A chance to fulfill arête, through competition with others. According to Aristotle, the best of the tragic hero would be art that should imitate life, in that people should be able to identify with the hero’s character in a play. People, as well as the gods, should be excited by either fear or pity. Aristotle did not feel that a true tragic hero was neither all good nor all bad; he felt that the average citizen had to be able to see themselves in such a person in order to be able to identify with them. Plato’s
Oedipus and Creon are similar in this sense, that their differing characters allow us to analyze one character at a time. Creon serves as a foil character to Oedipus in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex through his personality, style of power, and views of their lifestyle. During the time of the play, Gods were worshipped not in the theological sense, but in the belief of them being the forces of nature. When Oedipus is informed of his city’s turmoil, he expresses concern for his people, but when he hears the Chorus desperately crying to the gods, he answers with “You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayers.
Finally on the one hand Antigone could be described by the Greek word “mythos” that means fantasy, she lives in her own world and believes in “phusis”, everything that is natural (including of course burying her dead brother); On the other hand, Creon lives for the “logos”, the reason, what is right. He does not want to do anything outside the law because he is the one to install and impose the laws. Creon could remind us of a Sophoclean hero; nevertheless it is not as blatant as Antigone. He is also a very headstrong character, the fact that he is ready to kill his own niece proves his yearn and thirst for the applications of laws. The difference between both of them is that they aspire to two very different aspects of life; She wants respect and he wants power, we see that those two principles do not always agree with each other.
Othello encountered his obstacles when he could make trustworthy decisions. B. The character traits of Oedipus and Othello allowed their agents of distraction to work successfully. i. Oedipus was selfless and god-fearing ii. Othello was selfish, revengeful, gullible, and jealous C. Oedipus and Othello depended on different forces for success and action leading to a difference in the force behind their downfalls i. Oedipus trusted in the ways of the people and sought after the gods ii.
Through their reactions to death, their own deaths, and their general philosophies on action, it is evident that while foil as they may be, they are ultimately similar. The greatest explanation one could consider is borrowed from the one who bore it first. Aristotle, the great philosopher determined a method of achieving happiness by living in balance. Too much of one thing and not enough of another would only lead to failure and a miserable life. If both Hamlet and Laertes could balance the importance of thought and action, and live in the mean, then they could begin to determine what may have been a more logical step in the pursuit of their goals, however disastrous their end result wished to be.
This type of power was intended to make the process of decision making faster and more decisive. However, we see this power abused by Creon in his decree. The people of Thebes find Creon’s decree to be unjust but only Antigone has the strong will to disobey the law and do what the people will not. Creon’s son Haemon tells his father what the people of Thebes have been saying about Antigone’s actions and her proposed punishment: “Death? She deserves a glowing crown of gold!” (Sophocles, 1984, pg.
* Question the degree of the influence Edie has on him and his future. * He turned Edie away from being a nun. Both of them had an equally important influence on each other. This is where the subtlety and nuance. * Its more revenge and self-interest rather than the driving force behind his moralities * He is uneasy about taking on the role as whistle-blower * Struggles with the decision to abandon the code of D & D * He is indecisive until Charley’s death * Rage and desire seem to drive him rather than any desire to address a moral failing * After inquiry Terry is transformed into a stronger more positive version of himself.
In The Bicycle Thief, Antonio Ricci’s unfortunate circumstances cause his priorities and values to alter throughout the movie. For the most part, he illustrates his actions to be innocent until the desperation of his situation overwhelms him. How far can someone take the pressure until they break? Personal values are very dependant on circumstances. The difference in someone’s priorities is very apparent once their livelihood is in jeopardy.
November 26, 2013 Romeo & Juliet: Fate vs. Free Will Some may believe that the events in William Shakespeare's tragic play, Romeo & Juliet, are examples of Fate. Although fate plays a large factor in the story of the “Star-crossed Lovers”, I personally think many actions of the characters are a clear display of free will. Both Romeo and Juliet believed fate would bring them together; still, it was their free will that gave them the courage to disobey their parents, love each other despite their families’ hatred, and ultimately choose death over life without one another. Free will is the ability to make one’s own choices. Both Romeo and Juliet have the power to make their own decision.
Victor strives to attain new potential for mankind. Although he commits a horrendous act by abandoning his creation, he gave life to something that otherwise would cease to exist. Despite the atrocious horror that materialized before Victor, this entity also thirsted for knowledge manifesting into a surprisingly intellectual being. In theory both could be brave protagonist, both are seeking acceptance and knowledge. Victor for his drive and fearlessness to achieve something thought to be impossible, although self-motivated.