Comparison Of Oedipus The King And A Doll's House

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Jorge Luis Borges, a 20th century author, declared, "I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library." Reading is a beautiful paradise that can take a person to a whole new world in a whole new time period. It promotes imagination and stimulates the mind. Over the summer, the sophomores of Oakland Catholic’s Honors World Literature Class received the pleasure of reading three stories: A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House was by far the most entertaining and interesting of the summer reading books, while the storyline of Sophocles’s tragic play Oedipus the King did not contain enough relatable content to be as engaging. In his novel …show more content…
I have never felt my mind so clear and certain as to-night (Doll act 3).
Her mind has undoubtedly been clouded with anger as her annoyances collected. Nora has finally been liberated from that aspect of her life restricting her from her true desires and dignity: her husband. Her mission of self-respect reaches a peak as readers feel with exuberance the great passion that Nora develops. Those who read A Doll’s House feel for Nora throughout her emotional journey of leaving her husband.

The supportive characters of Mrs. Linde, Krogstad and the Helmer children help to further bring out Nora Helmer’s discovery of her own self-worth. Mrs. Linde provides her with a trusted friend and support system in her difficult situation. During a discussion with Nora, Mrs. Linde remarks,
MRS. LINDE. Nora, you are concealing something from me. (Doll act 2)
Mrs. Linde knows Nora well enough to have the ability to tell when Nora has a problem, and Mrs. Linde consents to help Nora solve any of her problems. Nora’s children further enhance her character development by giving her a reason to stay with Torvald. They are human beings that belong to Nora and supposedly depend on Nora. As Nora leaves, she
…show more content…
Ibsen’s forward thinking undoubtedly supported feminism of his time. Feminists today, even, can find an idol within Nora Helmer. Sophocles’s tragedy, on the other hand, has no lasting lesson that resonates with a reader. Women can easily relate to Nora, while there are (hopefully) not many people who have been through the same position as Oedipus. Both of these books are literary masterpieces, though, and books are not “good” or “bad”. They may be agreeable or disagreeable, but taking the time to comprehend a novel provides a beneficial experience, whether or not the reader has enjoyed the content. Uninteresting books can still provide readers with new insights, new vocabulary words, or a brain-building way to pass time. Although everyone has preferences as far as books are concerned, every book provides a person with the chance to learn something they may never have learned

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