Characters that stand out are those who commit ridiculous actions such as self-punishment, to express curiosity and make a story more creative and entertaining. Self-punishment is something that Sophocles and Henrik Ibsen incorporated into their stories, it is a way of relieving pain, suffering or an act of avoidance, which is depicted in the play Oedipus Rex (429 BC) and Hedda Gabler (1890). Both Hedda Gabler and Oedipus find a way to relieve themselves through self-punishment, simply because it is the only way to overcome their obstacles. These characters are seen as different and are seen as more valuable characters because their punishment is the climax of the story. The audience is left with the reason why they committed this act, which leaves a lasting impression of the story and ultimately the character. Oedipus Rex, a strong, ridiculous and ignorant king; flees his “homeland” in order to escape the prophecy that “he should never enter his native land, for if he did he would kill his father and marry his mother” (Johnson 2). In doing so, Oedipus does exactly what the prophet had predicted; in the moment of realization, he bludgeons his eyes as an act of self-punishment. Self-punishment is what relieves Oedipus of his pain, although in inflicting more pain on himself, his actions speak louder than words. After seeing the consequences of his actions, Oedipus takes away his sight to no longer suffer from the truth. This is because he has been blind to the truth his whole life. Oedipus was blinded in more than one way. He is blinded by the truth of his life because Oedipus did not know that his real parents were Laius and Iocaste. He was furious with everyone who had suggested this idea. A... middle of paper ... simply an example of how humans try to forget things or put things out of misery, ignoring how others feel. However, the action is done to put things into perspective, by themselves. Humans are selfish and confusing creatures, but acts of self-punishment emphasize a person's differences as well as their characteristics, leaving others to infer the purpose of their actions and this can be demonstrated at the times in Hedda Gabler – to prove that she was not a coward and was in control of her own life – and that of Oedipus Rex – to demonstrate that he was blinded by the truth and that being ignorant was severely punished. Works cited by Henrik Ibsen. Hedda Gabler. Trans. Edmug Gosse and William Archer. Stilwell, KS: Digireads.com Publishing, 2005. Sophocles. Oedipus the King. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. The Oedipus cycle. New York: Harcourt vs. Jovanovish, 1976. 3-78.