Oedipus the King and Othello are two plays known for their dramatic tragedies. Oedipus the King is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles created in 429 BC. The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, written around 1603. Both of these plays do a thorough job of making sure the audience understands the main characters' pasts. However, there are minor characters who are just as important. Emilia, Othello's wife, and Jocasta, Oedipus' mother and wife, both aid in the understanding of the main characters in these plays. Both of these pieces showcase the power of love and how destructive it can be. Sophocles wrote the play Oedipus the King. Oedipus the King was written around 420 BC and has been considered the most powerful expression of Greek tragic drama (Hyesso). Oedipus, a stranger to Thebes, became king of the city after the murder of the city's king, Laius, approximately fifteen or sixteen years before the play begins. He was offered the throne because he managed to save the city from the Sphinx, an event mentioned several times in the text of the play. He did this by solving a puzzle in which the Sphinx was killed. He married Jocasta, the widow of Laius, and had four children with her. When Oedipus was born, a prophecy said that Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. To prevent this, his parents pierced and bound Oedipus' ankles and abandoned him in the mountain. They believe that Oedipus' fate was in the hands of God. When Oedipus grew up, he heard about this prophecy and decided to flee the city in order to avoid the possible outcome. What he didn't know was that the parents who raised him had...... middle of paper ...... help show the destruction of powerful love and jealousy . Although Emilie and Jocasta play two completely different roles in their plays, they have many similarities. They are both the cause of the main characters' downfall. Jocasta is the reason why Oedipus pierced his eyes, and Emilia is the reason why Othello killed his wife, Desdemona, completely ruining his life. Both plays, Oedipus the King and Othello, are excellent examples of how destructive love can be. Works Cited Shmoop Editorial Team. “Othello.” Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., November 11, 2008. Web. April 11, 2014. Shmoop editorial team. “Oedipus the King.” Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., November 11, 2008. Web. April 11, 2014. “Hyesoo Kim (redirected from Hyesoo=Kim). » Classical Mythology [licensed for non-commercial use only] / Hyesoo Kim. Np, and Web. April 11. 2014.