Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteaus Infernal Machine Essay -- compariso

Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine   Ã‚  Ã‚   The myth of Oedipus dates back centuries. Overtime a myth changes in many ways as each author or orator presents their own version. The main plot usually remains intact, but authors add their own style to the tragic story. In the case of Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Jean Cocteau's Infernal Machine both authors focus on the arrogant nature of Oedipus. Since this quality ultimately has destructive powers, the relationships Oedipus has with other characters demonstrates this arrogance. Although, the two authors portray Oedipus in different ways to emphasize their different themes both use the relationship between Oedipus and Teiresias to demonstrate Oedipus' arrogant nature. In both plays, this arrogance manifests in Oedipus' rejection of the prophet Teiresias. However, the two playwrights differ greatly in the relationship between these two characters. Cocteau's Oedipus immediately disrespects Teiresias' prophecy. This rejection of the prophecy and warnings of Teiresias emphasizes his theme of malevolent gods. Equivalently, in Sophocles' version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias demonstrates the main theme of the destructive nature of arrogance. Instead of the gods holding him back, Oedipus' own pride does not allow him to believe Teiresias. Oedipus believes that he is above everything and everyone. Just as in Cocteau, he even believes that he can defy the gods and disregard fate. In Sophocles version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias does not occur right instantly. At first, Oedipus regards the prophet Teiresias in the proper, respectful manner. Oedipus greets him by exclaiming, "My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone one that can rescu... ...uture. They provide him with numerous hints regarding the impending doom that hangs in the atmosphere. However, Oedipus' arrogance blinds him to the truth of his situation and leads to his ultimate demise. Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Benardete, Seth. â€Å"Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Cocteau, Jean. (1963). The Infernal Machine in The Infernal Machine and other plays. (A. Bermal, Trans.) New York: New Directions Publishing Corporation. Nagle, Brendan D.   The Ancient World: A Cultural and Social History. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Sophocles. (1991). Oedipus the King in Sophocles I. (G. David, Trans.) Chicago:University of Chicago Press.    Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine Essay -- compariso Arrogance in Oedipus and Cocteau's Infernal Machine   Ã‚  Ã‚   The myth of Oedipus dates back centuries. Overtime a myth changes in many ways as each author or orator presents their own version. The main plot usually remains intact, but authors add their own style to the tragic story. In the case of Sophocles' Oedipus the King and Jean Cocteau's Infernal Machine both authors focus on the arrogant nature of Oedipus. Since this quality ultimately has destructive powers, the relationships Oedipus has with other characters demonstrates this arrogance. Although, the two authors portray Oedipus in different ways to emphasize their different themes both use the relationship between Oedipus and Teiresias to demonstrate Oedipus' arrogant nature. In both plays, this arrogance manifests in Oedipus' rejection of the prophet Teiresias. However, the two playwrights differ greatly in the relationship between these two characters. Cocteau's Oedipus immediately disrespects Teiresias' prophecy. This rejection of the prophecy and warnings of Teiresias emphasizes his theme of malevolent gods. Equivalently, in Sophocles' version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias demonstrates the main theme of the destructive nature of arrogance. Instead of the gods holding him back, Oedipus' own pride does not allow him to believe Teiresias. Oedipus believes that he is above everything and everyone. Just as in Cocteau, he even believes that he can defy the gods and disregard fate. In Sophocles version of the myth, the denial of Teiresias does not occur right instantly. At first, Oedipus regards the prophet Teiresias in the proper, respectful manner. Oedipus greets him by exclaiming, "My lord, in you alone we find a champion, in you alone one that can rescu... ...uture. They provide him with numerous hints regarding the impending doom that hangs in the atmosphere. However, Oedipus' arrogance blinds him to the truth of his situation and leads to his ultimate demise. Works Cited and Consulted Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms, 7th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999. Benardete, Seth. â€Å"Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus.† In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966. Cocteau, Jean. (1963). The Infernal Machine in The Infernal Machine and other plays. (A. Bermal, Trans.) New York: New Directions Publishing Corporation. Nagle, Brendan D.   The Ancient World: A Cultural and Social History. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979. Sophocles. (1991). Oedipus the King in Sophocles I. (G. David, Trans.) Chicago:University of Chicago Press.