Who Is Oedipus A Tragic Hero

Sophocles presented the world with Oedipus around 2500 years ago. Never-the-less, the story remains among the most riveting of all time. Unfortunately, today when we hear the mention of the name Oedipus we place negative connotations around it. Oedipus, after all, had an unnatural sexual relationship with his own mother! In actuality, however, this relationship emerged entirely innocently. Oedipus was not some misguided sexual pervert of an earlier time. He was, in fact, a man that was driven by a very high internal moral standard. It was that internal moral standard that ultimately entwined him in a sequence of events

While reading Oedipus Rex, many people notice that it is hard to follow and connect with the play, however, it 's very obvious to see Oedipus is filled with guilt, and regret. It is also obvious to notice when someone is dealing with a great amount of pain, which he is. Oedipus is just beginning to face guilt and regret, “Alas, alas. It’s all come out so clearly. Light, let me see the last of you now, surrounded by those I ought to avoid- born from them, living with them, killing them,” so as one can see Oedipus is truly just starting to feel guilty. Throughout the play one notices important things, like how oedipus feels guilty, but also regretful and painful as it shows here, “Ah! Ah! How miserable is my life! Where does my pain take me? How does my voice rush about me? O doom, how you’ve pounced!” Oedipus feels guilty because he murdered Laius, Laius, his own father, his own blood and not to mention marrying his own mother, his blood. By far one of the most important things in the play (or at least that’s what some may believe) is when all the pieces Oedipus is looking for finally start to fall in place, “Oh, my friend! You are still my only companion, for

Oedipus Rex was not the abominable person that some people make him out to be. What happened to him was by the virtue of the gods of Ancient Greece, and he had no authority over his own life. The true antagonists in this play are the gods, tricking Oedipus into thinking he actually has control of his life, but really allowing Oedipus to spiral into a pit of depression and dolefulness because of his mild actions. Even at the start of the play,

Talk about road rage! Oedipus is pushed out the way by a wagon, and he retaliates by killing almost everyone in the wagon, including his father! Sure, Oedipus was destined to kill his father anyway, but the manner in which he did so gives an insight into his demeanor. Oedipus could have killed his father in any number of ways, but to do so in a fit of rage set off by so seemingly trivial of an event is just not rational. Murder may not have been as big of a deal at that time, but if Oedipus had tried that in today’s world, he would have either been executed or have been spending the rest of his life in a mental institution. This incident goes to show that Oedipus is a very rash and impulsive man, and this carries over into his administration and decision-making.

“Oedipus Rex” was a Greek Tragedy written by Sophocles in the fifth century BC. It was the first of a trilogy of plays surrounding the life of Oedipus. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays approximately 100 years before Aristotle even defined a tragedy and the tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy is “… an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some amplitude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by means of pity and fear effecting its purgation of these emotions” (Kennedy and Gioa 2010). According to Aristotle there were six elements to a tragedy: the plot, the character, the

Just like The Kite Runner, in Oedipus Rex a theme of betrayal is portrayed. The main character, Oedipus, kills his own father in the beginning of the tragedy. Not only is killing someone you are close to considered a huge act of betrayal, but killing your own father is just one of the most ultimate acts of betrayal one can produce. Since Oedipus Rex is a short play, any action can be major and play a big part in the mood of the work. The killing of his own father happens right in the beginning and still occurs to be the major event in the play which causes the theme of betrayal to be prevalent throughout the whole thing. As the play comes to an end, Oedipus ends up finding out about his father and mother. Even at the end, Oedipus ends up betraying himself. He stabs his own eyes out after realizing all the horrible things he has done. “He lifted them and struck the sockets of his own eyes, shouting

The ancient Greeks were famous for their tragedies. These dramas functioned to “ask questions about the nature of man, his position in the universe, and the powers that govern his life” (“Greek” 1). Brereton (1968) stated that tragedies typically “involved a final and impressive disaster due to an unforeseen or unrealized failure involving people who command respect and sympathy. It often entails an ironical change of fortune and usually conveys a strong impression of waste. It is always accompanied by misery and emotional distress” (20). The play, Oedipus the King, by Sophocles definitely demonstrated the characteristics of an impressive disaster unforeseen by the protagonist that involved a character of

The Greeks were one of the most powerful empires of early civilizations with the well documented conquest, legends, gods, etc. One of their most significant things left of their empire, is their theatrical style, none bigger than Tragedy. The Greek Tragedy was their basis of Drama and is still studied today. Their view of the world and life could be personified in the plays and by the personages. It is the case in the play Oedipus Tyrannos. The play, written by Sophocles, represents the typical Greek view of the world with all the values that the Greeks wanted to show. This play is probably the best example to represent the typical tragic hero, in that case Oedipus. The dominant theme that Sophocles wanted to demonstrate in the play was

