Oedipus

Ahmed, Sofe (2012). Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory Oedipus complex: A critical study with reference to D. H. Lawrence’s “Sons and Lovers”, Internal journal of English and literature Vol. 3(3), pp. 60-70.

Summary Annotation

One of the most often argued critical and debatable questions of modern psychology and literature is definitely Sigmund Freud and his Oedipus complex. Introducing his theory in the field of modern psychology and literature trend, Freud initiated the confrontation of opinions. However, there exist a lot of other valuators, according to which, Freud’s concept of Oedipus complex should be treated with great respect. Outstanding ...

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Introduction Oedipus Rex is a play written by Greek dramatist Sophocles. It is among the most celebrated classical plays in the world. Oedipus Rex belongs to the genre of tragedy, as the central characters of the play undergo hardships at the hands of the fate, despite their integrity of characters and honest of intentions. The play follows all the components of an ideal plot outlined under classical dramatic structure – exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. The current essay discusses the presence of each of these components within the plot narrative of Oedipus Rex.

Exposition

Before the plot begins, ...

‘Oedipus the King’ was written by the Greek playwright Sophocles. Though a tragedy, like many from the Greek classics, it is laden with meaning that finds relevance even today in the modern world. The story contains a riddle about a murder and how it politically affects the state. The story, in a few words, is about the downfall of a brave warrior. This theme recurs in all cultures and can be found in almost any literature in the world. Since the theme is universal, folk cultures are replete with ballads to depict such tales. With the development of literature, ...

“Oedipus Rex”, “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, “The Glass Menagerie”

Nowadays, gender issues is a highly relevant topic in modern society which is not only raised in discussions, but also greatly present in the works of art. As one of the purposes of literature is to reflect the greatest concerns and world problems and speak up for them, the works describing the current role of woman in society are of a great importance. Moreover, the way the female characters are presented in the literary works make a great influence on how they are viewed in reality – that is why the depiction of women in literature needs to be thoroughly ...

“Oedipus Rex”, “The Glass Menagerie”, “The Angels in America”

The tragedies have always seemed to attract a wide range of audience because of the depth of the emotions revealed there and the turns of events which would be dreadful and inescapable, the complexity of its characters and main issues present in the plays, as well as because of a possibility for the spectators to connect to the events happening on the stage and empathize with the protagonists. When considering the tragedy as the work of art, it is essential to view it from historical perspective, too, and try to reveal its very origins and the basic ideas which ...

English 224: Fact, Truth and Fiction

Greatest American literary works of the twentieth century, such as from Herman Melville’s Moby –Dick, Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, and William Faulkner to Jon Kraukaur’s Into the Wild published in 1992 have always expressed strong disillusionment, depression and a desire to escape from the present conditions into the wild or alternative world. Leslie Fiedler identified that the central theme of U.S Literature is escape of American boys from the existing society and embrace a journey or quest into the unknown world. It is the arbitraries of the modern society which forced the writer to chronicle the ...

(Author Name) (Course Name/Number) The Tavistock Model was originally developed at the Tavistock Clinic in London around the onset of the First World War It started as a classroom experiment for students studying infants, but soon became an accepted practice throughout the social science field as a means of observing infants, children, and adults. The model itself has deep roots in Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytical Theory and was developed as a collaboration between child psychoanalyst Esther Bick and Dr. John Bowlby. Because the concentration started as a means of observing the stages of emotional and mental development in children, ...

Introduction

Oedipus Rex (c. 430 BC) of Sophocles is the story of the supremacy of the gods who command the fate of men, no matter their station in life. Oedipus, son of King Laios, who was abandoned by his father after having his feet nailed hearing a prophecy that he would die from his son, returns too Thebes to rule in the land which had just lost its King. He had killed an old man while on his way and manages to outwit the Sphinx with her cryptic riddles to enter the Theban walls where he is hailed King and ...

Woman. One of the greatest creations of God's will or what your religion says. However, it still does not matter at all what is written in your sanctuary book. You just can not argue with that. Look around. They are everywhere, in every part of the world. Even while the human being exists for more that couple of million years, a woman's role in society is still being discussed. Should she take the lead position in the family or not? Is feminism good or not? And many other questions are still left without an answer. There is no absolute ...

Throughout the play ‘Odepus the King', reader feels that there were sufficient indicators from which Oedipus should have predicted way before time that some truth was being concealed from him (Zachrisson and Anders 313). From messages expressed metaphorically to messages almost certainly meant to convey the understanding that some truth was awaiting him, instances of indicative expressions dominate the play. From the onset, the play is characterised by views and opposing views over just how aggressively Oedipus should pursue the truth regarding his true parentage and as to who was the murderer behind the death of King Laius (Priel ...

