Journal #5

"Although doubt is not a pleasant condition, certainty is an absurd one."

There is doubt and uncertaity in both Ibsen and Sophocles' plays. The doubt comes from Hjalmer in Ibsen's play and in Oedipus in Sophocles' play. The doubt is created by the situations they are in. They are both in unstable social conditions. They both doubt there marriages and the truth. There knowledge is tested and they become curious. Since they are both assertive and powerful, they pursue this knowledge. Yet they are uncertain because they don't want the truth to hurt them. Even if it sets them free of doubt.

Oedipus doubts the fact that his wife is not his mom and that the man he killed was not his dad. He is so curious to know the truth but he is also uncertain about what that truth might bring his future. No one would want to find out that their wife was there mom, or that they had killed there dad. Especially if that person thought of himself as a great and amazing leader. Oedipus proves that he is uncertain when he says, "Always, terrified Apollo's oracle might come true-" (217). This quote also illustrates how he doubted his marriage all of the time. He was constantly trying to find something to prove that his wife was not his mom. He talks about how he ran away from his parents so that that could never happen.

Gregers doubts the happiness of the Ekdal family. He wanted to reveal the truth about Werle to Hjalmer so he doesn't have to endure what his dad went through. "[...] Hjalmar I can free from all the lies and evasions that are smothering him here" (176). Gregers is trying to make up for what has been done wrong in this family. Gina also seems to be uncertain about a lot of things. She is always hesitant to let people hear things or do things. She seems to be worried about appearances and keeping things from people.