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Hubris in Oedipus and M. butterfly

 

            
             Hubris is the feeling that one is beyond the reaches of any authority or convention.
             Often this excessive pride can lead to tragic endings in plays. This is a key role in all .
             tragedies. One tragedy in particular is a Greek play called "Oedipus the King" by .
             Sophecles. In this play our tragic hero, Oedipus, is doomed to a fate that he will not .
             accept because of the pride that he possesses. The play "M. Butterfly" by D.H. Hwang is .
             also a tragedy. This one is slightly different. It is a more recent play in which the main .
             character, Rene Gallimard is the tragic hero. Gallimard is not actually told the outcome of .
             his life, but just refuses to see the truth and when he finally does, he would rather no one .
             else know it. .
             .
             Oedipus' strength is definitely intelligence and he knows it. After leaving .
             Corinth, Oedipus wanders the land to find himself in the town of Thebes. Here his mind .
             pays off when he solves the Riddle of the Sphinx that took many lives before him. In one .
             of his rages he says, "I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from the birds, the flight of my .
             own intelligence hit the mark." (page 1301, lines 452-453). His bright mind later acts as the.
             downfall for Oedipus as he puts together the pieces of his own past and the murder of his .
             father. He uses his wits to slowly link the stories, but remains ignorant to important .
             details that would reveal all. .
             "Here I am myself, you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." .
             (page 1290, lines 7-9). This bold statement proves undeniably that Oedipus knows his .
             heroic status and greatly enjoys it. All heroes have a tragic flaw; something that builds .
             up and ultimately leads to their demise. The King's flaw is his pompous, arrogant .
             attitude that he uses to place himself above those around him. This hubris also leads .
             Oedipus to have a quick, violent temper when his ego feels threatened. One of his greatest .
             threats was the words spoken by the blind prophet, Tiresias.


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