However, Claudius had a chance to make a choice, but since his desires for power and treasures were so overwhelming, he chose the murderous path. Knight states "Claudius cannot be blamed for his actions/ they are [rather] forced on him," (Knight, 6-7) and he argues that Claudius's murderous actions and plot of killing were backed up by self-defense to protect from Hamlet from taking away his throne and love of his life. Knight argued that his human sins of greed and envy foreshadowed his rightful judgment which leads him into these behaviors of wanting everything for himself. Furthermore, Knight claims that Hamlet is "inhuman, whose consciousness is centered on death/ As King of Denmark he would have a thousand times more dangerous than Claudius" (Knight, 9-10) because of the impact of finding out the truth
Oedipus then accuses Creon of sending Tireseas to make Oedipus think he is the murderer. After Oedipus accuses Creon he tells him, "I do not desire your banishment-- but your death." The death of Laius would never have occurred if it were not for Oedipus's short temper. Oedipus forced King Laius off the road because his procession wouldn't make way for Oedipus and his group. If Oedipus had thought things through he would have never have acted so irrationally and killed King Laius.
John Pinares English IV (Honors) – Period 5 21 September 2010 Mr. Gonzalez Dramatic Irony in Oedipus Rex “For whoever killed Laius might decide to raise his hand against me. So, acting on behalf of Laius, I benefit myself, too” (Sophocles 10). It is intended that Oedipus wants to find the murderer of Laius not only to save Thebes, but incase the murderer decides to kill Oedipus since he is king as he did Laius when he was king. What is unintended is that Oedipus himself is the murderer so he is trying to protect himself from himself, which ultimately fails because he pierces his own eyes. “I shall make a proclamation, speaking as one who has no connection with this affair, nor with the murderer” (Sophocles 14).
Not all of his attempts may be successful. However, he is never doing anything for self gain. “If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more”(3.2.20-22). Brutus was very close to Caesar, but Caesar grew mad with power. Brutus knew that he had to put an end to Caesar's rain, but in order to do so, he had to take the life of the man he was once so close to.
Enraged, Oedipus killed all the men except one. Only later did Oedipus know that one of the men he killed was his father Laius. If Oedipus had not been so swift to action, then maybe the first part of his fate wouldn't have been fulfilled. The second flaw of Oedipus’, blindness to the truth, is made clear by Teriresias when he states “But I say to you, with both your eyes, are blind: - You cannot see the wretchedness of your life]” (Sophocles 1175). Oedipus does not want to believe that he is the one that murdered Laius, even though he knows that he encountered a similar incidence like the one when Laius was killed.
Fight your way out, / or run for it, if you think you can escape death. / I doubt one man of you skins by…” (705). By destroying the suitors, Odysseus used violence once again as a way to satisfy his need for vengeance, despite the fact that the suitors offered alternate ways to pay him back. Since the suitors betrayed him, pursued his beloved wife Penelope, and threatened to take his place as king, Odysseus felt the need to slaughter the suitors as the most sufficient way to retaliate. “Death at the Palace” suggests Ancient Greeks considered violent revenge adequate.
Next, before Macbeth and Lady Macbeth carry out the act of killing Duncan, Macbeth is weighing the pros and cons of going through with the murder. He has extreme doubt about this and thinks that if fate shall make him king, then there is nothing he has to do. He says to himself, “but only/ Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself/ and falls on th’ other” (I.vii.26-28). The only thing that is motivating him to kill Duncan is his ambition, but as he knows, people rushing ahead of themselves for ambition can prove to be disastrous. He knows that his desire may destroy him, which in fact
When it was revealed that Oedipus himself murdered Laius, he chose to be banished from Thebes. It sounded definitely the best exit because he wanted his punishment to be more symbolic than justice like. Despite all this, Oedipus didn’t want to commit suicide because it would not do the citizens of Thebes any good, to be people belonging to a kingdom where two kings dye, one past another. Even though it seems that Oedipus has not been a particularly good monarch, in fact his only major accomplishment seems to be killing the Sphinx all those years ago; having a king put to death could have serious repercussions on the rest of the kingdom. By highlighting Oedipus’ punishment one could see that the play contains some gray area.
In consideration of this, Brutus appears increasingly benighted as he attempts to exonerate himself of guilt during the time preceding Caesar’s death. Brutus’ ignorance would lead us to believe that ambition is a capital crime. All through this play, the villainous act of murder is portrayed as mercy killing, while Caesar is sacrificed for the sake of his aspiration to control Rome. In conclusion, the
In Shakespeare’s play, ‘King Lear’, we are shown an array of characters that are multi-dimensional and extremely complex. Shakespeare has the ability to reveal a human character with an exceptional use of language. The three characters that I believe have large roles and functions within the play are, understandably, King Lear himself, The Fool, and Kent. The Fool acts as Lear's conscience and trusted guide, yet he is also a critic of Lear, a truth teller. In effect this makes a true friend, however some believe it was the Fool's constant remarks that drove Lear to madness.