The play “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is about fate and how one’s attempt to change it can inadvertently cause it to happen. This is mostly because “man” cannot change what the gods have already predestined. In “Oedipus the King” Laius is told by the Oracle at Delphi that his son will murder him and marry his mother. He and his wife Jocasta decide that the prophecy must be prevented as make the decision to expose their three-day old son to the elements. Nevertheless, things do not go as planned and their son is saved and grows up ...

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Out of the colossal choice of various objects bringing the olden days to life that are available at Getty Villa, my attention was caught by the Head of Apollo. Apollo is depicted in Sophocles' "Oedipus the King" as a Greek oracle to whom Oedipus comes for advice (Sophocles, 45). Apollo is described as a god associated with youth and light (Sophocles, 86). The Getty Villa notes on Apollo mention that the god of poetry, music and prophecy was frequently portrayed as a romanticized youth with his hair arranged in his original banded ...

According to Greek mythology, one’s personality ultimately affected the course of their lives. For instance, if one was considered wise, they were likely to live a good life. The contrary also holds true.

This paper will evaluate the role of fate and free will in Oedipus’ life.

Oedipus solved the Sphinx riddle whose solution lay in the three main stages of human life. As a child, Oedipus was sent out to die by his parents for fear of the fulfillment of prophesy. This stage was a work of fate as it was in relation to prophesy that depended on their action. As a young man, he set out on a journey to ...

There are many historical pieces of literature that continues to be read, studied and analyzed in order to understand the characters and events in, both, broader and focused, respects. Who are the heroes and who are the villains? What is the lesson to be learned? Is the ending happy and just or is it simply tragic. In the case of “Oedipus the King” the story has very taboo subject matter, dark foreshadowing and an entirely tragic ending. Oedipus’s choice to blind himself is not a selfish act and the story does not really have a just ending. It ...

Japanese continue to grapple with low paying jobs despite the county’s strong economy. In this piece, I will explore economic and social alienation in Japan, reviewing some of the latest turn of events in the country. The article is titled “Japan’s Disposable Workforce: Alienation, suicide and social responsibility.” The article theme concerns alienation together with poor quality of life and poverty. These and other more reasons depicts Japan persistent alienation culture leading to high rate of suicide in the county. I got attracted to this article because Japan represents the most advanced societies in the world and ...

Dramatic or tragic irony is a concept that originated in Greek tragedy. It is the idea that a character’s words when spoken against another are actually a reference to themselves (Dictionary.com) In dramatic irony the actions that are perpetrated by a character may be in opposition to what the audience knows is the truth (Dictionary. Com). This paper will look at dramatic irony in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Dramatic irony occurs at the beginning of the play when it is revealed that Oedipus is seeking the murderer of Laius King of Thebes. Oedipus wants to find the killer ...

In this essay I’m going to talk about political and social alienation in Egypt based off an article reflecting recent happenings in the said country. The article is titled “Sinai Explodes Into Violence After Years of Chronic Poverty and Alienation” The theme portrayed in the article is mainly alienation, alongside other themes such as poverty, marginalization and violence, which clearly brings out the alienation of the Bedouins, an ethnic group in Egypt. I chose the article because the Bedouins have several characteristics which alienate them from other Egyptians. The characteristics are; permanent nomadic lifestyle, low population and geographical ...

In answering how Aristotle’s definition of tragedy applied to Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex one must look at Aristotle’s definition of tragedy in Poetics. Aristotle says in chapter 6 that tragedy is “a mimesis of a high, complete action in speech pleasurably enhanced, the different kinds occurring in separate sections, in dramatic, not narrative form, effecting through pity and fear the catharsis of such emotions” (Aristotle). Aristotle most likely had the play in mind as he wrote the Poetics, since he referred to it numerous times. There are also six elements of tragedy which are, mimesis of character, mimesis ...

Status is a common term in every society with structure since some members set the pace while the rest follow. Pride is therefore a familiar scenario as members of a certain social status seek recognition and respect from the rest of the population. Pride is a prevailing theme in the Antigone and tempest plays that feature characters who demonstrated pride in different degrees. Both plays feature historical societies where power wrangles defined every society. They also feature members of high social status and close to power. Antigone emerged at a time of national tension when the king needed to ...

Oedipus the King is an ancient drama set in Athens and written by Sophocles. The drama explores the events that take place in a kingdom called Thebes. The major character in this book is King Oedipus, who succeed King Laius. When a plague strikes Thebes, the people of Thebes ask King Oedipus to save them from them from the sufferings brought by the plague. At this time, Creon, who was the brother-in-law to King Oedipus, returns after visiting the oracle of Apollo and says that the plague that was experienced was a punishment for the death of King Laius ...

