Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay It is hard to divorce the subject of the gods in discussing Oedipus’ tragic flaw. In Sophocles’ time, the Greeks’ way of life was determined by the gods. They would not dream of calling practices such as consulting the Oracle or the procession as superstitious. Similarly, it is difficult to discuss Hamlet’s madness without relating it to the Ghost. Shakespeare’s England, fresh from experiencing the Reformation, also had its own sets of superstitions. In the same way that peoples’ lives in those times were powerfully affected by superstitions and the supernatural, the decisions of several characters in the plays mentioned above were also influenced by superstitions and the supernatural. Although it is often thought that the plots of Oedipus the King and Hamlet revolve around the manner in which Oedipus and Hamlet use human reasoning and rational thinking to fashion themselves as heroes, the purpose of this essay is to argue otherwise, since both heroes are fashioned by superstition and the supernatural that provide the heroic codes that they must follow, dictating them how to live their lives as heroes. The plots of both Hamlet and Oedipus the King revolve around solving the evils in Thebes and Denmark, respectively. The supernatural reveals the causes of these problems and the actions that the heroes must take in order to put balance back into their worlds. For the heroes to do this, they must complete a superstitious task. As one might see, the tasks of both heroes are strangely similar. For Oedipus, it is taking â€Å"the son’s part† (280) and punishing the murderer of Laios. For Hamlet, it is avenging his father’s murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Oedipus the King, the cause of the plague is revealed through the Delphic Oracle. Due to the on-stage absence of the gods in the play, oracles and Teiresias function as their voices. Both of these are essential for truth and revelations. They represent the supernatural. In the play, the truth means power, as Teiresias affirms as he argues Oedipus, â€Å"[†¦] there is power in truth† (390). Teiresias knew that the truth itself can kill Oedipus. The drama evolves through revelations about Oedipus’ fate and his apparent blindness to it. Oedipus, as a tragic hero complete with characteristics such as hubris, hastiness and blindness, tries to shift the center to himself as a god-like problem-solver, declaring â€Å"I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name† (8). He follows the mystery to the end until his eventual fall, causing him to inflict the punishment upon himself in order to appease justice. Though Oedipus is no slave to fate, he was a victim of it since he could not avoid his fate. Though fate can be seen as the will of the gods, it is maintained that Oedipus alone is responsible for his actions, as the second messenger pointed out: â€Å"The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves† (1283). The concept of fate is complicated, but it is very similar to the Protestant doctrine of predestination, where one is destined to be somebody or do something even when one has free will. In the first scene, the chorus asks why Oracle does not divulge the identity of the murderer. Strangely, Oedipus himself provides the explanation for this: â€Å"[†¦] no man in the world can make the gods do more than the gods’ will† (296-297). Teiresias also insisted that â€Å"[†¦] there’s no help in truth† (334), but Oedipus forces him into saying it. He insisted on knowing out of his own sense of piety and justice. That is his downfall. It is too late when Oedipus realizes this: â€Å"He [Apollo] brought my sick, sick fate upon me, but the blinding hand was mine own!† (1386-1387). Even in the end, superstition limits what he could do to himself. It prevents him from committing suicide, since in Hades, he does not know how to face both his father and mother (1419-1422). The modern reader would most probably wonder why Oedipus is subjected to such a fate. One may not answer that completely and accurately for the Greeks would argue that it is not any mortal’s business to ask that. In the play, moral characters’ lives are contrasted with the gods’ immortal lives. Through the gods, the Greeks are reminded of their mortality seeing â€Å"how our lives like birds take wing† (183). Oedipus’ story also reminds them of this lesson. The play concludes with that