King oedipus analysis Essay Example for Free

King oedipus analysis Essay Destiny and Freewill   This is one of the most important themes in the play and leaves the reader with the engrossing question of whether or not freewill is an illusion. The play doesnt actually answer this question, but it shows the complex interplay of fate and freewill that culminates in Oedipus tragic plight. Jocasta, Laius and Oedipus all try to escape the prophecy but they are unwittingly led into their seemingly unavoidable fate. This element of the play is intended to show the reader the power of prophecy and the supreme authority of the gods in contrast with the futility of human beings. The play also shows how human nature plays a vital role in the fulfilment of the prophecy. Compassion and pity on the shepherds behalf prevents Oedipus from dying as a baby. Oedipus own impetuous temper results in the murder of his own father, Laius. His momentary display of intelligence in solving the riddle is his ultimate triumph as well as his seed of destruction as it results in marriage to his mother, Jocasta. In resolving to find out the truth about his birth, he brings the suffering on himself. His arrogant, taunting attitude towards Teirisias further exposes the terrible truth. In this way, the play shows how freewill also contributes to Oedipus downfall. Pride and humility   Pride is Oedipus fatal flaw; his arrogance towards both the gods and human beings leads to his destruction. Sophocles probably intended to teach people the importance of humility and recognising the superiority of the gods that they believed in. Oedipus arrogance is displayed in his long, speeches and in the hot-headed way he unknowingly killed his father. His initial refusal to accept any blame or wrongdoing on his part shows that he has a high opinion of himself. One of the main sources of his pride is his defeat of the Sphinx, which saved Thebes and put him on the throne, and yet the reader knows that this was also the cause of one of his foulest crimes, marriage to his mother. In this way, the playwright communicates a message about the folly of taking human achievement too seriously. Because of this, the play is not very humanistic but belittles human beings as futile and flawed. Wisdom and ignorance The conflict between Teirisias and Oedipus represents the conflict between wisdom and ignorance, Teirisias being wisdom and Oedipus being ignorance. Teirisias comment To be wise is to suffer is ironic because it comes true for Oedipus. When he learns the truth about himself and becomes wise, he is in utmost agony. The play shows that perhaps having knowledge is not necessarily a good thing, as Teirisias warns, and that there are limitations to our knowledge that we should accept. Sight and blindness   Teirisia is a blind seer, which sounds like a contradiction in terms. However, even though he is physically blind, he has the insight and knowledge, which Oedipus lacks. When Oedipus finally gains this insight at the end of the play, he blinds himself physically. Throughout the play, Oedipus is blinded by his own arrogance, shown in his refusal to accept that he is the cause of Thebes misery. Living in perpetual night, you cannot harm me, or any man else that sees the light.   His deliberate disbelief enables him to issue the curse, never considering that it might affect himself in the end. Oedipus is also blind to his true position in relation to the gods. He believes he can thwart prophecy and outsmart the gods. The attitude he displays shows that he has almost made himself a god, who has the power to curse and demand whatever knowledge he seeks. Humility   Sophocles certainly agrees with this contention in his play, King Oedipus. The character of Creon who is more cautious is intended to contrast with Oedipus impetuous arrogance. It is Oedipus lack of humility that causes much of his own suffering. On the other hand, Creons more careful approach to life evades a potentially disastrous situation when Oedipus accuses him of conspiracy. Characters Oedipus   Oedipus is willing to help the people of Thebes. I would gladly do anything to help you. He is actively involved with his city. I have not thought it fit to rely on my messengers, but am here to learn for myself   Arrogant proud of his own abilities such as solving the riddle of the sphinx. Until I came I, ignorant Oedipus, came and stopped the riddlers mouth, guessing the truth by mother-wit, not bird-lore. Sympathetic towards the city of Thebes I grieve for you my children. Believe me, I know all that you desire of me, all that you suffer; and while you suffer none suffers more than I.   Jumps to conclusions about the ones closest to him. He accuses Creon of conspiring to take over the throne. Must Creon, so long my friend, my most trusted friend, stalk me by stealth and study to dispossess me of the power that this city has given to me He assumes that Jocasta fears that he was an illegitimate child. The woman, with more than womans pride, is shamed by my low origin.   Easily angered, irascible especially by Teiresias Insolent scoundrel Shameless and brainless, sightless, senseless sot!   Steadfast and staunch in his quest to expose the truth. Nonsense: I must pursue this trail to the end, till I have unravelled the mystery of my birth. Not a fatalist; expresses the belief that chance rules our lives.   