He’s useless tricks display vanity and indicate his wastefulness to the audience. The Tempest is a problem play; Prospero is presented with the opportunity for spiteful revenge but realises the importance of forgiveness. Doctor Faustus is a morality play; he never realises the importance of repentance and banishes any opportunity to save himself, which results in his eternal damnation in hell. In the first act of the play, the audience is confronted with a magic fuelled spectacle. We see Prospero with the help or Ariel conjures the tempest.
Lucifer’s fall was due to him rebelling against God’s authority with the assumption of feeling entitled to the glory and power of God. The building of the Tower of Babel was an example of pride on behalf of King Nimrod of Babylonia; the purpose of the giant construction project was based on an egocentric mentality of the Babylonians. Assuming that they can make a name for themselves due to the fact that they share one language, live a lavish life and decide to create a huge tower—God punished the population by making them incomprehensible to one another (the beginnings of a new language and eventually ethnicities) In the inferno Dante meets King Nimrod and was told by Virgil that this individual deserved all the punishments that came with being in hell and in the Purgatorio we see how Dante pities the prideful penitents who are burdened with enormous sized stones on their backs which force them to keep their heads bowed as a way “belittling”
In my opinion, dramatic irony was added because Creon is slightly arrogant character. I predicted that he would be disappointed in him and that he will get what he deserves for being so evil to the people of his country. Another example is when Creon finds out that Antigone disobeyed his law. King Creon got so angry when the Choragus said, “I have been wondering, King: can it be that the gods have done this” (1077). The Choragus provides
His fickle favor toward his servants, and not to mention his family, proves his inconsistency and instability. Although appointed by the gods, his reign has exposed the abused and misused privilege of representing the gods in his earthly position. King Creon’s irrational edict stated that any man who dares to bury Polyneices would suffer death by stoning. Is it a mere human’s prerogative to determine another man’s eternal fate? Because Antigone had nothing left to live for, while knowing the sentence of stoning, Antigone defied King Creon’s edict in order to fulfill her duty.
Creation once was something biblically pure and reserved for God but Victor ignores this and his work becomes a mockery of purity “I kept my workshop of filthy creation,” the oxymoron undermining the implied sanctity expressing the depravity of Victor’s ambition. The pervasive use of irony is evident in the juxta positioning of Victor denying his creation friendship and the companionship he seeks with Clerval “nothing could equal my delight on seeing Clerval,” he
(3.3 29+32) The fatal flaw of the third conspirator, Cassius is that he is scared of what will happen to him after he murdered Caesar. Cassius and Brutus though that Anthony will turn Rome against them and realize what they did was wrong and their traitors. Cassius’s famous quote is “” Men at times are masters of their fates; the fault; dear Brutus, is not in our stars. But in ourselves””. (1.2 139-142) In conclusion, these conspirators lead to their own downfall by not listening to each other.
The Bacchae In his play The Bacchae Euripides explores the duality of society, the roles of males and females in life, and the role of the Gods. His tragedy details the downfall of an arrogant ruler and his family as they each interact the god Dionysus. Pentheus, the king of Thebes, does not believe Dionysus is a god. His ultimate sin was denying that he was a god, and not making the proper sacrifices. By trying to maintain rigid order Pentheus scorned Dionysus, and set the stage for his own demise.
In the Theban Antigone by Sophocles, the author reveals a theme that the laws of the Gods are greater than those of man. The beginning of this play shows king Creon refusing to bury Polynice on account of him attacking Thebes, this begins a conflict with Antigone; Polynice’s sister who believes that she must bury her brother sending his soul to the heavens even though fully knowing the consequences of her actions could lead to her own death, Creon discovers this treason and sentences Antigone to death, despite the numerous objections by his son Haemon and the blind prophet Theresis. Through the use of conflicts and tragedy Sophocles reveals a theme that is relevant even in a modern society. Sophocles uses the interpersonal conflict between Antigone and Creon to represent that upholding the laws of the Gods are higher than the laws of man. Creon sets laws that he believes no man is bigger than while Antigone believes that
Pray can I not, Though inclination be as sharp as will. My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,” (III.iii.36-40). Claudius opens his soliloquy in a way that almost makes the reader feel sorry for him. A confession of his own immoral behavior to God that stems from a deep conviction. This is proof that Claudius is in a battle within himself.
A last example of the Greek cultural value of being devoted to the gods is made visible by the reason that Oedipus is accursed. Creon finally tells Oedipus to “not seek to be master in everything” (Sophocles 470). Because Oedipus relied so heavily on himself, instead of being loyal the gods, he greatly suffered. Because Sophocles wrote the play so that Oedipus would suffer for not being loyal,