same thought: Let every man in mankind’s frailty Consider his last day; and let none Presume on his good fortune until he find Life, at his death, a memory without pain (1581-1884). In Hamlet, it is suggested that the superstitions and the supernatural have a real hold upon the characters. The appearance of the supernatural, in this case, the Ghost, tells the characters that â€Å"something is rotten in the state of Denmark† (1.4.90). Like in Oedipus the King, superstitions provide explanations for certain scientifically unexplainable events and occurrences. The Ghost first appears on the first scene of act one where Horatio, Marcellus and Barnardo were waiting for it. It doesn’t utter a word so one could only visualize the Ghost through what the trio says of it. From Horatio, the audience learns that it looks like the dead king and that he is wearing the armor that he wore when he â€Å"smote the sledded Polack on the ice† (1.1.59-63). As he tried to question the ghost, he referred to three more popular superstitions to explain the reason behind the Ghost’s appearance: it seeks someone whose action will enable it to rest in peace (1.1.130-131), it knows of a future disaster in store for Denmark (1.1.133-134) or it seeks buried treasure â€Å"extorted† when alive (1.1.136-137). The Ghost vanishes as the cock crows. Horatio is not the only superstitious character in the play. Hamlet meets the ghost on the fourth scene. Though he knew not whether the ghost is of heaven or hell, he calls it â€Å"Hamlet,† his father (1.1.44-45). As the Ghost beckons him to a remote place, Horatio and Marcellus urge Hamlet not to follow it for fear that it might â€Å"draw him into madness† (1.1.75). True enough, that is exactly what will happen in the next scenes and acts. The Ghost doesn’t speak to Hamlet until the next scene. It introduces itself as Hamlet’s father, hinting at the terrors of the afterlife (1.5.9-13).   It asks him to â€Å"revenge his foul and most unnatural murder† (1.5.25). Strangely enough, Hamlet is not completely surprised, even guessing the murderer as his uncle (1.5.40-41). In this scene, the Ghost acts and thinks like Hamlet who also condemns his â€Å"most seeming virtuous queen† (1.5.46). In its last words to Hamlet it cries â€Å"remember me† (1.1.91). Hamlet does remember him throughout the play. It is this rite of revenge that he will enact until the last act. He has to do it at the right moment, as superstition dictates. The scene where Claudius prays is not the right time for his death. The Ghost and its memory guide his actions and decisions, though invisible. In Hamlet’s confrontation with his mother, the Ghost appears again in a more domestic garb, preventing him from harming his mother. It is strange though that in that scene, Gertrude doesn’t see the ghost. One may never know if this is a sign of her moral blindness or if this is only a projection of Hamlet’s madness as Gertrude thinks. The Ghost causes Hamlet’s â€Å"dread of something after death† (3.1.78). This is exactly the subject of Hamlet’s most famous speech. Because of the terrifying vision of the Ghost, death becomes an â€Å"undiscovered country† (3.1.87). Hamlet doesn’t know where he will go after death, so he doesn’t commit suicide. Conscience, or the lack of it, makes a â€Å"coward† of him and therefore, â€Å"lose the name of action† (3.1.96). When finally Hamlet does avenge his father, all is set aright. As Hamlet dies, he elects Fortinbras as the new king of Denmark, who like him has also lot his father. It is through this deed that Hamlet becomes a fully fledged hero. Like his father in death, Hamlet also appeals to Horatio â€Å"draw thy breath in pain to tell my story† (5.2.183-184). Thus, he passes the call for remembrance. Superstitions and the supernatural indeed provide the heroic codes which shape the plots of these dramas. Although Oedipus and Hamlet both conform to their periods’ respective notions of heroes, the concept above runs the same for them. In the endings of both plays, the audiences come face to face with visions of mortality. These visions are intended for them, as well as the characters, to remember life itself.       Works Cited Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. Folger Library Shakespeare. NY: Washington Square Press, 1992. Sophocles. â€Å"Oedipus Rex.† The Oedipus Cycle. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. San Diego and NY: Harvest/HBJ, 1977.

