Saul: A Tragic Hero

On the road to Damascus the Lord intervenes in Saul’s life (Acts 9: 3-6) and he is genuinely converted during that encounter with the Lord Jesus. Under the ministry of Ananias (a disciple) he was also healed and filled with the Holy Spirit. Saul now known as Paul from that moment on immediately began preaching Christ in the synagogues of Damascus. Paul’s preaching was very convincing and disturbing to the Damascus Jews to the point where they desired to kill him. Therefore, the other Christian disciples assisted him in his escape by night (Acts 9:22-25) that he may escape to Arabia. Paul’s missionary Journeys were defining actions of him, he usually set foot with other companions and he endured hardships on these voyages. He was imprisoned, lashed and stoned several times and almost murdered once (2 Cor. 11:24-27).

St. Paul, other known as Saul, never actually lived the life any of us would hope for. As a young child Saul learned to work with his own hands and create tents. Before his conversion to Christianity, he went out and arrested those who believed in Christ. While he was out arresting many, he also persecuted some of the Christians. Also, Saul was one person who approved the stoning of Stephen. Lastly, God appeared to him and he had a conversion of heart.

Antigone, a Greek a tragedy, is the third of the Three Theban Plays by Sophocles. Throughout the play, readers are introduced to few, but intriguing characters, one being the protagonist of the play, Antigone. Antigone is the tragic hero of Antigone; she presents recognition of the gods, exemplifies good virtues, and possess a fatal flaw, or hamartia. A tragic hero is a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.

After that Saul was refered to as Paul. He left his old life and began his mission as a amasador of Christ’s message to all the world, or the world as it was known at that time. He left Jerusalem and began his missionary journeys, at least five of them. He went to Asia minor (modern Turkey), Syria, Greece, Italy, Spain even Britian.Paul trained Timothy and John Mark. He was so dedicated to the calling Jesus put on him that he paid for it spending five years or more in prison for his teachings and faith on multiple occasions. He was whipped bewaten and tortured on more than one occasion. He even lived through a stoning attempt and being shipwrecked. He paid the ultimate price with his life as a martyr at the hands of the Romans.

In the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul Indian Horse spent his childhood being abused in a residential school. Saul’s own family either died or abandoned him while he was young so Saul was left with a void to fill. The theme of family is explored in Indian Horse through Saul’s desire to find true family. At the residential school, St. Jerome’s, Saul makes a connection with one of the priests, Father Gaston Leboutilier. Later on in his life Saul bonds with Ervin Sift. Finally, Saul finds true family with the Kellys in Manitouwadge. Saul’s happy ending is a grand achievement given his brutal start in a residential school.

Christianity over the course of history has a vast influence on individuals, society and the way believers conduct themselves. It provides morals, practices and ethics that every Christian attempts to live by. Throughout the many denominations in the Christian church, Paul of Tarsus had a significant influence on the faith. His contribution to the development and expression of Christianity is immense and can be seen to stem from his writing and missionary journeys which have implemented his ideas and interpretations onto the development of Christianity. After Jesus, Paul was arguably the most significant figure in Christianity as his teachings form a significant part of the New Testament. Like may other Pharisees of that time in history, Paul sought to suppress the early Christian movement. He accused early Christians of blaspheming against God and breaking Mosaic Law. However, Paul had a life-changing experience when he had a vision of Jesus, and he spent the remainder of his life as a missionary for the early church. Centuries after his ministry, his teachings still influence Christian theology.

The New Testament contains the story of Saul; a religious man who sincerely thought he was doing right. (Galatians 1:13-14) He said, “I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.” (Acts 23:1) However, in his enthusiasm to serve God, he was wrong; he honestly believed that he was right, but he was mistaken. In his defense before King Agrippa, Paul explained, “Indeed, I thought I must do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.” (Acts 26:9) He persecuted and killed Christians with a pure conscience because he thought his actions were pleasing to God.