Acts as the mediator between Oedipus and Creon, typical of her role as a mother and wife. What is the meaning of this loud argument, you quarrelsome men? You are making much of some unimportant grievance.   Abandons Oedipus on the hillside to perish because of prophecy yet dismisses prophecy later in the play. For I can tell you, no man possesses the secret of divination. And I have proof Why should you then, heed them for a moment? and A fig for divination!   Cannot face the horror of the truth and dies at her own hands Creon   A contrast to Oedipus in terms of character. He is calmer and more reasonable. Reason with yourself, as I; and ask, would any man exchange a quiet life, with royal rank assured, for an uneasy throne? He is more humble and cautious- I do not presume to say more than I know, and acknowledges the gods God will decide, not I. He is deeply hurt by Oedipus accusations If he thinks that I have done him any harm, by word or act, in this calamitous hour, I will not live Teiresias   Physically blind, yet gifted with second sight (prophecy). All heavenly and earthly knowledge are in your grasp. In your heart, if not with eye, you see our citys condition. Reluctant to share his knowledge with Oedipus because he knows the damage it will cause. When wisdom brings no profit, to be wise is to suffer. Laius   He is only mentioned through other people in the play. Shepherd   Like Teiresias to impart his knowledge until threatened. Oedipus terrorizes, Answer! If I must speak again, you die! He also serves to confirm Oedipus greatest fears. Chorus Represents the voice of the elders as well as the general public. It comments on the action in the play, sometimes siding with Oedipus, other times questioning his actions and words. They are the voice of religious belief, more than once urging the need to heed the words of the gods. I only ask to live, with pure faith keeping in word and deed that Law which leaps the sky, made of no mortal mould whose living godhead does not age or die. It is at times philosophical, commenting on the nature of existence and the frailty of human attainment and success. All the generations of mortal man add up to nothing! Show me the man whose happiness was anything more than an illusion followed by disillusion. Here is the instance, here is Oedipus, here is the reason why I will call no mortal creature happy Then learn that mortal man must always look to his ending. And none can be called happy until that day when he carries his happiness down to the grave in peace. Symbols Sight and blindness this is used as a metaphor for knowledge and ignorance. Context   The play was written during the Classical period in Ancient Greece in the 5th century BC, a time of optimistic humanism. Sophocles tends to celebrate humanity but also plea for adherence to justice, moderation and the gods.

Mayan Writing :: essays research papers

Mayan writing is one of the most beautiful but highly complex and difficult scripts in the world. It is a system that uses pictographs and phonetic or syllabic elements. The Maya used this sophisticated style to carve symbols into stone. The most common place for writing was the perishable books they made from bark paper, coated with lime to make a fresh white surface. These books were screen-folded and bound with wood and deer hide. They were referred to as codices, however only four remain today because of their perishable nature and Spanish book burning. The Maya writing system was one of the greatest achievements of their civilization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maya writing also appears on an array of materials and in many places such as carved stone, door lintels, architectural stuccos, painted murals and carved on pottery. The Maya believed events were repeated over cycles of time, they kept detailed histories anchored in time by their calendars to predict events. By keeping records of rainy and dry seasons, the Maya could determine the best times to plant and harvest crops. They had developed these accurate calendars that could be used for prophecy. They also were able to predict planetary cycles, phases of the moon and Venus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Maya, like all Mesoamerican people, used a vigesimal numbering system. The first nineteen numerals were similar to our English terms, with unique numerals from one through ten, and the numerals eleven through nineteen produced by combining one through nine with ten.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The symbols used by the Maya to write numbers-bars and dots- were used throughout Mesoamerica. The dot has the value of one, and the bar has the value of five. The Maya are also believed to have the first known concept of zero. This is represented by the elliptical shell.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Symbols known as glyphs were used to record non-numerical information. The Maya used logographs (shorthand symbols) for many more words than we do. Another class of glyphs stood for sounds that make up words. Mayan words are generally regular in sound structure. Most of the syllables consist of two or three sounds. There are a little over 800 known Maya glyphs. The glyphs usually contain several elements that are combined to give individual glyphs an oval appearance. The largest glyphic element is the main sign. Maya glyphs appear to me as very complicated. Although some are recognizable as pictures of natural objects, others are very unrecognizable and unclear.

