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Oedipus The King Identity Analysis

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Three Ways to Deal with Destruction of Identities May Tun Prompt: 2. How is physical suffering related to one’s identity? Use the plays of Sophocles to make your argument. True identity is defined in the three texts, Oedipus The King, Aias, and Philoktetes, as the heritage and parentage of the character, while the social identity is defined the uniqueness of a character such as strength and skills, and the representation of that character to other people. The purpose and goal can also construct his social identity. However, one can mistake his social identity as his true identity, and social identity one spends his life to build can fall apart within a second by any illness, action, or awareness who they actually are. Aias, Oedipus, and Philoktetes’ carelessness in constructing their identity by their reputation and quality, which are ever changing factors, lead their individualities to shatter and change. When Aias, Philoktetes, and Oedipus are forced to undergo destruction or alteration of their identities, their focus shifts to physical …show more content…

However, instead of killing them, Athena directs his war rage on animals. After committing such acts, the words go around the camps, “[Aias] with his flashing sword / slaughtered the unsorted war spoils of the Greeks /… They’re getting a belly laugh making a mockery of [him].” (Aias. 201-202. 207-208.) With those words, Aias loses his recognition as a leader and warrior. Aias ultimately destroys the honor of his army when he demolishes the war spoils, which are owned by everyone. Moreover, he is seen as a traitor in the eyes of Agamemnon and Menelaos because of his attempt kill the commanders of the army. Under those circumstances, Aias loses his identity as great defender of the army, and his loss of his reputation triggers mental devastation for

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However, the rejection of a proper burial for Aias evokes the opposite effect in part of the army as seen when the chorus tells Menelaus to “not outrage the dead” (line 1220), defending Aias rather than condemning him. With the chorus as his first wave of support, Aias could have rallied more of the troops when alive to overthrow the Atreidai he loathed so much. However, the dedication to the heroic ethic that makes Aias a hero ultimately causes his downfall. While he is honorable in his battles and sees the corruption and shamelessness of the Atreidai, Aias is blinded by his own shame, unable to see the potential for change he could have brought about if he had lived. He is supposed to be the hero but instead falls short, thus revealing how overvaluing the heroic ethic can cause more harm than

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Upon Odysseus arrival to Ithaca, Athena hides his identity to help him defeat the suitors. She turns him into a very old beggar to conceal his identity from everyone, most importantly the suitors. Odysseus reveals himself to his son Telemachus, cowherd and the swine herd. The nurse Eurycleia recognizes him because of a scar he got years ago by a boar’s white tusk. Penelope doesn’t recognize Odysseus at first sight because of the disguise.

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In Greek culture, honor was immensely important and the Cyclops has none. In contrast, Odysseus brags about the great feats of Agamemnon yelling, “So great a city he sacked, such multitudes he killed”(9.298-299) That Odysseus sees pride in killing, shows that the Greeks valued killing, but only if honorable. There is a stark contrast between the killings of the Cyclops and those of King Agamemnon. In the eyes of the Greeks, Agamemnon’s killings were for his country, his people, and the greater good of society. These murders had a selfless purpose.

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Achilleus, who considers himself a greater fighter than Agamemnon, does not believe that he should be taking orders from Agamemnon, and becomes angered when Agamemnon takes his prize, Brisies when he has to give up his prize, Criseis. Achilleus asks Agamemnon how “Anyone of the Achaians readily obey you” (79) and looses his temper. Achilleus becomes so enraged that he turns on his

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One’s identity is not limited to what you look like or how you acted three years ago. An identity grows overtime as you encounter new experiences and learn new things about yourself. In Ursula Le Guin’s, A Wizard of Earthsea, we see the main character, Ged, find and develop his own identity. Identity ranges from your morals and values to your relationship with those around you. Identity is an important aspect in a person because it consists of a physical power and your own will power.

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Agamemnon’s taking of Briseis enrages Achilles and spurs him to remove himself from the war, leading to a massive death toll in the Achaean forces. In stealing Briseis from Achilles, he is not only robbing of him of a material prize, but also a symbol of honor, his geras, in Greek culture. In retaliation, Achilles removes himself from the war and prays to his mother, Thetis, that she will ask Zeus to damage the Achaean forces. Achilles’ only goal is that “even mighty Atrides can see how mad he was to disgrace Achilles” (1.488-490). Despite having no true grievance against the Achaean army as a whole, Achilles’ rage blinds him from the potential harm that may befall his troops.

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