In Ajax and Oedipus the King, the reader is presented with two tragedies of the same author, Sophocles, and a medium for comparison. Ajax, the tragic warrior in Ajax, carries the burden of Athena's wrath as a result of his hubris. Oedipus, the tragic king in Oedipus the King who attempts to uncover the horrible truth of his fate, is hindered by his hubris. While Ajax and Oedipus the King are different in the heroes' role in society, the plays are also alike in the evocation of the reader's pity through the undeserving heavy punishment of the heroes.

Ajax punishes himself by committing suicide because of his warrior mentality, while Oedipus prefers to stab himself in the eyes because he is a just man of the state. Ajax is a competitive and pride warrior whose competitiveness is portrayed by his utter despair and severe reaction to the loss...