Describe the Reaction of British People to the Argentinean Invasion of the Falkland Islands

There were huge number of different reactions and emotions shown by the British people following the invasion of the Argentinean junta of the Falklands. These included outrage, humiliation, anger, resentment, fear, pride and even shame. Much of the first response was of shame. The people were embarrassed that a â€Å"once-great† country could suffer such a humiliation in losing its territory to the Argentineans. Initially this reaction was vented upon the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, and many people including influential politicians called for her resignation in the early stages of the conflict in the South Atlantic. Many were outraged that Argentina had apparently beaten the British, because they thought that the Latin Americans were not a real world power. As one disgruntled Brit said to The Daily Mail, â€Å"Mrs Thatcher will not only go down in history as the first woman Prime minister but possibly the first to allow a Spanish speaking nation to defeat us. Sir Francis drake must be turning in his grave. † This chauvinism added to the sense of humiliation and, despite being the words of a solitary person, is an example of the resentment that was being directed towards the Prime Minister. Spawned by this feeling of humiliation arose one of anger. Again the anger was often directed at the government and, as I before, specifically at Margaret Thatcher. People looked at her leadership and saw weakness, believing her neither willing nor strong enough to defend her country's history and heritage. After all the British had been for centuries one of the most successful militaries on the planet. Some even used the Argentinians government's decision to invade the Falklands, as a way to criticise the way the British government was run. The Times wrote â€Å"The Prime Minister should have resigned over the humiliation of the Falkland islands†. Some said that regaining the Falklands was a secondary objective, after sorting out domestic the political situation, which many disliked and didn't support. However, Margaret Thatcher was not the only focus for public outrage and anger. The British people also commonly resented the Argentinians for their invasion. There was even a show of open aggression towards the Argentinian ambassador in London when an egg was thrown at his residence. Other displays of resentment included one famous, world cup-winning Argentinian footballer, Ossie Ardiles, being forced to give up playing in England due to the hostile treatment he received from some opposing fans. Tesco banned the sale of Argentinian corned beef and Brooke Bond Oxo, a company selling Argentinian meat, halted its imports in protest at the invasion. At Westminster no Argentinian food was allowed to be sold in any of the canteens or restaurants. One football team in Sussex refused to wear their new kit, a copy of the Argentinian international strip, as a protest and a display of anger. One newspaper, The Times again, condemned the Argentinian invasion saying; â€Å"Argentina's seizure of the Falkland Islands is as perfect an example of unprovoked aggression and military expansion as the world has had to witness since the end of Adolf Hitler. † News coverage like this further provoked the resentment and stirred popular anger against Argentina. This type of journalism, aimed at disrupting the peace and adding to the public's angry view of Argentina, was rife amongst the newspapers of the time. As well as anger, a popular view was the sentiment that British pride was at stake and action must be taken to counter the aggression to restore the country's reputation. It was commonly believed that the majority of the British population wanted to use force to regain the Falklands and that they saw resolving the matter as very important. The Times reported that â€Å"Seventy percent of British people believe the Royal Navy should sink Argentinian ships. † This shows the extent of resentment in the minds of the British people towards the Argentinians. If the poll was representative of the British peoples' view, it shows the real strength of popular opinion. It is very strong backing for war. This was seen when the first battleships set course for the Falklands. There were huge crowds at the ports cheering and holding messages of support for the Navy. Tens of thousands of people were there to support the fleet and their loved ones. There was joy at the prospect of beating the Argentinians and pride in the people whom were to do it. However, there were clearly also some who did not want violence or war. There were people whose main interest in the islands was the safety and well-being of the 1800 occupants. Many wanted the solution to be a negotiated, rather than a forceful or violent one, to make the