Oedipus the King Hamartia Essay

General Introduction: Eight Great Tragedies In Greek the word “tragedy” means “goat song”, but the connection between tragedy and goat song is obscure. Perhaps a goat was the prize at some sort of early singing contest in Greece, or perhaps the dancers wore goat skins. One medieval writer ingeniously suggested that tragedy is called goat song because it begins prosperously, as a goat is abundantly hairy in front, and ends wretchedly, as a goat is bare in the rear. Dante Alighieri, whose Divine

Othello has been described as one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays because the play focuses on its themes of good and evil, military, politics, love and marriage, religion, racial prejudice, gender conflict, and sexuality; but the controversy and debate surrounding Othello is “Why is Othello a qualification for a tragedy?” Most readers are aware of the many famous deaths or acts of death within the Shakespearean plays. And when the main characters die in Shakespeare’s plays, indeed

“The goat song” is the original meaning of the word “tragedy.” The word developed when men lined up to offer their goats as sacrifices to their gods. The goats they held or lead realized their fates and began bleating sorrowfully. They mourned that their lives were to be laid down for others; however, Willy Loman from “Death of a Salesman” gave up his life courageously. Arthur Miller's character, Willy Loman, thought the only way he could help his family was to die. After much defeat Willy reflected

Throughout the different eras of theatre, the Greek, Roman, Medieval, Commedia, and Shakespearean performers all contributed to the culture of the societies of they were in. However, the level of “social responsibility” that was prevalent in these eras was dependent on whether or not government promoted theatre as a means of enlightening the general public. As a result, the manner in which theatre was presented contributed to the evolution of the particular society either positively or negatively

Antigone Deserves More Sympathy than Creon      In the Antigone, unlike the Oedipus Tyrannus, paradoxically, the hero who is left in agony at the end of the play is not the title role. Instead King Creon, the newly appointed and tyrannical ruler, is left all alone in his empty palace with his wife's corpse in his hands, having just seen the suicide of his son. However, despite this pitiable fate for the character, his actions and behavior earlier in the play leave the final scene evoking more

Tragic Hero or Coward? In Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart Okonkwo is arguably made out to be a “coward” due to the killing of the messenger and to himself. Many reader’s don’t see that Okonkwo is no coward at all, but should be considered a “tragic hero”. In the tribe of Umuofia, Okonkwo is considered to be the “greatest men of his time”(Achebe 8), his characteristics fit the definition of an everyday hero, which is a man of distinguished courage, ability, and thought highly of for his brave

but inconstant in sustaining assault; inclined to envy, pride, prodigality, and wrath.” In Act 1, Scene 5, Lady Macbeth is faced simultaneously with two revelations- a letter from Macbeth disclosing the witches’ prophecy of kingship and the news of King Duncan’s arrival conveyed by a messenger following which she delivers her famous soliloquy where she calls upon the familiar spirits to change her temperament to choleric. Choler could be intrinsic, or the effects of astrology, diet or even time of

Sophocles' Antigone is, at its simplest, a tragedy of conflict and misunderstandings. In the play, the laws of the gods are set up against the laws of man, and the two appear irreconcilable as the values are upheld by equally opposing characters, Creon and Antigone respectively. Indeed, Wilkins and Macleod decide that in Antigone `not only is there conflict, there is also a refusal even to recognise the other's point of view' (23). Thus Chorus significantly warn against the pursuit of extremes and

Artistic director: An artistic director is responsible for the artistic end of theater production. He or she is in charge of creating and executing the artistic vision of the play. The artistic director is considered to be a creative or interpretive artist as they interpret another person’s work. Production Meeting: A production meeting is when the music director, choreographer, set, light, sound, and costume designers meet with the artistic director to discuss and create the production concept

bestowal of ruling legitimacy upon Creon sparks off the Greek tragedy. Polyneices and Eteocles, brothers of Antigone killed each other during their fateful battle for the Theban throne and Creon, as the closest surviving kinsman, rules as the Theban king. Creon then approaches the chorus of elders privately and pronounces his first speech, wishing to draw himself support from the group of elite elders to prevent further mutiny against his rule among the Theban public. Through declaring his legitimacy