Henry IV and big question

big question: Why is power attractive?
The play expresses that power is not initially appealing to Hal but later in the play he accepts his power in order to fulfill societal standards and expectations. Other characters in the play such as Hotspur crave for power personally but display alterior motivations of reinstating the rightful king to the throne (Mortimur). This is the rebels' cause but Hotspur especially craves power. He has spent his life dedicated to the ideals of honor and wants the ultimate reward of power.

Ghosts and big question

big question: Why is power attractive?

Ghosts doesn't really address the question directly but focuses more on reputation as the supreme attainment where power would normally be. It emphasizes that reputation is more important than almost anything through the character Manders. He encourages Osvald's mother to keep the truth of his father's infadelity in order to maintain his esteemed reputation. The role of reputation in the play is incredibly prominent as a substitute to power.

Oedipus and question

My big question is: Why is power attractive?Sophocles indicated through the main character in the play, that power is attractive because it's an extollment of the individual. Oedipus is confronted in the beginning of the play by the suffering people of Thebes because he is an established association of success attained through individual accomplishments-he's a problem solver. Oedipus' achievements granted him power and before Thebes asked for his assistance they praised him and remarked upon his success in previous occurrances. Oedipus desired to maintain that power because he was continually extoled.