situation as easy and un-stressful as possible for the islanders. Support for this ideal was led by Tony Benn of the Labour Party. He wanted the party to oppose the plans to invade the Falklands in a response to the Argentinian one. Some surveys found hardly any support for the total declaration of war by the British government. This was true of a survey by The Manchester Evening News. One person said that the â€Å"liberation of the Falkland Islands† was a â€Å"secondary objective† behind sorting out the political situation at home, which had created a â€Å"tangible atmosphere of blood lust†. He blamed the misguided government and media, for generating overly passionate and violent feelings about the Argentine invasion. Again this, despite being a solitary opinion, was an example of the widely held belief that the government were handling the situation poorly and the use of force was not as important as some[politicians and media figures] suggested. Ossie Ardiles, the abused footballer, said, â€Å"Most of the British people don't even seem to know where the islands are. They are only finding out now through newspaper reports†. This again is an example of the way the media were responsible for some of the â€Å"blood lust† that was generated at the time, with their inflammatory writing. Another reaction to the Invasion by the Argentinians was that of fear and panic. This occurred when the economy and stock market was negatively affected by the loss of the Falklands. The pound was decreasing in value which led to fears about increases in interest rates which would affect all businesses and home owners. As well as this over the few days following the invasion i5,000 million was wiped from share values in the stock market. The uncertainty resulted in a wave of fast selling of shares. In conclusion I feel that the main reaction of the British was initially that of anger, towards both Margaret Thatcher and her government (for failing to defend the islands adequately) and also increasingly towards the Argentinian military government for attacking them in the first place. After this came other responses that stem from anger such as embarrassment, humiliation, wounded national pride and the desire to put the whole thing right again. It is clear from the evidence that the media had a huge effect on the reactions that were expressed.

Natural Disasters A Natural Disaster - 1254 Words

Natural disasters have a colossal effect on the inhabitants that live on Earth. A natural disaster is a major event resulting from natural processes of the Earth; for example: tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, and etc. That impact in an isolated area can causes the inhabitants of this planet to converge and avail provide resources to avail the instauration process. That is just a minute effect that a natural disaster has on the inhabitants of Earth. There are natural disasters that have warning signs afore the will occur. Then there are natural disasters that will occur with no caveat signs. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis are just three natural disasters that will strike will no caveat. The obviation of natural disaster is infeasible since we genuinely don’t ken when one might occur. Potential disasters can be managed to minimize loss of life. Remote sensing like satellites are the most precise in monitoring potential natural disasters. Satellites offer precise, frequent and virtually instantaneous data over immensely colossal areas anywhere in the world. When a disaster strikes, remote sensing is often the only way to view what is transpiring on the ground (Lewis, 2009). Satellites are subsidiary in accumulating information, but there are two types of satellites that are being used to amass the information. Polar-orbiting satellites fly in a relatively low orbit often providing relatively high spatial resolution. But they only amass data over the same pointShow MoreRelatedNatural Disasters882 Words   |  4 Pages Natural disasters in Australia Natural disasters are events that occur naturally such as earthquakes, cyclones, Storms, and floods. These kinds of disasters can cause significant physical damage, interruption of business services and personal injury/loss of life. Due to the effects of global warming and consequential climate change the rate of natural disasters in Australia is increasing day by day. I myself have faced such kind of natural disaster in Pakistan in theRead MoreNatural Disaster2278 Words   |  10 Pages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 Natural disasters introduction A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard (e.g., flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, heatwave, or landslide). It leads to financial, environmental or human losses. The resulting loss depends on the vulnerability of the affected population