Essay on Abuse of Power in Catch-22 -- Catch-22

The Abuse of Power Exposed in Catch-22    In 1955, Joseph Heller wrote Catch-22. The story takes place on a small island in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy. As the story progresses, it follows the actions of a man named Yosarrian and his companions in his squadron. Many of the men begin with high rank and others are promoted throughout the novel. As these men come into power, one of Heller's themes is explicitly shown; as men achieve power, they become compelled to abuse it.    The story begins with Yosarrian in a hospital. He is there "with a pain in his liver that fell just short of being jaundice. The doctors were puzzled by the fact that it wasn't quite jaundice. If it became jaundice they could treat it. If it didn't become jaundice and went away they could discharge him. But this just short of being jaundice all the time confused them" (7). Yosarrian is clever about how he fakes his condition and is able to stay in the hospital for as long as he wishes. The doctors in the hospital are blind to the deception and allow Yosarrian to stay. After Yosarrian realizes that he can deceive the doctors, he returns whenever he wishes to relax and escape from the war. He even kicks other patients with real conditions out of their beds. "The startled patient jumped down to the floor at Yosarrian's command and ran away. Yosarrian climbed up into his bed and became Warrant Officer Homer Lumley, who felt like vomiting and was covered suddenly with clammy sweat" (286). Yosarrian likes the way it feels to move into someone else's bed and continues to do abuse this power when at the hospital.    Another hospital episode is rather frightening. Yosarrian has been wounded and is semi-conscious as he listens to two ... ...operating, so he allows Milo to take credit for the flights of others. Milo is an example of the worst of the human spirit. His desire to make a quick buck makes him one to easily abuse his power for his own gain.    To a certain extent, all men desire power. Yet how much power any man craves depends on his surroundings. In World War II, men were put into a survival of the fittest environment. For many, survival meant obtaining power in order to control their destiny. In Catch-22, Joseph Heller captured that feeling in his characters. From the absurdity of Lieutenant Scheisskopf to Milo's syndicate, Heller shows how easily men are able to abuse their power. To this day that feeling lurks somewhere inside of all of us. It is just a matter of what it takes for that need to emerge. Works Cited   Heller, Joseph. Catch-22, Simon and Schuster, 1955

Gerontology and Social Exchange Theory Essay

Introduction The fundamental biological problem that all theories of aging seek to explain was stated very elegantly in 1957 by Williams when he wrote, â€Å"It is indeed remarkable that after a seemingly miraculous feat of morphogenesis, a complex metazoan should be unable to perform the much simpler task of merely maintaining what is already formed.† The difficulty in attempting to establish an understanding of aging is that it is not a single physiological process. It is multifaceted and hierarchical in its expression with subtle changes occurring simultaneously at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organ levels. The variety of characterizes many species, particularly humans, and the complexity of environmental interactions results in an enormous phenotypic variability being associated with aging. This variability is frequently confounded by the symptoms of underlying pathology and invariably increases between individuals with aging. First Transformation of Theory The beginning of social gerontology began as general perspectives on aging rather than as actual scientific theories. Prior to 1961, social gerontology attempted to explain how individuals adjusted to aging from role and activity perspectives. Growing old was seen as an inevitable process that led to the development of problems an individual experienced overtime. It wasn’t until 1961, with the development of disengagement theory, that there was an actual theory being used as a basis for scientific research. A basic assumption of the theory was that all societies have to transfer power from an aging population to a younger one. Disengagement attempted to explain this process of power transfer and complimented gerotrancendence, another theory from what is considered to be the first transformation of theory. Gerotrancendence follows the beliefs of Jung and Erikson that as a person ages, they withdraw from the external world to an internal world focused on spirituality, wisdom, se lf-acceptance and purpose. Both disengagement and gerotrancendence theories attempted to explain what social gerontologists thought aging should be. They did not try to develop a universal theory to explain the variety of experiences of people as they age (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011). In the case of disengagement, this withdrawal from power was  believed to be a universal experience that transcended gender and culture. Death was inevitable; decline in abilities was probably. It was only natural that others would have lowered expectations for aging individuals. In the case of gerotrancendence, this withdrawal resulted from an individual not achieving ego identity. An individual would either attain this ego identity, a positive regard for their life, or withdraw as a symptom of despair (Andrus Gerontology Center; University of Southern California, 2005) A third theory of the time period was continuity theory, which postulated that â€Å"individuals tend to maintain a consistent pattern of behavior as they age, substituting similar types of roles for lost ones and keeping typical ways of adapting to the environment† (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011, p. 319). Individual satisfaction was dependent on how consistent a person was able to maintain the same patterns of behavior. Though attempting to challenge previous theories based on activity and disengagement perspectives, it also did not address any personality differences among aging individuals, nor did it address any political, social, historical or cultural influences on the experience of aging (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011). It