Abstract

Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis, has made lasting contributions in the field of psychology because of his theory on psychosexual and personality development. His unorthodox psychological techniques and theory were influenced by his forerunners and then, after his lifetime, left a lasting impact about how nurture explains human consciousness and behavior, especially, on mental illnesses. His three aspect of the mind: superego, ego, and id, are apt psychodynamic explanations about the workings of the mind and human behavior among his avid followers of psychoanalysts. Further, his stages of psychosexual development: pre-genital, oral, etc., not to mention Oedipus and ...

Antigone is a tragedy written by Greek playwright Sophocles in the year 442 BCE. The play carries on in a series of plays such as Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus as well as Seven Against Thebes, which tell the tale of social classes, family feuds, and civil law in ancient times. The play tells about the reversal of fortunes between people in the high social class who are forced to live very lowly lives and to suffer emotionally and physically due to the operation of the constitution. The play deals with the burial of Antigone’s brother ...

Synopsis

Franny and Zoey were written as two different stories, the first being a short story about Franny, a college student dissatisfied with the pretentious American society as epitomized by her boyfriend, Lane. He even pretends he does not remember the letter he was just reading before the train arrived. The events of the story take place at a French restaurant where Lane takes Franny during their date, and the conversation that ensues is indicative of just how the two are different. Lane talks incessantly about his school work and assumes that Franny does not understand some of the words ...

Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Adler Alfred were influential thinkers and contributors to the discipline of psychology (Fairbairn, 2013). Despite the distinctions in theories and perspectives, the three philosophers spent their lives searching a better understanding of humans’ psychological frailties. Furthermore, they tried to identify different approached of bettering them. Specifically, Freud suggested that the development of a child proceeds through stages associated with one’s physical development, and the way crises are resolved in different stages shapes one’s adult personality (Smith, 2013). He named the stages after erogenous zones that are capable of experiencing pleasure from the ...

Introduction

In contemporary society, the term “lament” is used in everyday conversations, yet it is an old method of expression with a wide-ranging history in biblical and cultural contexts. In the Bible and ancient culture, lamentation was a specific practice used in written lyrical texts. In the Bible, the lament is applied as a prayerful plea to the creator or a dirge regarding the death of destruction of someone or something. In literary culture, lament has been used in poetry as well as prose writing for a long time. The Biblical book of Job provides a vivid example of lament. ...

Oedipus, the King of These in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is guilty of both incest and patricide. The proof of Oedipus’ guilt can be found in what vague description of what he knew about Laius and Jocasta. As a man who knew about the oracle’s prophecy, he should have exercised caution when he was confronted by an old man. Oedipus’ failure to connect the dots is deliberate since people could have been able to decipher that the individual who was responsible for the death of Laius was Oedipus who makes his entrance into Thebes two days after the junction ...

Outlining Aristotle’s Theory of Tragedy, a brief discussion on the definition of tragedy can be delivered. According to the Theory of Tragedy, it is a kind of literature that presents replication of several serious actions of different magnitudes compiled with each brand of artistic as well as linguistic embellishment (Jeong-Hyok Seo). In addition to that, the literature has been divided into many parts in the form of continuous actions sometimes not descriptive. At the end of the play, the several incidents create distinct misfortune and fear that ends in accomplishing grief. Considering the tragedy as a literary genre, ...

Thucydides wrote about the desire for power by the human beings as one of the human natures that has existed among the Greeks. This human nature existed even in the ancient Greek especially among the Athens. His arguments have however supported in Plato’s argument has they appear in the Plato’s Apology (Farrar, 1988). Some of the other aspects of human nature that have formed the backbone of Thucydides’ quest to give an explanation as well as interpretation about human desire for power include judgment, passion, chance and desire for security (Connor, 1984). The Athenians appeal to these ...

In Oedipus Rex, the main character spends the entirety of the play escaping a prophecy that he heard as a child; that he would kill his father and marry his mother. However, circumstances and mistaken assumptions lead him right back to his parents, and the prophecy is fulfilled before he even realizes it. By the beginning of the play, he has already killed his father and married his mother – the play is about the circumstances of his discovery of that fact. The Greeks placed a great emphasis on fate and the power of destiny in people’s lives; if you were fated ...

Human Development

Sigmund Freud is considered the father of Psychology owing to his immense contribution in the study of Psychology. Freud articulated the Psychosexual Theory of personality Development, which has gained much recognition worldwide by other psychologist. Freud argues that children are born with sexual energy that gets satisfied in different parts of the body as they grow. On the other hand, Erik Erikson, a German Psychologist proposed eight stages through which all individuals go through, and he called the stages Psychosocial Stages of Development, stages that he categorically termed ‘conflicts’. Resolution of one stage brings the foundation of negotiating the challenges ...