to resist the hazard, also called their resilience. This understanding is concentrated in the formulation: disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability. A natural hazard will henceRead MoreNatural Disasters And A Christian God1538 Words   |  7 Pages Natural Disasters and a Christian God Over many centuries the world has experienced what we now call, natural disasters. We can define natural disasters as an extreme and sudden event caused by environmental factors that injure or kill many people and destroy mass amounts of property. Examples of natural disasters are earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and disease. They can strike anywhere on Earth with or without warning. The severity of these disasters depend of the preparedness of the people andRead MoreNatural Disaster and Decision That Follows620 Words   |  3 PagesNatural Disaster and decision that follows Natural disaster risk can be defined as follows: The exposure or the chance of loss (of lives, persons injured, property damaged and economic activity disrupted) due to a particular hazard for a given area and reference period. In case of a disaster event, there are several effects, such as humanitarian effects, including the loss of lives and persons injured; ecological effects among other damage to ecosystems; and economic effects, comprising differentRead MoreEconomic Impacts of Natural Disasters1887 Words   |  8 PagesIMPACTS OF NATURAL DISASTERS ABSTRACT: Disasters of both natural and technological origin have a considerable impact on communities. The effects of disasters in India are significantly reduced by well established counter disaster arrangements at all three levels of government. These arrangements comprise comprehensive plans of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery and in more recent times, of mitigation. The economic effects of disasters can be devastating and widespread. When disasters strikeRead MorePost Natural Disaster : Transitional Shelters2889 Words   |  12 Pages Post-Natural Disaster: Transitional Shelters Alyssa Rupp University of Minnesota The obtainment of a safe shelter is placed alongside nourishment in a human’s basic survival requirements. It lands within the second layer of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, following the most essential physiological layer (breathing, food, water, sleep etc.). 17% of the global population is without an acceptable shelter. Millions of people live in homes in desperate needRead MoreNatural Disasters And Attacks By Individuals Or Groups1710 Words   |  7 Pagesworlds history, there have been many natural disasters and attacks by individuals or groups, which have done extensive damage to cities, forests, and families within societies communities. The question that remains is, are there systems in place to effectively handle situations accordingly? In Canada, there is a model in place called the Incident Command System, (ICS). According to I.C., (2012), â€Å"An incident is an occurrence, either caused by humans or natural phenomena that requires a response toRead Mo reHow Are Natural Disasters Socially Constructed? Essay1333 Words   |  6 PagesWith reference to various examples, discuss how ‘natural’ disasters are socially constructed. While natural disasters such as floods, drought and hurricanes are commonly thought to occur due to environmental forces such as weather, climate and tectonic movements; a deeper investigation into the ‘disaster’ displays other contributing forces. Human factors have a large, if not equal, contribution to the occurrance and outcome of such disasters (Pelling, 2001). As Pelling (2001) argues, there isRead MoreResponding To A Man-Made Or A Natural Disaster Presents1443 Words   |  6 PagesResponding to a man-made or a natural disaster presents dangers and difficulties to first responders, and involved agencies, whether they are local, state or federal agencies. The difficulties in responding to these critical incidents make having a plan essential to successfully respond to, and manage the outcome of a critical incident. The United States government has established a national plan called the National Incident Management System (NIMS). NIMS is comprised of 6 components which helpRead MoreNatural Disasters And Public Health Of The Affected Communities2138 Words   |  9 PagesIntroduction Natural disasters will always cause damage to the infrastructures and public health of the affected communities. Low income countries are the most vulnerable because of a lack of preparation for coping with the displaced population. Displaced populations of vulnerable areas are often subjected to poor sanitation and hygiene practices and inaccessible clean water, both as effects of crowding and being in an unfamiliar environment. It is the primary cause of communicable diseases following