Death of a Salesman and Oedipus are two tragedies in which the main characters are memorable. In Oedipus, the king's dangerous pride ultimately leads to his downfall. Throughout the play, other characters constantly beg him to stop his search for the truth, but he will not until he has learned that he in fact murdered his father and slept with his mother. In the First Ode, the chorus calls upon the gods to save Thebes from the horrible plague that is upon it. In the scene immediately following this entreaty, Oedipus takes on the role of a god. He becomes the self-apointed investigator, judge, jury, and executioner. He comes close to even dismissing the gods. After he learns that he in a murderer and a participant in incest, his pride makes him hold himself responsible for his actions and he readily accepts the punishment: exile, the loss of his sight, his children, and his wife/mother. Similarly, Willy, in Death of a Salesman, has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. His unattainable dreams cause him to constantly compare himself to his more successful counterparts, thus becoming depressed. His poor relationships with his sons and his wife leave him feeling empty. However, in a final effort to fulfill his lifelong goal of being rich and successful, he commit suicide to give his family the life insurance money. In the end, however, his wife ends up being able to pay for the house, and it is a shame that Willy will not be there to enjoy the one thing he has worked so hard to earn. Thus, Oedipus Rex and Willy Lomann are two tragic characters whose flaws lead to their downfall but teach the audience a valuable lesson.
