Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Oedipus Rex

Love in Oedipus Rex is different than love in the Odyssey or Atonement. The love displayed in this epic poem is the love between parents and child. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus learns of a prophecy that he would murder his father and marry his mother. In fear of this disturbing fate finding him he runs away from home not knowing that his real parents heard the prophecy years before and left him to die. A Shepard took pity on Oedipus and gave him to King Polybus of Corinth to raise as his own. For the love of his parents Oedipus attempts to escape his inevitable fate and leave Corinth. By leaving trying to run form fate Oedipus actually sets the troubling prophecy into action. Oedipus fails to defy fate, in the end he murders his father and marries his mother.In this passage, Oedipus discovers the truth that he could not escape his fate but the prophecy was fulfilled, "'Too long been blind to those for whom I was searching! From this hour, go in darkness!' And as he spoke He struck at his eyes- not once,e but many times; and the blood spattered his beard, bursting from his ruined sockets like red hail." Not being able to handle what he had made of his life Oedipus blinds himself because he was blind all the signs that the prophecy had proven true.
Out of love for his parents Oedipus attempted to defy fate. Losing the battle with his destiny Oedipus leads to the down fall of his family.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

The Odyssey

In the Odyssey, love has no boundaries. In this epic poem, Odyssey embarks on a treacherous journey to be reunited with his love (Penelope) and his home. Along this journey he is bombarded with obstacles, a battle with a Cyclops, a fight with the god of the sea, a trip to the underworld and many other precarious feats. Odysseus does everything in his power to return to his love, he is not hindered by limits. In this passage Odysseus’ emotions are reviled, "'Before the end my heart was broken down. I slumped on the trampled sand and cried aloud, caring no more for life or the light of day,and rolled there weeping, till my tears were spent'" (Book 4, lines 574-77). Along his journey Odysseus could have given into these feeling of despair and give up, but he prevailed against the odds. If Odysseus had set limits on how far he would go for love, he probably would never have been reunited with Penelope and returned home. He faced the most drastic of circumstances to find his love. He murders, battles and survives all in the name of love.

Atonement

This big question can be connected to the novel Atonement. Atonement, by Ian McEwen is a story of how love prevails even in the eyes of betrayal and lies. On a hot summer day the lives of everyone in the Tallis family were about to drastically change. Thirteen year old Briony Tallis sees her older sister Cecilia with Robbie Turner at a fountain on the family estate. She mistakes the situation for something that it is not, setting a series of misunderstanding into motion that will have lasting consequences on all of them. Robbie is a friend of the family and is discovering new feelings for Cecilia. After the scene at the fountain, Briony reads a disturbing letter intended for Cecilia form Robbie. When her cousin Lola is raped she tells the police it was Robbie when in fact he is innocent. Through this series of events the new found love between Robbie and Cecilia is put to the test. There is not a limit on the love Cecilia and Robbie share. In this passage Cecilia is expressing her powerful feeling for Robbie, "I've never had a moment's doubt. I love you. I believe in you completely. You are my dearest one. My reason for life. Cee." Robbie was sent to jail for his alleged Molestation, and there love remained true. Cecelia exiled herself from her family, there love remained true. Robbie faced the horrors of war and their love remained true. When Cecilia’s family believed Robbie to be a rapist she could have stayed with her family and forgotten about her love for Robbie. When Robbie was falsely prosecuted due to lies of Broiny, Robbie could have forgotten about Cecilia. Instead of giving up on love the pair did not place a limit on what they would do for love.