is interesting to note that though continuity theory attempted to challenge the activity theory, it was similar to the activity perspective that that was a positive relationship between social roles and life satisfaction (Howe, 1987). Alternative Theoretical Perspectives Alternative theories based on a symbolic interaction perspective were developed to address external issues affecting aging while also attempting to connect the disparate theories of activity and disengagement. Symbolic interaction perspective is based on the premise that as an individual interacts with his environment; his experiences of aging are shaped by these interactions. Three of these alternative theories are: age stratification theory, social exchange theory, and the political economy of aging. There are many similarities and differences between these theories. Age stratification and political economy theories are based on the belief that as people age, the differences in their aging experience is significantly influenced by stratification. Age stratification acknowledges the differences experienced by those sharing a similar history. Similarities among life events and societal changes experienced by these historical  cohorts affect these individuals in similar ways. In contrast, political economy theory rejects all previous theories and posits that differences between individual experiences of aging are determined by social class. Socioeconomic and political factors determine the disparity between different groups in an aging population. Social exchange theory is based on an economic cost-benefit model of social interaction. It could be said that there is a similarity between social exchange and political economy in that disparities experienced are social in nature. Whereas in social exchange theory, an individual is thought to be able to influence or change one’s environment as one adapts, political economy believes that inequalities are built into the political system. Political economy critiques the current system which lulls the individual into believing one has to adapt to circumstances, rather than changing society’s structural inequalities. Of the alternative theories, social exchange is the only one to address the influence of culture on the experience of aging. Social exchange theory believes that people interact with those whom they believe the rewards outweigh the costs of the relationship (Taylor, Peplau, & Sears, 2006). Though social exchange theory acknowledges that though a person may no longer have the same economic value when older, that the older individual possesses other non-materialistic assets such as wisdom, love, and time for service. As our society modernized, these assets have been overlooked by a culture that now places importance on efficiency and productivity (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011). The Second Transformation The second transformation was developed in the early 1980’s. This transformation includes the following approaches: social phenomenology, social constructivism, and social constructionism. Both of which discuss the influence of social perceptions, rather than actual facts. Social phenomenology is an interpretative approach to an individual’s social life on a day to day basis. The purpose is to gain a better understanding of the aging process and how it is influenced by social definitions and social structures. This approach can be a very helpful guide when gaining understanding of an individual’s social life, depending on how the information is obtained. The outcomes for this approach will be solely based on the interpretations of the individual (s) obtaining this information. Not  everyone has the same social definition and or social structures, which could result in numerous interpretations (Hooyman& Kiyak, 2011). Social Constructionism and Social Constructiv ism are both phenomenological approaches that focus on social phenomena development, but are very different. Social constructionism is the sociological perspective and focuses on the social contexts and structural development. This approach would view how an individual structures their life which shapes their old age experiences. Social constructivism is interpreting the meaning of an individual’s social context, psychologically. From this approach the researchers want to know more information on why a person chooses a specific context and how an individual does decide a specific social context (Hooyman& Kiyak, 2011). Critical Theory and Feminist Perspectives are also influenced by phenomenology. Critical theory refers to the biomedical model of aging, but focuses on structural and institution factors. This theory is suggesting that those (older people) participating in research studies should be allowed to come up with the questions they are requested to answer. For instance, research conducted regarding retirement would recommend a series of questions complied by other retirees (Hooyman& Kiyak, 2011). The Feminist Theory concludes that age related research outcomes involve inequalities against wom en. This theory suggests that women haven’t been included in research studies as they should be. It’s even been stated that men have been favored over women. Due to these inequalities all other theories of aging are insufficient. These inequalities also include gender with race, social class, sexual orientation, and disabilities, all of which aren’t discussed as much as they should be (Hooyman& Kiyak, 2011). These theories are all based on assumptions, rather than actual facts. The text states, â€Å"To positivist, phenomenological theories may seem impossible to test and closer to assumptions about meanings than propositions that can be proved or disprove† (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011, p. 326).Society has a huge impact on our perceptions of life, which aren’t consistent and change over time. A huge factor of perception is that it’s not necessarily reality and lacks proven facts. If the information being evaluated isn’t consistent, lacks factual information, and is based on assumptions it shouldn’t be used for practice, but could be a beneficial guiding tool (Hooyman& Kiyak, 2011). Postmodernist Theory Postmodernist theory represents a decisive break with modernity or a positivist scientific