Fredrick Nietzsche, a renowned German philosopher, believed that one of the strongest governing motivations humans possess is their desire for power. This theme is omnipresent in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man, Shakespeare's Othello and Sophocles' Antigone. In the novel Invisible Man, the narrator frees himself from stereotypes and other oppressions conveyed by his society. In Othello, Iago escapes his natural role as Othello's standard-bearer to seek revenge. In Antigone, Antigone separates herself from mortal law to follow divine law. These three works illustrate Nietzsche's idea of ​​a will to power, and each breaks free from its distinct constraints to find control. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on "Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned"? Get the original essay The narrator of Invisible Man, a southern black man living in the Jim Crow era, struggles with constraints, stereotypical opinions and oppressions expressed by his society. However, as he learns, he is able to withdraw from his oppressive society and remain isolated until he understands who he is and the direction in which he should proceed when he reappears in the world (Ellison 7). From the outset, the narrator realizes that he is oppressed by the white members of society. One of his superiors pressures him to quit his job at Liberty Paint to find "something easier, calmer" and "something for which [he is] better prepared" (Ellison 246). . However, the persecution does not stop there; the narrator discovers that black people continually sell out to the white race in exchange for a type of monetary support that only places them in the position of being discriminated against again. As a result, the narrator discovers that he is “invisible” to this world, and does not belong to this tumultuous society (Ellison 3). In his invisibility, the narrator is able to find comfort and he writes this memoir of his life in an attempt to free himself from the constraints of oppression and discover his true self. The narrator states, “I am an invisible man and that put me in a hole – or showed me the hole I was in, if you will – and I reluctantly accepted that fact” (Ellison 572 ). This “hole” is where he finds solitude; it provides him with a quiet place in which he can look back on his life and determine his plans for the future. By separating himself from his authoritarian society, he is finally able to “see the darkness of lightness” and admits that he “loves the light” (Ellison 6). It is only in this freedom that the narrator can find himself and, by extension, his place in the universe. After a long introspection, the narrator manages to resurface in the world again and find his role in an indifferent society. He states, “Having tried to model the chaos that lives in the pattern of your certainties, I must go out, I must emerge” (Ellison 580). When he emerges, he is in control of his new self and has freed himself from his obligation to please others and fuel erroneous stereotypes. After returning to society, he is able to maintain complete control over at least one aspect of his life: himself. Shakespeare's character Iago breaks free from his natural order in society because he feels offended by Othello, who has made Cassio lieutenant in place of Iago, even though Iago is both senior and superior to Cassio. Iago becomes jealous of Cassio and plots revenge against Othello and Cassio in an attempt to take control and manipulate them into misery. Iago's bitterness towards his oppressors is apparent when he calls Cassio a "great arithmetic" and a "comrade almost damned by a beautifulwife” (Shakespeare I, i, 16-18). These insults allude to the fact that Iago is injured and feels the need to get rid of Cassio and Othello in order to gain his rightful position as lieutenant. Throughout the play, Iago successfully manipulates Othello, Cassio, and Roderigo and is able to arouse Othello's jealousy, ultimately creating his tragic downfall. Iago is a master deceiver and carries out his design to create the illusion of Desdemona's infidelity with Cassio. Iago informs Roderigo that Cassio is “a very talkative servant; no more conscientious than to put on the simple civil and human appearance for the best compass of his salt and his most hidden cowardly affection” (Shakespeare II, i, 237-240). Here, Iago reveals his plan to make Othello believe that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair, and begins to gain power over the other characters through his manipulations. However, ironically, Iago warns Othello to “beware, my lord, of jealousy!” It is the green-eyed monster, who mocks the meat on which he feeds” (Shakespeare III, iii, 165-167). Iago warns Othello not to let jealousy cloud his thoughts, while at this very moment basing his plan on jealous revenge. Despite Iago's blind jealousy, he manages to convince Othello that Desdemona has been unfaithful and that she must die. Othello ultimately kills his wife, discovers the truth, stabs Iago, and then stabs himself. Ultimately, Iago is revealed as the one with the power, as he has manipulated all of the other characters to produce this tragic outcome. Sophocles writes about Antigone, who breaks the decree given by a mortal to fulfill an obligation to her family's divine rights and obey the law of the gods. After Creon forbids the proper burial of Antigone's brother Polyneices, Antigone decides to take her destiny into her own hands and allow her brother to pass naturally into the afterlife. At first, she tries to get help from her sister Ismene, but when Ismene proves reluctant, Antigone informs her: “He is still my brother and yours; although you would have it otherwise, but I will not give it up” (Sophocles 345). Antigone continues to assert her position on the matter when she warns her sister, “Do not fear for me. Be worried about yourself” (Sophocles 346). No matter how noble her initial intention, Antigone still defies mortal law and is condemned to death by entombment. As she is taken towards her tomb, she asks: “By what law can I affirm so many things?” Just this: a dead husband, another can be found, a child replaced, but once a brother lost (mother and father dead and buried). also) no other brother can be born or grow again” (Sophocles 372). Antigone continues to defy human law in favor of divine law by professing that if she is wrong in her thoughts and actions, "and if heaven smiles on these things, well, when I am dead, I will know that I I have sinned. I find that the sin was theirs, which justice inflicts on them then as much as the injustice which inflicts on me now: my condemnation” (Sophocles 372-373). In the end, Antigone is proven right not only by the citizens of Thebes, but also by the gods themselves. As Antigone is to be freed from her grave, she hangs herself, which causes Creon's son, Haemon, to commit suicide, and in turn, Creon's wife, Eurydice, also commits suicide. Through divine intervention, Creon discovers the error of his ways, but he is too late to grant Antigone the power she died for. Antigone broke free from Creon's mortal law to follow divine law, and thus gained power over Creon and weakened his ability to rule and his greatness in life. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get personalized paper now from our.