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Mehwish

Assignment on:
Identities and Ambiguities: A Postmodern Study of
Oedipus Rex and The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of
Denmark
Submitted by: Mehwish Sarwar

Registration no: 70081572

Submitted to: Dr. Rasib Mehmood

Course: Classical Drama

The University of Lahore, Lahore.

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Mehwish

Abstract:

This research paper attempts to review the concepts of

identities and ambiguities in Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare’s
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Both the plays seem to reinforce
the idea that there is no unified identity. In both the plays, the identities of the
characters remain a quandary throughout and the ambiguities lead them to tragic
end. There are ambiguities about their true selves, parents and their thoughts
about relationships, kingdom and religion. It aims to do a postmodern
deconstructive study of these plays and to show the subjective and objective
identities of the protagonists and other characters. The purpose of this study is
to make a comparison between the classical Greek drama Oedipus Rex and the
modern English drama Hamlet to explore that how these plays are similar to
each other and what are the differences in themes and styles of these plays. This
study is significant as it deals with the postmodern view of identity and
subjectivity. It fills the gap in comparative research of English drama. This
research proposes that ambiguities develop a quest for identity in the
protagonists of both the plays. The deconstructive and explanatory approaches
have adopted for this essay. Therefore, it is qualitative in nature rather than
quantitative. Its groundings are laid on the postmodern deconstructive theory. It
will deconstruct the explicit identities of the characters and will show their inner
pluralistic selves. The texts of both plays, Oedipus Rex and Hamlet will be used
as the primary source for research. By the study of this research, future scholars
will be able to understand the ambiguities related to the characters of these
plays and their importance.

Key Words: Unified Identity, Pluralism, Postmodern deconstruction, Quest for

identity, Oedipus Rex, Hamlet