Oedipus Character Analysis

When Hamlet finds out that his uncle murdered his father, who stole his wife and his crown, he has an instant urge to get revenge for the murderer who committed this foul act; “ Haste me to know’t, that meditation or the thoughts of love/ may sweep to my revenge” (1.5.30-32). This justified Hamlet’s feelings. One would agree that his revenge is morally right, although murder is wrong. The seriousness of Claudius’ crime grows when one contemplates that all deaths throughout the play would not have happened if Claudius did not kill his brother. Although the act of murdering someone is wrong; the seriousness of Claudius crime grows when one contemplates that all the deaths would not have happened if Claudius did not kill the king.

When Kreon returns from Delphi, he tells Oedipus that he must, “avenge the murderers of King Laios. (l.131)” In a desperate situation to save his city, Oedipus focuses on Laios’ murder, consequently beginning the play with the mystery of, “Who killed king Laios?” To help him in his quest, Oedipus calls for the blind prophet Teiresias to use his powers and identify the murderer. After receiving a ruthless interrogation and many threats from Oedipus, the prophet reveals that Oedipus is in fact the true slayer, “I say you, you are the killer you’re searching for. (l.492)” Though calling Teiresias’ news as foolish deceit, Oedipus later learns that the murder of King Laios had been foretold to be at the hands of his lost son, which he exiled and sentenced to death when his son was still a baby. Knowing that the same prophecy was told to him by Apollo, Oedipus now knows that he is implicated in the murder, and searches to find the underlying mystery of who he is, which holds the key to the solution of the original mystery.

Cassius deceived Brutus and convinced Brutus that Caesar was no good and useless to Rome, but was really a lie to make sure Caesar never got crowned. Brutus, lost in his decision, killed Caesar with many others. He was easily lured into Cassius’s evil doings. Cassius is perceived as the leader of the killing, but Brutus does not listen to his so called “leader.” Although Cassius was not f... ... middle of paper ... ...r not. Brutus had a tied heart and went with what his mind was telling him half the time.

By going into excruciating detail of his murder, it pulls on the heart strings of Hamlet. It lights a fire in him to become his father's avenger. Don Andrea's detailed description of his soul's passage in the underworld, he wants help is plotting for appropriate revenge. He wishes to seek revenge against his murder, causing the eternal separation of he and his "worthy dame" (1.1.10), Bel-imperia by "forcing divorce betwixt my love and me...When I was slain, my soul descended straight,/ To pass the flowing stream of Acheron"(14, 18-19). According to Clark, "Ghosts were thought to appear before...to exact justice, to revenge a foul deed" (100).

His downfall is not out of depravity or vice but it is out of natural errors in his personality. He will pay for his own flaws. The tragic downfall of our hero is in his real identity as the son of Laius and Jocasta. He will be the killer of his father and the husband of his real mother. As Tressias told him "no man will know worse suffering than you", and then Jocasta called him the "man of agony."

Not in this world.’ ‘Then she’ll die, and her death will destroy others” (51). Haimon knew of the injustice that Kreon had established but did little anything about it. After Antigone’s suicide, Haimon attempted to murder Kreon but failed and killed himself instead. His death and actions were rather reckless and unnecessary. Had Haimon been more logical and formed a coup within the government and use his influence on his father as his son, he could have succeeded in removing the oppressive injustice.

Oedipus was determined to find the killer of King Laius saying, "As for the criminal, I pray to God- whether it be a lurking thief, or one of a number- I pray that that man's life be consumed in evil and wretchedness and as for me this curse applies no less…" (World Lit 316). Creon' s motive of determination was not to back down from his word and law. The law was whoever buries Polyneices would be publicly stoned to death, since Polyneices didn't deserve a proper burial for his actions in war. Creon later finds out that Antigone has buried her brother and Creon replies " She has much to learn. The inflexible heart breaks first, the toughest iron cracks first, and the wildest horses bend their neck at the pull of the smallest curb…Breaking the law and boasting of it.

In the Oedipus at Colonus, there are three major themes of the play, prophecy, guilt and death. Each of them is part of how Oedipus’ life plays out. The prophecy told that he was the killer of his own father and married his mother, and how the guilt, he had for committing these acts, by gouging out his own eyes; and how after his family disowned him then wanting him to help them knowing that whoever was on Oedipus’ side would win the war. Also where Oedipus’ body should be laid to rest after his death. What is a prophecy you ask?

This is evident in the following statement in the opening paragraph of the story, “The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge” (Poe 7). Therefore, it is apparent to the reader from the onset of the story that revenge is a major driving force for Montresor for him to dreadfully murder his acquaintance,... ... middle of paper ... ...evertheless, the portrayal of revenge differs in the manner of execution, as seen in Montresor’s eagerness for revenge against Fortunato, while Hamlet is hesitant to avenge his father’s death even after he learns that Claudius committed the murder. In addition, the motivation for revenge is different in the short story and the play; Montresor is motivated by the injury he’s suffered due to his friend’s insults, which is a motivation not as substantial as Hamlet’s, in the death of his father. Despite these differences, both Montresor and Hamlet are controlled by vengeance, though Hamlet is more thoughtful and reasonable, thus his life ends in honor. Works Cited Poe, Edgar Allan.

Oedipus continues his search for the murderer only to find more links to himself. He eventually confirms the oracles predictions of him murdering his own father and marrying his mother, the predictions which made him move in order to try to avoid. It is here where painful emotion is found, Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus pokes his eyes (blinding himself) and exiles himself. Oedipus Rex is preoccupied with irony. The reader is often tuned into information which the character is clueless to.