The Iliad Vs. Antigone and Oedipus the King Essay

Introduction

Ancient tales especially those of counteractive wars and gods have always had that particular touch in tales. Furthermore, because these tales are usually accompanied by a lot of supernatural powers and visions, there is still that unique character that brings out the real essence of being a champion. For instance, in the stories, The Iliad Vs. Antigone and Oedipus the King, a lot of vision has been put to use to bring out the real importance of how these characters became the main character in the story. In fact, with visions, most of the plot in their stories was smoothly curved out to favor what they saw. According to these tales, most of the characters are well built, and their importance brought out carefully using the visions that are bestowed upon a few individuals. Later on, these characters come out and manage to perfect on the visions just as they had been predicted. For most of the stories, a significant deal is based on wars and fights. However, these characters who are brought in and who are well connected to the visions are seen to be the helpers of the situation at hand. It is therefore clear to say that these characters indeed have been carefully used to bring out the essence of visions. This means that in their instances, a reader will be able to have a better understanding of how visions and situations were perfectly combined to create the perfect characters in these people.

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Wars and the Role of Visionary Characters

For the ancient tales, most of them were mainly focusing on the wars and struggle for superiority. It is because of this constant attacks and fights that many ancient icons got to be known. Among them, the heard characters also included names such as The Iliad Vs. Antigone and Oedipus the King. For them, they played significant roles especially concerning bringing out the fate of the people. In fact, this is why they are at times looked at as gods. Furthermore, the existence of these people is seen to have been sojourned with some visions where people were given a sign that proved they would be saved from their impending situation. For instance, The Iliad, which is a kind of poem was used to bring out the battles between the Greek King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles.

Even though this poem captures a little bit of the battle since it majored at the end of the war, it still mainly focuses on the legends that were intertwined with the same struggle. To bring out the legends, it is also able to focus on the way the warriors gathered over time while preparing for the siege, the reason as to why these two parties were conflicting and more concerns that were being brought out. This poem, even though focuses on the war that was ongoing, brings out the reason for the onset of the war and then, in the long run, gets to attribute all of this to the beliefs that had been initially manifested through various people beforehand. The war in Troy had been previously prophesied and foreseen by some people because of the intent of the place and the importance it had at the time. With its strategic position and immense prowess compared to other kingdoms, many other warriors were eyeing it wishing they could be able to take its control. This is why the warriors of Achilles slowly but surely got themselves increasing their numbers and planning for the siege of Troy.

Several prophesies had been made over the same kingdom Troy where some people had foreseen its fall and imminent death. Even though this poem does to get to cover when these occurrences happen, there still is an apparent yet precise image that is set showing how precisely that would look like. The poem towards the end almost brings out a complete tale of the Trojan war and how it came to be throughout. It is brought out that beforehand, after the first war, a Trojan priest of Apollo offered Agamemnon wealth to release their daughter. Many agree to the offer, but Agamemnon declines. This makes the Trojan priest seek help from Apollo who then sends a plaque to the Greek. Because of the pressure of the pain due to the plaque, Agamemnon is forced to return the girl. However, he decided to take Achilles as captive instead. This angers Achilles' people who then decide that they will not fight for Agamemnon again. With the return of the daughter to her homeland, Apollo was able to lift the plaque he had bestowed upon Agamemnon's people.

With Agamemnon's messengers taking Briseis away, Achilles feels depressed. He even goes ahead to pray to his mother, Thetis. He asks his mother to ask God Zeus to bring the Greeks to a breaking point by the Trojans. This was so that Agamemnon would realize how important it is for the Greek to partner with Achilles. Achilles mother agrees to this and Approaches Zeus who also agrees to lend a hand. Zeus then goes ahead to send a dream to Agamemnon urging him to attack Troy. Following the dream, Agamemnon agrees to attack but chooses to give a trial first. He asks the Greek army to go home first. This fails badly when there is an intervention of Odysseus who is inspired by Athena who then stops the rout. After complete planning, they set off towards Troy. The poem in fact even gives more of the image set as the moved and their preparation for the attack. When the Trojans get to hear about the incumbent attack, they too get ready for the battle.

