"What is drama but life with the dull parts cut out?"

In the 'Wild Duck', Ibsen proves this statement true when he uses realism to create drama. Throughout 'Wild Duck', nothing to spectacular happens. The Ekdals go through day to day life but somehow it never becomes dull. The family has dysfunction, the grandfather goes hunting, and then one day Hedvig kills herself. "It's reached the heart. Internal hemorrhage. She died on the spot,"(Ibsen 215). This shows that this statement is applicable because Wild Duck is realistic while at the same time never dull.

In Blood Wedding, something dramatic is happening at all times. From an argument, to a married man riding to his ex-lovers house, to two married people running away together. So much spice and nothing nice. There is nothing dull about this play but at the same time, it is totally realistic (well, maybe not the talking moon). "They ran away! They ran away! She and Leonardo! On the horse! They rode off into each others arms, like a bolt of lightning!" (Lorca 76). This is a perfect example that drama is life with the dull parts cut out. It shows very realistic things but instead of being boring or dull, it is exciting and crazy.

Doubt/Certainty

In Oedipus the King, we witness Oedipus' certainty of himself when he is speaking the the town of Thebes. He is trying to figure out who has killed the former King, Laius. Oedipus demands the townspeople to tell him if they know who has killed King Laius, or else. "Oh dear gods, my curse on those who disobey these orders! Let no crops grow out of the earth for them-shrivel their women, kill their sons, burn them to nothing in this plague that hits us now, or somethin geven worse," (Sophocles 173). This passage shows Oedipus' certainty that he is not the killer because he would not have said such terrible things if he knew it was true. Later in the book, we witness Oedipus' doubt that he is the one who has killed Laius because he believes that King Laius is not his father. "Apollo told me once-it is my fate-I must make love with my own mother, shed my father's blood with my own hands. So for years I've given Corinth a wide berth, and it'd been my good fortune too," (Sophocles 216). Oedipus explains this oracle and how he keeps away from Corinth so he could never commit these actions. This shows his doubt that he has killed Laius because he still believes the King on Corinth is his father. In Wild Duck, we also see this doubt in a family relationship. Hjalmar gets filled with doubt that Hedvig is not really his daughter. "Just answer me this: does Hedvig belong to me-or? what?" (Ibsen ?). By comparing these two works, you witness that the two authors both use doubt to show the disfunction of families. 

Journal 2-Effect of love and friendship theme

In Oedipus, Sophocles uses the theme of love and friendship between lovers and between friends to expose two very opposite effects. The love between Oedipus and his mom/wife is a very weak relationship. We witness this when, in the end, Jocasta hangs herself. Instead of supporting and helping her son/husband through the terrible troubles he was going through, she gets so self absorbed in her own despair that she kills herself. The effect of this theme of love shows the effect that when two people in a relationship do not view the significant other higher than themselves they will always take the easy way out, even if it means hurting the other person. The relationship between Oedipus and Creon is one of great value, however. Sophocles uses the theme od friendship in this case to show that even when a friend is completely in denial over a subject and rejects the other person, if the person is a true friend they won't ever give up on their friendship. In comparison, Ibsen uses the theme of love and friendship in Wild Duck to get another point across. The relationship of Hjalmar and Gregers is one we can see a great difference in. Hjalmar is in the lower class and Gregers in a higher however the great friendship they have is evident. Through this friendship, Ibsen indicates that a great friendship is not based off of outer or worldly things/views. True friendship is based on the insides of people and that connection of the soul. The love between father and daughter is also one we can see a great effect come forth. When Hjalmar gets home from the party, his daughter asks about the treat he promised her. When he realizes he has forgotten the treat, he says sorry and Hedvig is disappointed. Even though the treat was something Hedcig was looking forward to, she realizes that he was sincerely sorry and she says that it is okay because he is still her father and she loves him. Sophocles demonstrates by this love that when you have such a great love as Hedvig does for her father, nothing can get in the way of that; it's inevitable. By comparing the effects of the theme of love and friendship between Sophocles play and Ibsens play we see that Sophocles has a more negative view that tells the world the 'ugly truth' while Ibsens play shpws a more positive and reassuring view.