“O God! It has all come true. Light let this be the last time I see you. I stand revealed- born in shame, married in shame, and unnatural murder!” (69). This is how Oedipus’s life has been since he can start to remember things in life with full of fear,angs,despair and also with a phobia. His phobia was to find his parents and doing what the prophecy said, to marry his own mother and killed his dad. Oedipus had to go through a lot, since the story started it shows the reader how many tragedies he had to go through, his whole life is a catastrophe. One of the main tragedies that hurt Oedipus the most was marrying his mom. The most unforgettable tragedy was killing his own dad and finally having to abandon his own children.

This heroic event becomes tragic when Oedipus finds out that he is the murderer he has devoted his life to finding. Oedipus is heartbroken yet disgraced of himself and Jocasta, “Ah God! It was true! All the prophecies!-- Now; I, Oedipus, Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage. O Light, may I look on you for the last time! Damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand!..” (Sophocles 64). This is foreshadowed as Oedipus from the beginning of the story was told by a prophet he was going to marry his mother and kill his father which are both proved to be true by the end of the tale. He is seen as a tragic hero in this circumstance because he defied his fate and defeated the Sphinx, which saved his land of

Aristotle, renowned philosopher and one of the earliest theater critics, took it upon himself to define the dramatic tragedy. Aristotle believed that a tragedy could only be defined by a hero who is not totally just and flawless, but, at the same time, whose downfall isn’t linked to his own depravity. The reasoning behind this concept is simple to understand. Were there to be a completely virtuous hero with no flaws, no hamartia, as Aristotle describes it, there would be no sense of catharsis or enjoyment at watching horrible events afflict this perfect person. Conversely, if the individual was fraught with flaws, vices, and moral depravity, it would not be a tragedy; it would simply have been seen as his getting what was coming to him, karma, if you will. Although Oedipus, Othello, and Willie Loman can all be said to fall within Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero, each represents a very different interpretation of the concept.

Hundreds of years ago Greek plays were very popular. People would plan to go to these plays for entertainment and to have fun with their friends. These plays would also help to teach the audience all about Greek mythology. The main character in these plays often had something tragic occur at the end, such as death. This character was the referred to as the “tragic hero.” A couple hundred years later a Greek philosopher named Aristotle described tragedy with 4 simple elements, nobility of the character, the flaws of the tragic hero, the start of the tragic hero’s downfall, and his/her punishment. In Things Fall Apart, Oedipus, and Antigone there is a character that shows this definition of tragedy by the end of the book and or play. This is usually caused by something called hubris, excessive pride. Things Fall Apart, Oedipus, and Antigone all fulfill Aristotle 's definition of tragedy.

Tragedy as an element of the human experience has been the subject of many of the great works of literature written in the Western tradition. For some, tragedy embodies the highest form of humanity. It is through suffering that we are able to reveal ourselves most completely. Others see tragedy as an element of morality where we are to learn well the lessons of those who tempt the gods. The Ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle, outlined a theory of tragedy as archetypal drama in his classic work, the Poetics. He uses the play by Sophocles, Oedipus the King (hereafter "Oedipus"), as the standard model by which all other tragedies are measured. In Aristotle's view, a perfect

Tragedy, as defined by DiYanni, “is a type of drama in which the characters experience reversals of fortune, usually for the worse.”(DiYanni 1265) There are two great plays that fall under this definition Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, performed around 429 B.C., and Shakespeares’ Othello, performed around 1604. Oedipus Rex is about the king of Thebes, Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries is his mother due to a prophecy stated from the Oracle of Delphi. When a plague hits Thebes, Oedipus tries to find the one that killed the previous king, Laius, to stop the plague but only later to find out that he was the one who killed him. Othello is about a moor general in the Venetian Army who is deceived by soldier in his army, Iago, in attempt

Oedipus the King by Sophocles is a story about a boy who was left by his own parents in the mountains, by himself, to die because of a prophecy that were given to his parents by the Oracle of Delphi. A shepherd found this young child and decided to bring him to King Polybus and Queen Merope, who can’t have a child of their own. The couple decided to adopt the child and name him Oedipus, which means swollen ankles because of the way the shepherd found him with his ankles pierced with pins. When Oedipus grew up, he saved the town from a beast which made Oedipus be considered a hero of his town. Oedipus is considered an epic hero, but also a tragic hero. An epic hero is someone who is applauded for his bravery against the beast. A tragic hero is someone who does good for its town, but does not always do the right thing which leads to their own ruin. Oedipus is a tragic hero because he has a fatal prophecy that he could not bypass.