Looking at the current state and the possibilities of a lot of casualties, Paris tries to find a way which they can stop this fight. He agrees to a duel with Menelaus which would mark a truce between the two conflicting armies. However, because of the hatred towards Troy brought out by Hera, Zeus finds a way for Trojan to break the ceasefire. One of Agamemnon's person is wounded, and this immediately sparks off a war. The war takes on a lot of twists and turns when the gods get to join in the battle. Now with more heroes and gods in the war, it becomes more intense and messed up. Everyone is working towards his or her side becoming the winners, and in the process, there is more casualties and losses incurred. However, when things get intense, the gods find it necessary to keep off from the war. By realizing this, they have had to announce a truce and promise to stay away from the fight at all costs. This then means that the war is now supposed to start afresh. Realising his mistake, Agamemnon tries to correct his error. He goes ahead to send a group of people to Achilles with gifts. On arrival, they are received warmly, but then Achilles refuses Agamemnon's offer.(Latimore, 2011 pg.79). He does state that he will only provide support when the Trojans reach with their ships and threaten to use fire.

The Importance of Visions in Ancient Tales

From the outcomes stated, it is clear that whatever had been foretold on the fall of Troy is slowly coming to pass. With the twists and turns that are brought out using the external forces such as the gods, it is clear that there is a lot of visions that are put to use. For instance, before Agamemnon decides to wage a war, he receives a vision in his dream. In fact, with the visions, many warriors engage in war. Most of the Trojan war is mainly focusing on the visions sent by the gods and their beliefs towards the same.

The Antigone is a play that tends to expound on the Theban legend. In the play, two brothers died fighting for the throne. Because of the shame, this act has brought upon the people, and the new ruler decides that the wrong brother will not be buried as a form of punishment. However, his sisters have a secret meeting where one tries to convince the other to bury their brother. In spite of the strict rules against this, she is determined to give her brother a proper send off. The other, however, being aware of the strong guard decides not to. She is, however, unable to stop the first sister from attempting to do this. Meanwhile, the ruler is with other high ranking members trying to find out if they can take his side regarding the order of not burying the guy. It is at this time that a Sentry enters with news of the body being shallowly buried and already being done with the funeral rites. Furious, he questions the first sister and finds out that she is the guilty one in the matter. The second sister seeing this also tries to own up and receive punishment with her sister, but the ruler does not need to this. The ruler bent on killing the first sister tries to do it quickly and indirectly so that the god's wrath does not fall back to him. At the same time, the sister is somewhat disappointed that she failed to meet the demands of the gods by marrying and dying.

While leading her to her tomb, a blind prophet comes and urges the process to be hastened because the gods are not happy with what is happening at all. She then promises that all of Greece will despise the ruler and any form of sacrifice given will not be accepted. Because of the turns of events, the first sister while in the tomb hangs herself to death. When the second sister finds out this, she also stabs herself to death. The ruler now seeing this and feeling the pain of him being the cause of all this, realizes that his defiance to the orders of the gods has cost him his family. (Butler, 2000)

The Impact of Visions in Oedipus the King

Oedipus the King poem makes good use of visions. Through a vision, Oedipus gets to realize that he will become king but he will kill his father and marry his mother. Because of his father violating some rules, a curse is placed on his family. During the birth of his son, the King visits the oracle who tells him that he will die through his own son's hand. This makes him ask his wife to kill their son. However, because of the mother's bond, she is unable to do it. However, she asks a servant to do it. He goes to the woods and leaves him there where a shepherd rescues him. The shepherd takes him to the childless king. However, when growing up, he hears rumors that he is not their real child. On consulting the oracle, it fails to answer but tells him of the father's prophesy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Feeling slightly unsatisfied, he quits and stays on with his adopted parents.

After some time, he leaves for his hometown, but on the way, he meets with his birth father. However, a misunderstanding occurs over who has the right of way. This leads to a fight between them and Oedipus kills him not knowing that it is his birth father. While carrying on with his journey, he comes across a sphinx who has been sent to riddle him. If he failed the riddle, it would strangle him to death. However, when he correctly answered it, it threw itself over a cliff and in the process ending the curse. This makes him get rewarded for breaking the curse. He is given the hand of the queen for marriage. Unknown to him, it was his biological mother. (Brunner,2001)

According to the vision, Oedipus ended up doing exactly what had been prophesied in as much as everyone was doing their best to evade this from happening. Furthermore, with the curse placed on them, and the distance through which he grew up in, he never even understood what he was doing. However, when he came to find out about what he did, he got so embarrassed that he pulled off his eyes from their sockets as a form of punishment.

Conclusion

Looking at the way, most of the bestowed visions have come to pass and how much they have shaped these narratives. It is clear that with the visions that were stated, many people tend to focus on them. In as much as this may not be that exact time, and even though most of the foretold future would not be so impressing to hear, many tried to stop them from happening, but still, fate had a way of seeing this thing happen no matter what. This is what majorly brings out the storyline and the various characters as said with the visions.

Work Cited

Brunner, Mihaly, and Philip Vellacott. King Oedipus Retried. London: Rosenberg & Krausz, 2001. Print.

Butler, Judith. Antigon...