According to Aristotle, tragic heroes must acquire some qualities, including a superior stature, tragic flaws, and the ability to evoke in the audience a sense of sympathy. Oedipus in the Greek play Oedipus the King by Sophocles is described as eminent, confident, and caring. Romeo in the play The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is presented as handsome, sensitive and passionate. The two characters, although created in two ages that have a gap of two thousand years, satisfy qualities of tragic heroes. Oedipus and Romeo are distinct in their basis of actions, but they are similar in their impulsive nature, ignorance of the truth, and the beliefs of fate. Romeo and Oedipus, similarly, have impulsive natures. Oedipus’ impulsiveness
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While Oedipus always acts on what he is looking for in an arrogant way, Romeo behaves due to his dedication to love. Oedipus is so haughty that he shows no respect to the elders when he tries to obtain the information he wants. He threatens the shepherd “ You’ll die today, unless you speak the truth” (P.252 bottom, Sophocles: The Complete Plays) His actions are wayward and headstrong. Romeo, on the other hand, lets love guide his actions. Because Romeo, Mercurio, and Benvolio secretly entered Capulet ball without invitation, Tybalt and his cronies brawl with them on the street. When Tybalt calls Romeo a villain and asks him to draw his sword, Romeo is not irritated by his verbal attacks but says “ I do protest i never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise till thou shalt know the reason of my love; and so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied.”(Act 3, scene 1, line 66, The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet) Romeo announces he has good reason, which is that he has secretly married to Juliet, to love Tybalt and wants to avoid a fight. Since Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin, Romeo regards this long- standing rival as a family member. We can understand that Romeo, an impulsive young man, can change himself and act on the basis of …show more content…
They both behave impulsively during certain events, which are later elements of their downfall; their lovers’ deaths are due to their ignorance of the truth; they think their lives are conducted by their fates. They also have a dissimilarity, which is their guideline of actions. Oedipus acts on what he desires, whereas Romeo acts on love. From careful observation on these two characters, one can discern that the two great playwrights, William Shakespeare and Sophocles, of two golden ages deliberately design their unique characters in two plays of completely different styles. Coincidentally, Oedipus and Romeo, both qualified tragic heroes, have so many aspects that are worth
While Oedipus always acts on what he is looking for in an arrogant way, Romeo behaves due to his dedication to love. Oedipus is so haughty that he shows no respect to the elders when he tries to obtain the information he wants. He threatens the shepherd “ You’ll die today, unless you speak the truth” (P.252 bottom, Sophocles: The Complete Plays) His actions are wayward and headstrong. Romeo, on the other hand, lets love guide his actions. Because Romeo, Mercurio, and Benvolio secretly entered Capulet ball without invitation, Tybalt and his cronies brawl with them on the street. When Tybalt calls Romeo a villain and asks him to draw his sword, Romeo is not irritated by his verbal attacks but says “ I do protest i never injured thee, but love thee better than thou canst devise till thou shalt know the reason of my love; and so, good Capulet, which name I tender as dearly as mine own, be satisfied.”(Act 3, scene 1, line 66, The tragedy of Romeo and Juliet) Romeo announces he has good reason, which is that he has secretly married to Juliet, to love Tybalt and wants to avoid a fight. Since Tybalt is Juliet’s cousin, Romeo regards this long- standing rival as a family member. We can understand that Romeo, an impulsive young man, can change himself and act on the basis of …show more content…
They both behave impulsively during certain events, which are later elements of their downfall; their lovers’ deaths are due to their ignorance of the truth; they think their lives are conducted by their fates. They also have a dissimilarity, which is their guideline of actions. Oedipus acts on what he desires, whereas Romeo acts on love. From careful observation on these two characters, one can discern that the two great playwrights, William Shakespeare and Sophocles, of two golden ages deliberately design their unique characters in two plays of completely different styles. Coincidentally, Oedipus and Romeo, both qualified tragic heroes, have so many aspects that are worth