Henry IV

In Henry IV, there appears to not be very much suffering. However, I think that the troops led by Falstaff suffer, and I think the reason is because sometimes, others determine if and how you suffer. They seemingly didn't choose to fight, and by wasting his army just to have some people in it, he chooses that they should die, so I think sometimes suffering does not come from one's own vices, it comes from other people as well.

Oedipus Rex

In Oedipus, it appears that he suffers to be noble, and save others. By stabbing his eyes, and exiling himself, he rids his kindgom of the poverty they had been going through. He sacrifices himself for the greater good of his society, perhaps showing that people suffer because some people are meant to save others?

Ghosts

If I were to write about how Ghosts applies to my big question, I would use either Oswald or Mrs. Alving as an example of human suffering. I think I would use Mrs. Alving because she seems to be the better person, so her suffering seems more unjust than Oswald's, because she has to see her son suffer and endured suffering when she was married.
I think Mrs. Alving's suffering is a means to show her true capacity, meaning that since she seems consumed by these sorrows at the end of the book, her emotional stength is tested, and she appears to fail. Maybe suffering serves to show a person how strong they are emotionally??

My Big Question

Why do people suffer? I think this will be a good question because I feel like all of the books we have read, and all of the books I have read individually really apply to this topic. I also think this is a question where I can reach some sort of conclusion.