The Past, Present and Future of Sorrow

The “sorrow” in tragedies comes from the compassion the audience has for a character that has experienced unfortunate and destructive events. An author who is able to evoke this emotion through the pathos of the crowd successfully creates a great tragedy. But often times, the protagonist’s past and future assist in creating a multi-dimensional character in which the audience is better able to respond and react. In the tragic plays, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare, only King Oedipus tragic life started as a child, and his density was filled sorrow and destruction. King Lear brought about his own misery by his selfish actions towards his children. Due to Oedipus’s three-dimensional characteristics and King Lear’s lack of a destructive past, Sophocles is able to create the greater tragedy.

Shakespeare’s King Lear begins with the king’s decision to divide the land amongst his daughter based on their level of love towards him. He asks them “Which of you shall we say doth love us most that we our largest bounty may extend where nature doth with merit challenge?” (I.I.52-54) The story does not include any details about the ancient king’s past, and only hits that he is only because of the death of his wife. The audience’s first impression of King Lear is that of selfish desires and spoiled remarks. After Cordelia refuses to acclaim her true love, Lear states that he “disclaim[s] all [his] paternal care, propinquity, and property of blood, and as a stranger to my heart and me hold thee from this for ever” (I.I.114-117). He disowned his daughter, the one who truly loved him, and falling naïve to his hateful, competitive daughters. He was more worried about his honor, rather than focusing on the well being of his children. He became caught up with the compliments and flattery of his other daughters to realize the love and adoration Cordelia had for him. Instead of misery, one feels a sense of frustration from Lear.

Lear deserves the misery he receives from his life. He brought the tragedy upon himself and his family, deciding to divide his daughters in competition for power. King Oedipus’s story differs from Lear. Unlike the shallow King of Britain, the king of Thebes life has been ill-fated from his birth. Apollo destined Oedipus to kill his father and sleep with his mother, a traumatic incident to invade any family. As a result, they send him off with a servant to be killed. Baby Oedipus was left to die, feet scorned, but the compassion of another allowed to him live, and unfortunately fulfill his destiny. Oedipus’s misery has developed from his destructive fate, leaving him with gouged out eyes and a life alone in exile. His wife/mother committed suicide, and his daughters were out-casted from society. His past, present and future were out of his control, leaving him hopeless. He had no control over his sorrow, and his three-dimensional misery evokes a deeper compassion, thus creating a greater tragedy.