Comparing Richard And Oedipus The King

Thesis: Richard and Oedipus’ most prominent strengths allow them to achieve greatness, but they are also their most terrible flaws.

Selfishness and selflessness are two distinct opposites, yet they are capable of serving as both strengths and flaws. Richard’s self-seeking personality allows him to persistently prioritizes his needs over others, even if it may not be the right option. By solely focusing on himself, Richard is prompted to murder his own brother and commit immoral crimes for the sake of becoming King: “Thy brother’s love, our duty, and they faults / Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee” (Shakespeare 1.4.232). This quality is what allows Richard to grow one step closer in usurping the throne, however, this strength becomes a

This choice of logic is what causes Buckingham to change sides which leads to Richard’s downfall. Oedipus on the other hand, desires to help the citizens with the power he possesses. His selflessness is what causes him to do everything in his power to help find the solution to the plague: “But when he comes, than may I prove a villain, if i shall not do all that God commands” (Sophocles 85). However, the deeper he digs for the cure, the more he dives into his own past. By attempting to help the citizens of Thebes, instead of digging for the solution he digs his own grave. His selflessness causes him to find the truth of his past which leads to his downfall. Both characters

Pride in Richard’s character allows him to forget about his deformity and make his quick intelligent decisions. His confidence in his manipulation ability allows him to achieve power. Once he becomes King of England however, his pride gets to him, and he grows careless in his actions. He stops caring about hiding his crimes, as all he does to hide the death of late King Edward’s sons is by giving the murderer the seal of approval: “Go by this token. Rise and lend thine ear” (Shakespeare 4.2.83). His pride causes him to believe that because he is king, he can do whatever he wants. This causes the other nobles in his Kingdom to notice his immoral acts, leading to the abandonment of Stanley, and his death. In Oedipus’ case, his pride helps to win the hearts of the citizens. Using his confidence, citizens of Thebes are convinced he is an amazing ruler. He is revered to a point where the citizens say: “but rather judging you the first of men / in all the chances of this life and when / we mortals have to do with more that man”, perceiving Oedipus as almost godly (Sophocles 36-38). Despite all the benefits of his pride, Oedipus’ pride is what causes him to take everything and blame it on himself. To keep his pride, he makes himself take on the death of Jocasta alone, blaming it on himself for not realizing sooner, and eventually leads to Oedipus