Oedipus Essays (826 words) - Sophocles, Oedipus, Operas, Hero

Oedipus Sophocles is perhaps one of the greatest tragedians ever. Sophocles said that a man should never consider himself fortunate unless he can look back on his life and remember that life without pain. For Oedipus Rex, looking back is impossible to do without pain. This pain stems from his prideful life. Oedipus is aware that he alone is responsible for his actions. Oedipus freely chooses to pursue and accept his own life's destruction. Even though fate victimizes Oedipus, he is a tragic figure since his own heroic qualities, his loyalty to Thebes, and his fidelity to the truth ruin him. Oedipus pride, strung from his own heroic qualities, is one factor that ruined him. A hero prizes above all else his honor and the excellence of his life. When his honor is at stake, all other considerations become irrelevant. The hero valued strength and skill, courage and determination, for these attributes enabled the person who possessed them to achieve glory and honor, both in his lifetime and after he died (Rosenburg 38). Oedipus was certainly a hero who was exceptionally intelligent though one can argue that killing four men at Phokis single-handedly more than qualified him as a physical force of reckoning. He obviously knew his heroic status when he greeted the supplicating citizens of Thebes before the palace doors saying, I would not have you speak through messengers, and therefore I have come myself to hear you - I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name(Sophocles 1088). Oedipus is guilty of Hubris- that is, that he is too sure of himself, too confident in his own powers [and] a little undermindful of the gods (Brooks 573). Oedipus, a hero of superior intelligence, also displays this uncompromising attitude in his fealty to Thebes. Oedipus' loyalty to Thebes is another factor that led to the tragic figure's ruin. Aristotle explains that a tragic character is just and good, but his misfortune is brought about not by wickedness or depravity but by error, pride, or frailty. Oedip us fits this description perfectly. The story of Oedipus fascinates us because of the spectacle of a man freely choosing, from the highest motives, a series of actions which lead to his ruin. (Dodds 23). Oedipus could leave the city of Thebes and let the plague take its course but pity for the sufferings of his people compelled him to consult Delphi (Dodds 23). When Apollo's word comes back, he could leave the murder of Laius uninvestigated, but pride and justice cause him to act. Oedipus can not let a murder investigation go by without solving the riddle of who killed King Laius because his pride overpowers him. Oedipus' pride reveals itself again in his loyalty to the truth. Oedipus' constant struggle to discover the truth for the sake of his people ruined him most in the end. Even though he is warned many times to stop seeking the truth, he keeps on searching. Oedipus has to choose between his doom and an alternative which if accepted would betray the hero's own conception of him self, his rights, his duties, but in the end the hero refused to yield; he remains true to himself, to his physis (Knox 8). Therefore, one can see Oedipus' need to uncover the truth about Laius and then about himself as proof of his commitment to uphold his own nature, pride. Oedipus' quest for the truth fits his self image as a man of action, the revealer of truth, and the solver of riddles(Knox 28). He cannot live with a lie, and therefore must learn the truth behind the illusion he has lived for so long. Teiresias, Iokaste, and the herdsman all try to stop Oedipus, but he must read the last riddle, that of his own life. As the truth unfolds, the people of Thebes see Oedipus as prideful and overweening, and they call on Zeus to correct his pride (Sewall 36). The hero's conscious choice to pursue and accept his doom makes him a tragic figure. Oedipus Rex single-handedly ruined his own life through his overweening pride. Oedipus' pride as a hero, a loyal King, and a truth seeker tur ned him into a tragic figure. He is a victim of fate, but

Application Leadership Essay Sample PDF

Application Leadership Essay Sample PDFThe leadership essay sample PDF is often used by universities and colleges to assess the students' knowledge about leadership, and how they can apply it to their own situations. It is also a very useful tool in helping students identify what they need to study or learn more about, before starting college.The purpose of this essay is to identify the most important aspect of leadership and develop an understanding of what the student needs to do as an individual, as well as how to apply that knowledge to their own situations. A great example is the review of Alpha and Omega in Greek mythology. In order to truly understand this concept, you need to know that all things have two opposite sides or poles.Therefore, the first step for leadership development is to identify which of the two sides of the alpha and omega, will better benefit you as an individual. It is important to identify your own goals and ambitions in order to answer the second part of the question 'What is the difference between Alpha and Omega?'Alpha is the direction, where Alpha leads the character to its highest potential. The word 'alpha' can be translated to mean two different things in English. One of them is 'First,' which means 'The Leader's Position'; the other is 'Bright,' which is another translation for 'Contain.'Therefore, if we translate 'Alpha' into English we get 'First Contain,' which represents the 'potential' of the leader. The end result of this is that the student will be the one who will be 'First' when it comes to leadership in the class and will be the one who will know what is best for his/her character and personal situation.In order to be the bright side of alpha, the student must learn to be 'Bright' as well. Brightness is exactly opposite of dark, which is known as 'Darkness.' Because of this, the student must learn to harness the power of the sun and use it correctly.As an example, if the student has a conversation with the person h e/she knows in the class and he/she had told the student the truth, the student would either be 'Bright'Darkness.' If the student is using the power of light and telling the student the truth, the student will be 'Bright' because he/she did not lie. However, if the student was using the power of darkness and told the student the truth, the student will be 'Darkness' because he/she lied.The application leadership essay sample PDF can be useful to individuals, whether they are looking for guidance about their own situation or for help with how to build themselves to the top. Knowing the difference between the two is the key to success in the world of leadership.