Example Of Conflict In Literature Essay

Conflict in literature is normally used to develop a story or build some aspects of a character. Conflict in this case comes about when there are two opposing forces that tend to play a trick on a character and this can be internal or external. A good example can be seen in the play Othello by Shakespeare where this is eminent conflict within Hamlet. In Oedipus by Sophocles too, there is a major conflict that exists with the King and fate.
Internal conflict is normally seen when a character is internally fighting with an issue and this can be seen through the character Othello. Othello struggles with an ethical and emotional challenge with regard to what he feels and thinks about his trust for Desdemona. Apparently, his love for Desdemona is slowly waning way because he constantly muses about his love for her from the moment he realizes that Desdemona loves another person Ophelia’s betrayal and his uncles murder of his father.
An external conflict is also seen when he is not appreciated by the likes of Iago because of his dark skin. There exists the theme of racism which leads to this conflict. The other characters seem to look down on Othello. This makes Othello feel inadequate to such an extent that he feels that he may not be good enough for Desdemona
The king goes against all odds to destroy the person who happens to be the cause of the plague. He wants that person exiled but in the cause of the search for the truth, the king ends up destroying himself. He even goes ahead in his madness to kill his own father and marries his mother something he could not have done were it not for the fact that he was following his fate.
These two characters are an epitome of how conflict can shape the way a person thinks and even behaves. In essence, any form of conflict is used to bring out the attributes of a character as well as developing the plot of the story. Conflict also helps bring out the moral fabric of a given society.