Topic Tracking

My tracking topic is: the symbol of authority bringing relief to a community or individual.

In Oedipus this is a very prominent occurrence. This is probably because the setting is back when they had a lot of gods that they regularly worshiped and asked for help from. The drama starts out with some of the people from Thebes praying to Apollo for help/relief from this plague that is spreading throughout the city. "Priest: You see us before you now, men of all ages clinging to your altars. [...] kneeling before the the two temples of queen Athena [...] and Apollo sees the future in the ashes" (17-27). These people believe that if they give offerings and prayers to Apollo, he will help them through their troubles. Even the King prays out to this god at one point when Creon is coming home with the news from Apollo. "Oedipus: Lord Apollo, let him come with a lucky word of rescue, shining like his eyes!" (91-93). Seeing that even the King prays out to this god, the reader can see that the people of this town really do believe with everything, that this higher authority will bring them relief from their dilemma. In the end Apollo does bring them relief and a solution to their misery. They just had to find how killed the previous king and get rid of him. Once they figured this mystery out they certainly did have help in getting over the plague. "free of pain at last." (1684)

In Wild Duck there is a similar symbol of authority giving relief and help. Instead of the authority being a god, this time it is a rich famly that helps a poor, in need family. Ekdal and Werle had a fight a long time before this story takes place but they still aren't getting along together. Werle is the richer of the two so he has some authority over Ekdal and his family. When he realizes that Ekdal's family is in need he is turned to for help. "Gregers: My father has almost been a kind of providence to you. Hjalmar: he didn't abandon his old friend's son in a time of need" (125-126). The reader can see that this poor family has received help from this type of authority over them, in order to keep them from going completely bankrupt. Werle even admits that he has helped more than they deserve: "I've gotten Ekdal copying jobs from the office, and I pay him much, much more than his work is worth - " (131). Finally in the end Werle doesn't even give him a job, he instead just gives him the money "old grandfather needn't trouble himself any longer with coping work, but that henceforth he can draw one hundred crowns a mnth from the office - " (194). Even though Ekdal and Werle are almost enemies, Werle is acting in superiority and authority over Ekdal and giving him the help he and his family need.

This repetition throughout the dramas I have read so far is important because it helps describe the type of tragedy these dramas are. It also helps the reader understand the plot and trouble that is going to happen later on. These symbols seem to add to the foreshadowing of the stories.