Tragedy: A Topic Up For Debate

            After reading both King Lear and Oedipus Rex one can see how both plays have a great number of tragedy’s occur. King Lear loses his land, title, children, army and eventually his life. Oedipus loses his sense of self, dignity, children, home and his sight. Both plays tell a miserable tale. However, Oedipus Rex takes the term tragedy to another level and is more tragic than King Lear.

In the play King Lear there is a number of dramatic deaths, but all of the events that occurred could have been prevented. King Lear created his own problems. When Lear casted Cordelia away the trouble started from there, “Hence and avoid my sight!” (1.1.138-139). Lear put his two daughters, Goneril and Regan in charge of all his land when he should have split his land evenly between the three daughters. The Fool in the play tells Lear that he is in reality, a fool for the decision he has made, “Why—after I have cut the egg i' th' middle and eat up the meat—the two crowns of the egg. When thou clovest thy crown i' th' middle, and gavest away both parts, thou borest thy ass o' th' back o'er the dirt. Thou hadst little wit in thy bald crown when thou gavest thy golden one away. If I speak like myself in this, let him be whipped that first finds it so” (1.4.144-150). Lear destroyed his life with his careless decisions. Lear eventually died of a broken heart because of his daughters. I find this less tragic than Oedipus Rex because this could have been easily avoided. In the end everyone is dead and the monarchy is going to fix itself. There are people to take over the land, the kingdom is not in danger and all is well.

In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a stubborn man who is persistent on finding out where he originated.  The poor man simply wanted to do a good deed by avenging what he thought was his wife’s ex-husband. Oedipus wanted to purge his city of a pollution that was sickening his city. Oedipus did not bring his fate on himself. As more clues and facts were revealed Oedipus wife, Jocasta begged him to stop trying to learn more, “No, by the gods! If indeed you care for your own life, do not go after this! I grieve enough” (1082-1083). When Oedipus does discover where he originated from his “wife” kills herself for what she has done and he stabs his eyes out. To find out that one has slept with their parent is a horrific event. The children that were created out of this are now tainted and the city wants your family dead. Oedipus is casted out to live a blind life alone. His children will be forever tortured and eventually kill themselves as well. In this story no one is happy in the end and those in the city and those who read the story are disgusted. To find out one’s life is a lie and what one thought was perfection is a disaster. Oedipus is truly the more tragic tale of the two.