Oedipus vs. Everyman
Elizabeth Kubler Ross, in Death and Dying, discusses the stages one goes through when he or she meets when he or she comes to terms with a death or even his or her own fate. These stages include Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, and the medieval morality play, Everyman, by and anonymous author, both the title characters travel through these stages throughout the plot when they come to meet their fates or misfortunes. Oedipus, when Jocasta re-tells the details of how Laios was murdered, begins his approach to denial. At first, he searches for more and more information that might prove he didn't really kill his father. This shows the reader that Oedipus seems to know subconsciously that he is the slayer of his father. Everyman, in the first scene, quarrels with Death about going on the long journey. He pleads for even a few more days before making him take this voyage. Both characters argue "Not me...it can't be!..." Both also look for a person or reason to displace their burden in order to avoid facing th
However, Oedipus did share the common phase of Depression as well as Everyman. This is the fourth stage toward Acceptance. He (Oedipus) began to realize his truth and begins to slightly isolate himself from others in order to take time and think things over. Kubler Ross states that Depression has the potential to destroy a person before ever achieving Acceptance if he or she cannot find it within themselves to overcome it. Everyman finds himself depressed when none of the people he thought would be there for him would go on the journey with him, and again when the left him as he began his approach into the grave. This bothers Everyman because he had believed that his "friends" were better than that. Bargaining is the third step toward achieving Acceptance. It is very evident in Everyman because Everyman bluntly offers Death riches and fortunes just so he may have a few more days. He will pay Death just to allow him to postpone the trip or hopefully even cancel it. This shows a very clear example of man trying to bargain his way out of fate and tries
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 713
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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