approach to an â€Å"objective† truth (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011, p. 331). Postmodernism focuses on how our world appears today, rather than focusing on how an individual wishes for the world to be seen. Postmodernist theory reviews the whole of a person’s experiences during their life time and examines the body not from a biological standpoint, but rather by everyday social and cultural practices built overtime to construct the identity of the individual. The individual will physically change overtime, but their essential identity develops based on achievements and future goals. An area that continues to develop in postmodernist theory focuses on biomedical technology that can provide options for reconstructing failing body parts to slow the process of aging. Postmodernist and social constructivist theories share the link of knowledge as a socially constructed element and each indivi dual’s social life events create who they are. This diversity of perspectives alerts social gerontologists to be concerned with the connections between scientific inquiry and the social milieu at particular influential points in time (Putney, Alley, & Bengston, 2005, p. 95). Both areas focus on an individual’s construct based on a cultural framework of customs, traditions, and beliefs. Social constructionism and postmodernist take into account how individual experiences alter an individual’s aging process allowing the person to develop their own reality. Each area stresses the importance of the individual’s social framework to help sustain their self-worth as they age. In contrast to political economy of aging, postmodernists focus on the well-being of an individual not from a social class or political standing, but from their life experiences. Structural factors of gender, sexual orientation, functional ability, race, age and class can have negative effects that limit an individual’s later opportunities. According to Hooyman & Kiyak (2011), these structural factors—often institutionalized and reinforced by public policy—limit the opportunities and choices of later life, resulting in cumulative disadvantages in o ld age, which are further exacerbated by retirement (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011, p. 323). These differences force aging individuals to change themselves and their lifestyles to fit income, health and physical care policy constraints forced  on them. Increased reduction in public health and social services creates a barrier for individuals to affectively age and receive proper care. Postmodernist theory follows the same framework of individual aging. It develops with the individual to meet their needs on a personal level and takes into consideration what the body and mind have both gone through as they have aged. According to Powell (2011), older people are usually ‘fixed’ to roles without resources which does not do justice to the richness of their individual experiences and multi-facets of their personalities (Powell, 2001, p. 6). Postmodernism clearly focuses on the importance of an individual’s ability to develop overtime through experience and uses biomedicine to provide options for maintaining an individual’s physical body. This provides a solid framework for aging that meets the needs of an individual from both physical and mental capacities. Conclusion While these are the dominant theories, many other theories are in varying stages of development. In addition, theories are constantly being tested and modified as new data from aging research emerges. It is only in the last half-century that researchers have begun to focus their attention on older adults as a population worthy of special consideration. While earlier theories of aging were few in number, narrowly focused, and generally negative, recent theories have emerged that establish aging as a multidimensional process. These theories view aging as characterized by positive as well as negative qualities and are more interactive in nature. They emphasize the interaction of biological, physical, and social factors in each individual’s age trajectory, and attempt to explain how older adults can minimize the negative and maximize the positive aspects of aging, in order to more fully enjoy the increased life span that comes with living in the 21st century. References Andrus Gerontology Center; University of Southern California. (2005). The Psychology of Aging: Lecture Part II. Retrieved from http://gero.usc.edu/AgeWorks/core_courses/gero500_core/psychology_lect/index_a.htm Hooyman, N. R., & Kiyak, H. A. (2011). Social Gerontology, ninth edition. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Howe, C. Z. (1987). Selected Social Gerontology Theories and Older Adult Leisure Involvement: A Review of the

Gender And Gender Roles Have Radically From The Time...

The idea of gender and gender roles have evolved minimally from the time Henrick Ibsen â€Å"A Doll House,† was first published. In the late 1800s, just before the beginning of the first wave of feminism in the United States and Europe, women were looking for ways to gain independence from their â€Å"duty† to marry a man, have children, and live a life to home and yearned for the freedom to choose what kind of lives they wanted to live, what they wanted to do, etc. In the beginning of the play, the views of gender are fairly typical, though by the end of the play, the gender roles among the main characters change dramatically. According to an essay by Stephanie Forward, the original Norwegian title literally refers to a â€Å"small, cozy and neat† home, one that was meant to reflect the homes of the play s audience, so that members could better identify with the scenes, characters and occurrences that happen in the play. Nora Helmer, who we could consider the ma in character in this drama, ends the final act by walking out of her home into the dark night (literally and figuratively, as society would be unwelcoming to her) and slamming the door shut, implying that she left her husband and three children, which, of course, encouraged young, single women to achieve freedom, but also shocked a large percentage of the public. Critics viewed her character as someone who was â€Å"unnatural† for leaving her husband and children because they feared that such behavior would lead to an upheaval in