In the plays Ghosts, An Enemy of the People, and Wild ducks by Henrik Ibsen there are many similar themes, which become evident to the reader. A theme, which is consistant though out these plays, is the opposing values of the Ideal and the Real. The views of the idealist versus the realists make for many duels between the two personalities.
The theme of idealism versus realism is also dealt with in the play The Wild Duck. Gregers Werle has avoided his father, whom he detests, by spending fifteen years in the family mining concern. Gregers is so unattractive in appearance that he has given up all hope of marrying and having a family. Instead he has become an idealist and goes about advocating and preaching a theme of truth and purity. He calls his mission the "claim of the ideal." His father, Old Werle, has allegedly driven his sick wife to her death by carrying on love affairs in his own home. Once he had his serving girl, Gina, as his mistress. Arranging her marriage with Hialmar Ekdal, the son of his former partner, Werle also sets the couple up in the profession of photography. Hialmar is pleased with his marriage and believes that Gina's child is his own daughter. Lieutenant Ekdal, Werle's former partner, is now a broken old man. He does odd jobs for Werle. He is now living with Hialmar and Gina. Gregers Werle comes to Hialmar and explains the claim of the ideal and tries to make Hialmar see that his marriage is based on a lie. But rather than making Hialmar happy by understanding the true nature of his marriage, Gregers only succeeds in turning Halmar against his daughter, Hedvig. The daughter, in order to prove her love for her father who is rejecting her, takes a pistol and kills herself.
The Wild Duck is a play in which reality versus idealism becomes a structural feature. Each scene illustrates this dualism. First Gregers confronts his father, a realist, and accuses him of a life built on lies and deception. The conflict between Gregers and his father reveals a lot about the two. It shows that Gregers is obsessed with the truth and in changing the wrongs of the past. This is shown when he attacks his father's ability to allow Ekdal to be found solely guilty for crimes in which both men were involved. He also attacks his father for his ulterior motives in having Hialmar and Gina married, for the death of his wife, and for his intended marriage to ...
...appear. At the end of the play it is not clear what she will do.
The first Act of the play Ghosts had many functions. It introduces the characters, illustrates the central problem of the play, and gives the reader the essential story line. Through this Ibsen carefully forewarns his audience of the themes he will develop in later acts. The protagonist, Mrs. Alving is shown to have somewhat of a dual personality. Although she reads controversial literature she continues to conform to the wishes of the church and community. She also speaks about her husband and his reckless life and how she hid the truth from her son, Oswald. Despite her husbands acts she wishes to hide these truths by creating an orphanage in his name.
Manders, is one of the characters who can be considered somewhat of a idealist. His ideals are not so righteous as those of Dr. Stockmann or Gregers Werle, however. Unlike the previous two plays this play has the most concrete message in that it definitely shows that Manders' idealism is wrong and can no truly be realized. Manders' idealism results in the destruction of the four major characters in this play.
In Act 3, scene 4 lines 52 through 93, Hamlet confronts his mother, Gertrude and explains his suspicions about his uncle, Claudius, being a poison that infected and ruined his mother's soul. The passage gives readers a deep insight into both Hamlet and Gertrude Hamlet's true feelings for his mother are exposed in a verbal attack as he explains Claudius is an unworthy man who seduced his mother and murdered his father. The conversation is important to the storyline of Hamlet because Gertrude's character becomes more defined through her interactions with her son and greatly impacts how the tragedy plays out as she refuses to believe Hamlet when he explains Claudius is a villian. Hamlet feels very angry and feels his mother has abandoned and betrayed King Hamlet and himself. His ideas about her being a good pure Queen are proved false as she turns her back on her husband and marries his brother.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
As Christina Autiero asserts in a paper given at a conference held in Westchester - Putnam School, "Blinded by [his] passions,...Hamlet indirectly causes the death of Ophelia and his mother...revenge and Hamlet's method of madness primarily cause his death and actions. Unfortunately, the only approach [he] felt would vindicate [his] honorable name essentially destroyed [him]" (Autiero 53). Young Hamlet believed that the only choice to redeem his father was to murdering the murderer. In doing so, however, Hamlet became mad, and struck out at any and all who crossed his path. At one point in the play, Hamlet stabs Polonius, believing him to be King Claudius.
