King Lear

People often use their family, friends, and people around them as tools to reflect upon one's self and mold their character. Although it is not necessarily the best method, many people rely on other people's perception of themselves to find their own identity. This is dangerous because it's often misinterpreted. King Lear misinterpreted his daughter's love and acted on this, which caused his kingdom's destruction and chaos.

Oedipus Rex

Definition is an important role in this play. For many years Oedipus thinks he is part of one family, and then when he hears the premonition of his future he uses that to define him. Instead of taking responsibility for his actions and actively taking a stand against this prediction, he runs away. In some way, knowing his future prevents him from creating his own character, his own definition for himself. He is defined by actions out of his control. Ironically, he is not even a part of the family he was raised by. I personally think that your family is a part of how your definition of yourself forms. For example, I use my family to define myself a) as a daughter, b) as a sister, c) as a cousin...the list goes on. The entire play Oedipus's identity is thrown up in the air, and he is grasping assemble the pieces.