Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Sophocles Oedipus the exp superstarnt and Shakespe ars critical point EssayIt is hard to divorce the subject of the gods in discussing Oedipus tragic flaw. In Sophocles time, the Greeks focusing of life was determined by the gods. They would non dream of calling practices such as consulting the Oracle or the procession as superstitious. Similarly, it is difficult to discuss Hamlets madness without relating it to the jot. Shakespeares England, fresh from experiencing the Reformation, in any case had its spotledge sets of superstitions.In the same way that peoples lives in those times were powerfully affected by superstitions and the supernatural, the decisions of some(prenominal) characters in the profligacys mentioned above were also influenced by superstitions and the supernatural. Although it is often thought that the plots of Oedipus the King and Hamlet revolve nearly the manner in which Oedipus and Hamlet use human reasoning and rational thinking to fashion themse lves as heroes, the purpose of this essay is to present otherwise, since both heroes are fashioned by superstition and the supernatural that succeed the heroic codes that they must follow, dictating them how to live their lives as heroes.The plots of both Hamlet and Oedipus the King revolve around resolving the evils in Thebes and Denmark, respectively. The supernatural reveals the nonpluss of these problems and the actions that the heroes must take in order to put balance back into their worlds. For the heroes to do this, they must complete a superstitious task. As one might see, the tasks of both heroes are oddly similar. For Oedipus, it is taking the sons part (280) and punishing the murderer of Laios. For Hamlet, it is avenging his fathers murder. In Oedipus the King, the cause of the plague is revealed through the Delphic Oracle. Due to the on-stage absence of the gods in the play, oracles and Teiresias function as their voices. Both of these are essential for truth and re velations. They represent the supernatural. In the play, the truth means power, as Teiresias affirms as he argues Oedipus, on that point is power in truth (390). Teiresias knew that the truth itself can kill Oedipus.The drama evolves through revelations about Oedipus urgency and his apparent blindness to it. Oedipus, as a tragic hero complete with characteristics such as hubris, heedlessness and blindness, tries to shift the center to himself as a god-like problem-solver, declaring I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name (8). He follows the mystery to the remnant until his eventual fall, causing him to inflict the punishment upon himself in order to appease justice. Though Oedipus is no buckle down to fate, he was a victim of it since he could not avoid his fate.Though fate can be seen as the will of the gods, it is maintained that Oedipus alone is responsible for his actions, as the second messenger pointed out The superior griefs are those we cause ourselves (1283). The concep t of fate is complicated, but it is very similar to the Protestant doctrine of predestination, where one is destined to be somebody or do something even when one has free will. In the commencement ceremony scene, the chorus asks why Oracle does not divulge the identity of the murderer. Strangely, Oedipus himself succeeds the explanation for this no man in the world can make the gods do more than the gods will (296-297).Teiresias also insisted that theres no help in truth (334), but Oedipus forces him into saying it. He insisted on knowing out of his own sense of piety and justice. That is his downfall. It is too late when Oedipus realizes this He Apollo brought my sick, sick fate upon me, but the blinding drop dead was mine own (1386-1387). Even in the end, superstition limits what he could do to himself. It prevents him from committing suicide, since in Hades, he does not know how to face both his father and mother (1419-1422).The modern reader would most probably oddment why Oedipus is subjected to such a fate. One may not answer that completely and accurately for the Greeks would argue that it is not any mortals business to ask that. In the play, moral characters lives are contrasted with the gods idol lives. Through the gods, the Greeks are reminded of their mortality seeing how our lives like birds take wing (183). Oedipus story also reminds them of this lesson. The play concludes with that same thoughtLet every man in mankinds frailty realise his last day and let nonePresume on his good fortune until he identifyLife, at his death, a memory without pain (1581-1884).In Hamlet, it is suggested that the superstitions and the supernatural have a real feature upon the characters. The appearance of the supernatural, in this case, the Ghost, tells the characters that something is rotten in the state of Denmark (1.4.90). Like in Oedipus the King, superstitions provide explanations for certain scientifically unexcuseable events and occurrences.The Ghost f irst appears on the first scene of act one where Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo were waiting for it. It doesnt utter a word so one could only visualize the Ghost through what the tercet says of it. From Horatio, the audience learns that it looks like the dead king and that he is wearing the armor that he wore when he smote the sledded Po escape on the ice (1.1.59-63).As he tried to question the ghost, he referred to three more popular superstitions to explain the reason behind the Ghosts appearance it seeks someone whose action will enable it to difference in peace (1.1.130-131), it knows of a future disaster in store for Denmark (1.1.133-134) or it seeks buried encourage extorted when alive (1.1.136-137). The Ghost vanishes as the cock crows. Horatio is not the only superstitious character in the play.Hamlet meets the ghost on the fourth scene. Though he knew not whether the ghost is of heaven or hell, he calls it Hamlet, his father (1.1.44-45). As the Ghost beckons him to a re mote place, Horatio and Marcellus urge Hamlet not to follow it for disquietude that it might loss leader him into madness (1.1.75). True enough, that is exactly what will happen in the next scenes and acts.The Ghost doesnt speak to Hamlet until the next scene. It introduces itself as Hamlets father, hinting at the terrors of the afterlife (1.5.9-13). It asks him to strike back his foul and most unnatural murder (1.5.25). Strangely enough, Hamlet is not completely surprised, even anticipate the murderer as his uncle (1.5.40-41). In this scene, the Ghost acts and thinks like Hamlet who also condemns his most seeming righteous queen (1.5.46). In its last words to Hamlet it cries have in mind me (1.1.91).Hamlet does remember him throughout the play. It is this ordinance of revenge that he will enact until the last act. He has to do it at the right moment, as superstition dictates. The scene where Claudius prays is not the right time for his death. The Ghost and its memory guide h is actions and decisions, though invisible. In Hamlets confrontation with his mother, the Ghost appears again in a more domestic garb, preventing him from harming his mother. It is hostile though that in that scene, Gertrude doesnt see the ghost.One may never know if this is a undertake of her moral blindness or if this is only a projection of Hamlets madness as Gertrude thinks. The Ghost causes Hamlets dread of something after death (3.1.78). This is exactly the subject of Hamlets most famous speech. Because of the terrifying vision of the Ghost, death becomes an undiscovered country (3.1.87).Hamlet doesnt know where he will go after death, so he doesnt commit suicide. Conscience, or the lack of it, makes a coward of him and therefore, lose the name of action (3.1.96). When finally Hamlet does avenge his father, all is set aright. As Hamlet dies, he elects Fortinbras as the new king of Denmark, who like him has also lot his father. It is through this bit that Hamlet becomes a fu lly fledged hero. Like his father in death, Hamlet also appeals to Horatio draw thy breath in pain to tell my story (5.2.183-184). Thus, he passes the call for remembrance.Superstitions and the supernatural indeed provide the heroic codes which shape the plots of these dramas. Although Oedipus and Hamlet both conform to their periods respective notions of heroes, the concept above runs the same for them. In the endings of both plays, the audiences come face to face with visions of mortality. These visions are intended for them, as well as the characters, to remember life itself.Works CitedShakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger Library Shakespeare. NY Washington Square Press, 1992.Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. The Oedipus Cycle. Trans. Dudley Fitts and RobertFitzgerald. San Diego and NY Harvest/HBJ, 1977.