Dramatic Tragedies Oedipus Rex and Hamlet Essay - 714 Words

William Shakespeare and Sophocles were both intellectual playwrights for their time. Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most advanced writers of his time. They both created plays similar in nature such as; â€Å"Oedipus Rex† and â€Å"Hamlet†. Both plays were consistent of dramatic tragedy. Sophocles wrote about the typical Greek tragedy that consisted of an ill-fated doom for Oedipus. Shakespeare wrote about Kingdom of Denmark where all things fell apart and death was imminent. Each story consisted of a queen that was important to the outcome of each play. Gertrude was the queen in â€Å"Hamlet†, and Jocasta was the queen in â€Å"Oedipus Rex†. Gertrude and Jocasta were both widows at one time and each had a son that played a major role. It appeared†¦show more content†¦As fate would play out Oedipus was taken to the Corinth and raised by Polybius and Merope king and queen on Corinth. While Oedipus was there he found about his fate and to spare his mother and father he fled Corinth. Little did Oedipus know that they were not his actual parents. Oedipus ended up killing his father on the crossroads and went on to marry his mother Jocasta. As the play unravels Jocasta and Oedipus are married and a plague has hit Thebes. The only way to rid the plague is for Oedipus to find and banish the killer of Laius. As Oedipus tries to unravel this mystery and clues start to unravel it seems that Oedipus might be the son of Laius completing the prophecy that the oracle claimed. Jocasta is starting to realize that Oedipus is her son. She seems she might be afraid to lose power and doesn’t want Oedipus to find out the truth. She attempts to stop Oedipus from figuring out the mystery but Oedipus being hubris decided to go through with it to find out the prophecy was true and he had already completed it. Jocasta couldn’t bear to live with this and hung herself, whereas Oedipus gouged his eyes out and banished himself fr om Thebes. Gertrude was the queen of Denmark and was married to Hamlet. They also had a son together who was also named Hamlet. King Hamlet was murdered towards the beginning of the play. Claudius, brother of Hamlet married Gertrude almost immediately after this death. Gertrude scarcely mourned the death of herShow MoreRelated Tragedy In Drama Essay1713 Words   |  7 Pages Tragedy and Drama In a range of dramatic works from Agamemnon to Hamlet, one sees the range of development of the tragic form, from the earliest Greek to the later Shakespearean tragedies. 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