Assess The Role Of Alienation In Oedipus The King

Alienation is the fact or feeling of not belonging. Alienation causes a whole array of problems in society, especially among different communities. Alienation breeds contempt, anger, jealousy, and distrust of others; all of which are a detriment to society and how it functions. The steps that proceed to resolve alienation are as follows: Initiation, an examination of oneself and the taking of steps to change the alienated situation. The journey, the act or instance of traveling from one place to another or passing mentally or emotionally from one stage or experience to another. Suffering, the bearing or undergoing of pain, distress or injury which may be necessary to cleanse the past. Finally reconciliation, the journey or period of self-examination …show more content…
He kills the first and marries the latter, sending himself into a deep seated rage. This is the initiation of his alienation. The journey for Oedipus is the town realizing what Oedipus has done, they begin to hate and despise him even though they previously thought him to be a hero. Oedipus brings this upon himself though because he tried to avoid the prophecy by leaving his home town. Oedipus' suffering begins when he punishes himself for his sins. Oedipus is so driven by rage that he gouges his own eyes out with the brioche from his mothers dress. Oedipus' suffering is possibly the worst of all the stages he goes through because of the vile nature of it, it becomes both physical and emotional for him. Oedipus lives for the praise of the people and he no longer has it, it drives him to madness and to extreme suffering. In “Oedipus Rex”, Oedipus never makes it to the reconciliation phase. He doesn't even make it all the way through …show more content…
This happens before the beginning of the playwright therefore one can not tell what hamlet was like before this. The initiation is also fueled by hate for his uncle and love for his uncle's advisor's daughter. This leads Hamlet to his journey. Hamlet's journey consists of him meeting with the ghost of his father that confirms his worst suspicions. After consulting his most trusted friends, Hamlet decides to act against his uncle by feigning madness and killing him. This can be labeled as the exact point that hamlet decides his own fate and suffering. Hamlet's suffering is defined by his “madness”. Hamlet loses all of the relationships he has been fostering including that which was with his girlfriend. Hamlet gives up everything in order to destroy his uncle. Hamlet keeps up this rouse until he reaches his own personal reconciliation when he kills his uncle. At this point Hamlet loses himself to the madness, but also achieved his goal of killing his father's murderer. This is not without torturing both Hamlet and his