Ivan living in lies

Ivan Ilyich’s most excruciating pain is to live in lies. It seems as if his life revolves around a pretend dress-up party. Ivan takes in what he considered the ideal way of life and pursues it at any cost. His goal is to be recognized, successful, and admired. To attain these three characteristic, Ivan set up a fictitious lifestyle. 
            Ivan puts extra efforts into decorating his dream home. He puts personal touches to every corner of the house. His main purpose is to create a house that would flaunt the richness and greatness of his possession. It is a way to indirectly announce to his friends that he is just as wealthy and better off as everyone else. He accessorizes the house with expensive china and bronze. Yet, Tolstoy makes an interesting comment. He says, “it was like the home of all people who are not really rich but who want to look rich” (57). Tolstoy’s statement definitely proves the point. Ivan is living in a living fantasy. His house is not the upper-class, sophisticated mansion he yearns for. The house is furnished with, “. . . inexpensive purchases of old furniture” (57). Therefore, Ivan is actually pretending he lives in the dream home. Because he thirst envy by others, he must sacrifices to live with pretension.
            The guests who come to his house are also selected by their ranks and importance. Ivan, who wants to be successful, must have good relations with high-ranking professionals. He has to carefully choose his companions. They should be able to give him the best advantages. After a couple round of elimination, Ivan got rid of the, “. . . shabby friends and relation” (61). They are the people who offer no benefits to his stride for success. They are only people who show affection towards Ivan. Obviously, it is not enough for Ivan. His desperation’s for this goal persuaded him to give up the true friends and take in the allies. This is another way of expressing how Ivan manages to abandon his old friends and pretend to make good relationships with his new ones.
            Ivan even includes his works as part of the pretension. The endless arguments he has with his wife began early in the marriage. At first, Ivan was humble, and let his wife have her ways. As the situation intense to the point he can not handle it, he escapes by burying himself in the office. He gives his unremitting attention to his job. He stays in the office for long hours, and arrives home as later as he could. In Ivan’s mind, this plan forces his brain to think that life is pleasant. He is the man of the family who puts bread on the table. Therefore, he must constantly work hard to do so. Domestic tasks are the duty of his wife. She has the obligation to take care of the house and their kids while he is busy at work. After work, he expects a hearty meal with his wife and children. It is how his family should act. Once again, Ivan is trying to cognate the reality. He forces himself to be separated from his home so that he will not have to face the presence.
           
           
           

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What is the role of love in the play?

The power of love is one of the main mechanisms that drives the story along. It has an immense effect on the conclusion of the tragedy. Antigone knows she is sacrificing her life if she gives her brother, Polynices, his last proper respect. Despite the consequences, she still buried her brother. The motive of her action is out of the love and compassion she reserves for Polynices. Antigone’s death reflects a domino effect to the rest of Creon’s family. His son, Haemon, ended his own life when he heard that his fiancée committed suicide. Haemon must feel empty without his fiancée. The absence of her love left a hollow space in his heart. This loss will clearly affect him in a negative way as he says, “Then she will die…but her death will kill another” (99). After finding news on Haemon’s death, his mother decided to join in his footsteps. She secretly killed herself. It is obvious the reason for her action is the agape love she attains for her son. The three deaths also represent the different types of love in human beings. The loves of all human’s heart desire include the following: a mother and son, a sister and brother, and a husband and wife love. The fact that Creon is left alone, with no family member, reveals how love has abandoned him.

Is Creon’s punishment as fair as that of Oedipus?

The story of Oedipus Rex concluded with Oedipus destroying his eyes. He hopes to isolate himself from the rest of the world. He also lost his mother, the person whom he loves very much. His punishments include the following:

First, Oedipus has to endure the physical pain he has inflicted on himself.
Second, he lost his mother/wife, the most important person in his life.
Third, he has to live in remorse for the nefarious deeds he has committed.

Creon’s punishment does not involve physical pain. He did not inflict physical torturing on himself. Instead, it is his mentality that slowly destructs his soul. His one irrational mistake caused the lives of three people. He lost his wife, his son, and his daughter-in-law. These dear people are his family. As they head into the underworld, they take along their loves. Creon must now live as a loner with no love, sympathy, nor respect. He has to live to blame himself for the destruction of his own family. Another price he has to pay for his actions is the family’s blood line. Now that his only son died, Creon has no successor to carry out his heir. This issue is more excessive than that of Oedipus’s. Although Oedipus lost a family member and his eye sight, he still has his children to continue the ruling. On the other hand, Creon is left with empty hands. In all, Sophycles made a balanced scale of punishment for both parties. One suffers physical pain, while the other endures emotional pain.

(510)

Destiny, Change, Fear

Anthony brought an interesting point in his discussion last Friday. He mentioned the importance of destiny, change, and fear. I believe there is a special relation among them. It is within the cycle of these three elements that brings out the irony of the play; understanding destiny can bring changes, and changes create fear.

“Why should anyone in the world be afraid / Since Fate rules us and nothing can be foreseen?” (49). Destiny is a cemented path of life created by god. It tells the happiness, consequences, and obstacles each person must endure; the ending of each person’s life is inescapable. At a point in the story, Oedipus’ parents find out their future tragedy which foretells that their own son will kill his father. Immediately, they find ways to prevent the catastrophe. Clearly, the revelation of destiny already brought changes. However, Jocaste was the one who sent Oedipus away to be killed. Ironically, the above statement was quoted by Jocaste, yet she is actually the one who tries to change fate. If she knows that fate can not be changed, why does she still commit sins to prevent fate? She is human, who relies on the intelligence of human; she thinks she could overpower god and mock fate.

“Your fate is clear, you are not blind to that” (70). Indeed fate is as clear as a crystal. No one has the choice to not accept its existence. Oedipus learned of his cruel past and realized that his sins are crimes cannot be undone. He must live with them. Eventhough he is aware of his dark future of long days and nights of remorse, Oedipus still tries to break himself free from the truth. The change he made this time is to sacrifice his eyesight. It is a wise choice? Well, there is not a correct answer. If Oedipus true intention is to not see the future, then he has succeeded. But he also must understand that will still live with knowing that fact that it will come. Destiny will come to find him.

“I fear the oracle may come true” (51). These are the words from the great king Oedipus. After Oedipus found out the truth, he is brought upon with insecurities and dread. He fears the prediction of the prophecy will become reality. This is the last stage of the cycle, where fear finally meets destiny. Jocaste thought she has eradicated evil by giving up her child; yet she still lives with anxiety. Her actions only relieve the concerns of her frightful future. Oedipus plays on the same idea after finding out his sins. He tries to isolate himself from the rest of the world by ruining his eyes. Once again, Oedipus is running away from the truth because he thought he could change the presence by blinding himself. If he can not see, he will not have to face the truth. This is an act of cowardice that derived from fear.

The cycle of these three elements would repeats itself. Undoubtedly, fear will soon reach destiny. From fear, we make changes in our life to avoid our destiny. We desperately evade destiny with ridiculous tricks. But in the end, we must face our destiny.

(542)