The Problem of Moral Agency in Shakespeare's Hamlet
His task is twofold, he wants to avenge the murder of his father and he wants his mother to reveal her guilt about her hasty and incestuous marriage. Finally, Hamlet does not truly know who he is, and what he is to do until the very last act of Hamlet. This essay aims to explore why Prince Hamlet has trouble becoming a moral agent. When we first encounter Hamlet, his concerns are about his mother's remarriage to his uncle Claudius so soon after his father has died. The Prince is angry because Gertrude is not adequately mourning old Hamlet's death, and due to the insistence of Claudius that Hamlet consider him his father and king: O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourn'd longer-- married with my uncle, My fathe... ... middle of paper ... ....
love and madness
Hamlet's and Ophelia's loss of their fathers initiates their madness whether feigned or real. Both Hamlet and Ophelia have parents who use controlling behaviours, which compel them to commit to acts they have no desire to do. Hamlet's father, Elderly Hamlet, who is murdered by his brother Claudius, reappears in apparition, "But howsoever thou pursuest this act, / Taint not thy mind, nor let thy soul c... ... middle of paper ... ...yal for the unrequited love Hamlet gave Ophelia. Due to her loss of a father, and a man with whom has lost interest in her, she has no one to confide to, so he commits suicide. Hamlet feigning madness and Ophelia's true insanity ultimately lead to their tragic deaths.
The Many Identities of Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Hamlet attempts to reconcile his incestuous urges using his relationship with Ophelia. Furthermore, his need for vengeance for his father's death causes Hamlet to experience great anger towards his Uncle; Hamlet incorporates the Oedipus Complex in his revenge against his father's murderer, who is presently his mother's husband. At the same time, Hamlet experiences an inner conflict. He is torn between his duty to avenge his father's death and his inability to kill his uncle; which can be seen in relation to his Oedipal Complex as well. Hamlet's feeling of repugnance towards the marriage of his mother and his uncle is a direct reaction to his repressed Oedipus Complex.
Internal And External Conflict In The Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare
Hamlets uncle was the one who poisoned Hamlets father. This is because his uncle wanted to become king by marrying Hamlets mother, Gertrude. It is shown how much Hamlet loves his father throughout this play. Some of these examples include, Hamlet trying to figure out how his father died and in doing so he pushed the love of his life aside. He was also mad at his mother for trying to replace his dad so quickly, and he was quick to want to kill his uncle when he found the truth out about his dad's
Shakespeare's King Lear - Father/Son Conflicts Caused by Inferiority Complex and Power Struggle
Throughout the play King Lear, by William Shakespeare, a conflict is conveyed through father and son: Gloucester and Edmund. Although the cause of this conflict is Gloucester's betrayal by his bastard son, Edmund, there is more to this conflict than a simple power struggle. Through intertwining plots and scandals, Edmund creates a forged letter, destructively "written" by his half-brother, Edgar, having to do with his made up plans to murder his father, Gloucester. Edmund surpasses this first betrayal and reaches the epitome of evil when he plots against his father by finding ways to cross Gloucester with Regan and Cornwall, further enhancing his potential inheritance and power. In this conflict, Edmund is the ultimate cause and initiator, making his father a victim to the scandal Edmund has viciously created.
Destiny of Oedipus the King
Then, Oedipus's pitiless murdering causes several subsequent tragedies such as the incestuous marriage of Oedipus gets into the flight with Laius. However, Oedipus's characteristics after Laius's death imply that Oedipus could avoid the fight as well as the murder of his father, but did not. Ultimately, Oedipus gets what he deserves due to his own characteristics that lead him to murder Laius: impatience, delusion, and arrogance. One characteristic that leads Oedipus to flight his father is impatience. Oedipus?s impatience is obvious when Creon reports news from Apollo.
No Oedipal Complex Found in Hamlet
On Oedipus's journey, he passes Laius on the road, they argue and Oedipus kills Laius, without even knowing Laius was his true father. Oedipus eventually marries his mother, Queen Jocasta, unaware of her true identity. Sigmund Freud introduced the Oedipus complex, and his theory states that the individual suffers from a repressed sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex while having a rivalry with the parent of the same sex. Many people see a connection between Hamlet and Oedipus. They insist Hamlet is in love with his mother and this is why he wants to kill Claudius, Hamlet's uncle and Gertrude's new husband.
Fate Versus Free Will in Oedipus the King by Sophocles
The prophecy controls some of Oedipus' life, but it's because the fear of it coming true that drives the characters to take ill action. Throughout the play we are given evidence showing his poor decision making and anger issues, but never any definitive proof that Oedipus' future is out of his control. Oedipus the King tells of Oedipus' struggle with his fate. It is Oedipus' short temper, pride, and poor decision making that cause him to make the choices that lead to his demise. Oedipus and his family take action to ensure the prophecy of him killing his father and sleeping with his mother would not come true.
Idealist
Ibsen
The Wild Duck