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Oedipus Rex and Jane Eyre

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Although Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre may seem quite contrary to Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex  on the surface, the two are essentially related by the common archetype of the journey. Whether it be Jane's ongoing progression of continually unlocking new chapters in her life, or Oedipus's quest to save the kingdom of Thebes, each protagonist undergoes an overall striving for the truth. In Jane Eyre, the journey archetype is portrayed in a way that transcends the mere physical interpretation. Indeed, Jane grows spiritually and metaphorically as she finds her place in society by the end of the story. At the beginning of her quest, Jane describes, "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day...the cold winter had brought with its clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating that...exercise was out of the question  (Bronte 1). Her powerless state at the beginning is the product of her seemingly ubiquitous imprisonment−the curtailment of Jane physically, socially, and emotionally. From Jane's initial trapping in the red room at Gateshead to her developed, autonomous personality at Ferndean, Bronte truly instills the archetype of the journey to mean Jane's quest to find a middle ground between her inner passion and judgment. In "Oedipus Rex,  however, Sophocles portrays this journey of better understanding oneself and the world in quite a different sense. Oedipus's rather convoluted quest of saving Thebes entails not only finding and punishing the murderer of Laius, but partaking in an ordeal that ultimately leads to his demise. This bold king, then, is fated to pursue a journey that, albeit discovers the truth, entangles him in the same repercussions set out for the originally intended culprit. As he blindly curses to let "a lone man unknown in his crime...drag out his life in agony, step by painful step,  Oedipus is entirely unaware of the notion that regardless of which direction his quest ensues, his tragic journey shall co

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