Henry IV Part One

Is Hal selfish? I struggle to answer this because in the beginning of the play, yes he absolutely was. He disgraced his father and his country just so he could have a little bit of fun. Most would look at this as an adolecent wanting to have a good time, but I think most would also argue that it is Hal being selfish. However, in the end, Hal renounced his troublesome friends for his father and his country. He risked his life to gain his father's respect and then again to save his father's life. Does this prove that he was infact unselfish?

Oedipus Rex

Is Oedipus inherently selfish?

I think one could argue that Oedipus is inherently selfish. He renounces everything simply to escape his fate. In doing so, he kills his biological father and hurts his adoptive parents. Though he did so unintentionally, his main purpose was personal gain and the result was disasterous.

My Big Question

My big question is....

Are people inherently selfish?

This is a question that we have often discussed in classes. It drives me crazy because people never seem to agree and I'm sure that my thoughts are right.....I think people are inherently good. But the more I think about this, I begin to wonder. Would I give up everything so that someone else could have a better life? It probably depends on the person, but even then I don't really know if I would. Is every decision weighed on the amount of personal gain one would receive?