Thryth is however easily rehabilitated by marriage, as she is to some degree functional within her society. Grendel's mother is not, and the only remedy for her type of complete evil is death. As her son, she is an outcast, and deserving of a death as such. Her evil has no place in a society that sees itself as predominantly good.
In Oedipus, the fulfillment of fate is the ultimate undesirable element, and can be compared to the idea of 'evil' in Beowulf. There is however no apparent duality that differentiates the women of the play, except in terms of maturity and in terms of their role as compared to that of men. Interestingly, a woman, Jocasta, is the cause of the undesirable event. She attempts to break the curse by what she believes is the murder of her son. Eventually however she is driven to suicide by her failure. Whereas the female characters in Beowulf then remain fairly static in their status as representatives of good or evil, Jocasta's role changes in terms of both the concrete and the symbolic.
Initially, Jocasta is the personification of female nobility. After the murder of her husband, Oedipus takes his place as both husband and king. With Jocasta, he fathers two daughters. Ismene and Antigone, although innocent, ultimately share in the fate of their parents. Jocasta's downfall occurs together with that of her husband. As he is gradually revealed as simultaneously husband and son as well as father and brother, the shame that takes his sight takes her life.
Jocasta's role in the play is to compliment her husband in both his glory and his shame. To a greater extent than in Beowulf, her role is intertwined with that of the main male character. Jocasta begins the process that will end in tragedy. She therefore...
Both men suffer, and both men have to continue living with that suffering, while losing the people they care about the most. That tragedy is even more apparent in Dove's work, with the misunderstanding about Augustus and what he managed to do in the plantation house. His fate seems more tragic, somehow, because he is being commended for something that he did not do, and is being treated as
We learn that women are very dependent on the men in their lives for social standing. Creon is more sympathetic than Oedipus. While he is very straightforward, he does not express the same opinions for Oedipus that Oedipus does to him. When Oedipus does not hear the answer he wants, he becomes arrogant and then tells Creon he is not a good friend. He even goes on to accuse him
Oedipus the King At the beginning of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus clearly sees it as his purpose in life to be the best leader he can. In his mind, this meant to be as close to his people as possible, especially when the play opens and the land being in trouble. This is clear in what he says to those who come to him with the problem of their
Oedipus: A King of Multiple Archetypal Meanings, as well as Multiple Tragedies "What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?" In answering the question to the Sphinx's riddle with the word 'man,' "Oedipus the King" of Sophocles seals his fate. He will marry the widowed queen of Thebes, having unwittingly dispensed with his father during a roadside brawl. Perhaps because
role of women in Oedipus the King with the role of women in any other ancient Greek writings we have read this term. Be sure to do more than just observe the differences or similarities. I want to see a point argued here. The role of women in "Oedipus the King" compared to the role of women in "The Odyssey" Women have had a series of roles in Greek legends, with
She suggests the contest of the bow and the axes, which allows Odysseus to reveal himself and put the fear of Zeus into the suitors. Odysseus gets the credit for his great feat of arms, but it is Penelope's idea. Homer is showing that though man is superior to woman, this one exceptional woman deserves to be highly valued. Helen serves, like Klytaimnestra, as contrast to the virtuous Penelope. Although
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