God is the creator, sustainer, judge, and redeemer. However, the most important characteristic of God is love. Love is an admirable quality. Genesis is an account of God’s magnificent creations. God saw that everything he created was good. The book of Genesis focuses on six persons and their families: Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. God blessed man and all of his creations. For a moment, God’s creation was as He intended; paradise. Man sinned and God became unhappy, but he still provided for his people. God wanted man to repent. He still wanted things to be good once again. Noah was of the “few” good people on earth. Noah was obedient and honored God. God wanted to rid the earth of evil and start anew with righteous men and

Poetics, where he defines what makes a tragic hero. Aristotle suggests that a tragic hero is a

A possible theme for Oedipus the King by Sophocles is that one’s blindness can hide the inevitability that is his destiny. Oedipus is in this situation. He struggles to escape his fate: killing his father and marrying his mother and believes he is successful. Sophocles believes that the gpds control one’s destiny and the inevitability that a person will do what is destined despite there hero’s intentions.Oedipus represent the standards of a true tragic hero: he is well known, basically good, his punishment is out of proportion compared to his crime, the audience at some point feels sorrow and pity for him, and Oedipus has a tragic flaw. During the whole story Oedipus thinks that he may be able to change his fate a live life how he wants but he falls to that which is his destiny.For these reason Oedipus is truly an example of a tragic hero and is unable to avoid his tragic fate.

An examination of the Pauline epistles should begin with an examination of the author. Saul of Tarsus was a Jewish official a Pharisee. Saul was a persecutor of Christians and an eyewitness to the stoning of Steven. “And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.” (Acts 7.58 King James Version) He had a vision on the road to Damascus and was blinded. God sent Ananias to heal Saul of his affliction. God also sent Paul a vision of Ananias to let him know that he would be healed. Paul did not learn the Gospel from other men. He received his knowledge directly from Jesus.

The plot summary is about a man named Saul who was courageous in battle. He was a generous king. Early in his reign he was admired and respected by the people. However, his life turned into a tragedy for one reason. Saul did not trust in God. Saul and his servant had just left the Land of Benjamin because they were in search for Saul’s father asses. Saul had figured that they could not find them and wanted to turn back to tell his father, but his servant suggested otherwise. The servant had suggested that they go see a well-known prophet in the city of Israel. So instead they venture off to the city of Israel and encountered the prophet.

Paul whose name was Saul was an early Christian missionary and theologian, known as the Apostle to the Gentiles was born a Jew in Tarsus, Rome. As a minor, he was trained as a rabbi but earned his living as a tentmaker. A zealous Pharisee, he persecuted the first Christians until a vision of Jesus, experienced while on the road to Damascus, converted him to Christianity. Three years later he met St. Peter and Jesus ' brother James and was henceforth recognized as the 13th Apostle. From his base in Antioch, he traveled widely, preaching to the Gentiles. By asserting that non-Jewish disciples of Christ did not have to observe Jewish law, he helped to establish

The article in Saul’s novel, “Feminine Appearance,” has a lot of different aspects to cover such as wrinkles being a characteristic frowned upon and certain clothing being a way for society to judge individuals. Although all these aspects are all important to talk about, I will be focusing on the aspect of the bodies of women and how feminine appearance of their bodies sometimes require surgery or harmful actions to fulfill the needs of looking beautiful. Carol Travis has a strong opinion when it comes to women and how they look at their bodies. She argues that many women seek surgery to enhance themselves to fit into the norms of society. Saul quotes Travis in her article “… This sort of ideal is particularly difficult for most women to live up to: in general, if you diet enough to have the slim legs, your breasts will not be large. Living up to it fully will often require surgery.” (Saul 145) Travis, as well as Saul, argues that it is sometimes harmful to a woman to push themselves to look the way society wants them to. Sometimes just dieting and eating healthy will not have the full effect of becoming someone who is seen as beautiful in society. Women are seen trying to achieve bodies that are unnatural. Cosmetic surgeries can be harmful as they can set a beauty standard that some people can just not attain. Carol Travis, along with Saul, argues that society should not force a woman to partake in harmful activities to enhance themselves. This being said I do not agree

In The Bible there are multiple ideal societies which are presented, each denoted by the God's approval of that society and its leader. One of these societies is that portrayed in the story of Saul. In this story Samuel, a prophet of God, is given the task of revealing Saul, the ruler who is specified