Oedipus Rex Vs. Antigone - 1417 Words

Daniel Nierenberg Comparative Essay 11-20-01 Oedipus Rex Antigone It is only natural that an author use similar vessels of literature, such as figurative language, literary devices, and elements in his/her work. It is even more apparent between works that are connected by character, time, and theme. Sophocles did this when he wrote Oedipus Rex and Antigone. When comparing the two pieces, it becomes evident that very similar vessels connected these very different plays. Sophocles uses a specific type of figurative language in both pieces known as hamartia. Hamartia is a characters flaw. The flaw often leads to a major downfall by its owner. In both Oedipus Rex and Antigone, there are three reoccurring hamartias: hubris,†¦show more content†¦Ã‚ ¦to waste away in barrenness, unmarried. Sophocles followed through with the curse in Antigone. We see that Oedipus line ends in this piece. Ismene, the youngest daughter, is so traumatized by the events in Oedipus Rex that she becomes a priestess and therefore will never have children. The two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, wind up dying at the hands of one another in a great civil war. As for Antigone, her death is the worst of all. Although in Antigone, Sophocles establishes a relationship between Haimon and Antigone, Antigone pays the ultimate price for trying to bury her brother. One cannot ignore that fact that Creon was Oedipus uncle/brother. Therefore it is safe to assume that with the death of Haimon, there is no hope for even the slightest bit of Oedipus blood to be passed on. And thus, the cycle of sins of the father is complete. Sophocles plays each have a noble/tragic hero as the main character. The definition of a tragic hero, according to Aristotle, is a man who is neither good nor bad, whose misfortune arises from frailty or error. They must be prosperous and well known. The tragic hero must fall in front of our eyes. The hero must start off high, fall, and at the end rise up higher than before. A noble hero is the same except he/she does not have as many flaws as the tragic hero. Oedipus was, of course, aShow MoreRelatedOedipus Fate And Fate Essay777 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscusses fate vs free will in his plays. In the play Oedipus Rex there was a prophecy that Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he attempts to escape his destiny by running away to Thebes where he meets his fate. In the play Antigone, that main character Antigone decides to go against Creon’s (her uncle who has inherited the throne) decree and bury the brother, Polynices, knowing the consequences would lead to her death. 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