Tragic Heroes: Hazel vs. Oedipus - Fate, Courage, Hope

Calamities frequently feature happiness developing into wretchednesss through mistakes which finally reveal the cold difficult truth. The hero suffers from human infirmity ( tragic flaw ) which directs to his/her ruin. The hero suffers from ruinous events. experiences peripetia and is confronted with the magnitude of his/her actions. Two such heroes are Hazel Grace Lancaster from “The Faults in Our Stars” by John Green. and Oedipus in the drama “Oedipus Rex” written by Sophocles. Both modern and authoritative articles of literature have a wide-reaching influence on people and inspire many through the centuries.

Modern tragic hero Hazel is a adolescent thyroid malignant neoplastic disease patient who experiences writhing series of acrimonious losingss. As an lone kid who has been diagnosed since the age of 13. she fears and worries what will go on to the loved 1s after she dies and wants to minimise the hurting her decease will do others. Authoritative hero Oedipus is destined to carry through a prognostication that says he will kill his male parent and get married his female parent.

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and thereby brings catastrophe on his metropolis and household.

He is blinded by the truth and hubris. powerlessly digesting the class of fate despite rough and fearful confrontations. While both characters fulfill the function of a tragic figure. the modern hero Hazel obviously provides more hope for the audience than the authoritative hero Oedipus. This is shown when their character traits of finding. bravery and ignorance are compared. Determination is a quality a hero can non be considered one without.

and both Hazel and Oedipus show this quality along their ways.

Hazel shows finding as she combats malignant neoplastic disease despite rough world. Augustus asks. “With the figure of speech of the Stoic and determined malignant neoplastic disease victim who heroically fights her malignant neoplastic disease with cold strength and ne'er complains or Michigans smiling even at the really terminal. etcetera? ” ( Green 128 ) . Gus and Hazel garbage to be figure of speechs. Alternatively they create a new sort of malignant neoplastic disease rhetoric. one that looks directly on at the intolerable fact that they are unbelievably unfortunate and stand a good opportunity of deceasing immature.

They are two doomed kids who have non truly had the opportunity to see life. and who are determined to make so one manner or another. Hazel demonstrates her strong finding one time once more as she sets out to Amsterdam with Augustus to happen out the stoping of her favorite book. “An Imperial Affliction” . She wants to cognize those replies and what happens to Anna’s female parent after she dies. By utilizing the lens of the novel. she wishes to reassure the fact that her ain female parent and household will be O.K. after her decease. since straight believing about it is excessively terrific and disconcerting.

Hazel is told she “…can’t travel to Amsterdam” because her physician “…thinks it’s a bad idea” for she might meet “… a likely fatal episode of deoxygenation” ( Green 157 ) . Knowing her decease is near. Hazel does non draw back from winging out with her O armored combat vehicle. Hazel shouts. “bullshit! That’s Irish bull. Just state me! Make something up! you promised! ” ( Green 192 ) . Although she does non have any good information from the writer. she tries to lb out what she hopes to hear out of Peter Van Houten’s oral cavity when he refuses “…to commiseration [ her ] in the mode to which…” she is “…well accustomed’’ ( Green 192 ) .

On the other manus. Oedipus displays finding to seek. to cognize. and to prosecute rule as he unwaveringly discovers the truth behind his birth. The grounds foremost shows when Oedipus is so determined to work out former King Laius’s slaying. The citizens of Thebes gather to discourse solution to the pestilence while Creon returns from the prophet and Tells that the liquidator of Laius is in Thebes and must be driven out in order for the pestilence to stop. He furiously curses Laius’s liquidator who is himself ; he states. “Nor do I relieve myself from malediction: /Lie all the expletives I have laid on others” ( Sophocles 32 ) .

Oedipus proclaims that should he detect the liquidator to be a member of his ain household. that individual should be struck by the same expatriate and rough intervention that he has merely wished on the liquidator. Oedipus’s sense of justness and powerful finding to bring out the enigma of Laius’s slaying ironically leads him to accidentally cuss himself. He acts thirstily and headlong. declining to screen himself from the truth. as if he brings calamity upon himself volitionally.

Therefore. it is clear that in footings of finding. Hazel’s will to battle tough destiny is far more positive than Oedipus’s cussing to decide affairs. presenting more hope to audience. In add-on to finding. bravery is an of import trait for a hero to mean soundness and face trouble. danger and hurting. Both Hazel and Oedipus show their great bravery. but Hazel’s bravery appears to be more encouraging instead than Oedipus as it is more relatable to the audience. Populating with malignant neoplastic disease entirely takes great courage.

While Hazel has to cover with infirmaries. physicians. and at hand decease every twenty-four hours. she recognizes how tough she needs to be and how brave she has been. She says. “People talk about the bravery of malignant neoplastic disease patients. and I do non deny that bravery. I have been poked and stabbed and poisoned for old ages. and still I trod on” ( Green 74 ) . She is all about non aching others even if it hurts her and wants to be every bit inactive as possible. Courage is particularly apparent when she overcomes her hurting to forestall others’ agony.

She says. “I’m a grenade and at some point I’m traveling to blow up and I would wish to minimise the casualties. … And I can’t be a regular adolescent. because I’m a grenade” ( Green 99 ) . Since Hazel feels that she will shortly decease. she is motivated to be every bit undistinguished as possible and desires to take the hazards of others. She is much like a soldier hotfooting into conflict cognizing good that decease awaits her. She chases her dreams from the infirmary bed all the manner to the plane to Amsterdam. Not the physician nor her family’s disapproval and instructions could halt her from traveling after her dream.

She provides religion to adolescents who are normally trapped under parents’ umbrella to pursuit their ain dreams for themselves. She even ignores the glimpses. whispering. and finger-pointing along her manner. In malice of unfavorable judgment. she acts in conformity to her ain beliefs exposing admirable bravery and altruism of her. Young people can be benefit and inspired by her dare bravery and get the better of their obstructions with Hazel’s bravery in her conflict in head.

Oedipus is besides surely a figure of singular bravery. Upon geting in Thebes. Oedipus displays his bravery and deficiency of fright by confronting the deathly Sphinx and work outing its conundrum: He sacrifices himself wholly in an attempt to salvage Thebes which shows great courage. He is brave in his refusal to conceal from the truth about himself. even when he realizes how atrocious it will be. Confronting the horror of personal guilt. particularly guilt so tremendous. takes utmost bravery. In the terminal. Oedipus has to confront his ain failure to outrun his destiny.