Oedipus Rex: Classic Tragic Hero

Abraham Lincoln once pronounced, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” In Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus tries to escape his fate by fleeing from his adopted parents in Corinth. Instead, he becomes responsible for triggering the destruction that leads to his eventual demise. A tragic hero is of noble birth characterized by a personality flaw and fated by the gods for doom (Santora). Oedipus is classified as a tragic hero by his tragic and heroic qualities, his responsibility for his fate, and his enlightenment.

Oedipus is described as a hero with god-like qualities. They worship him. The people of Thebes for instance believe that Oedipus ascended to the throne through God’s guidance. Sophocles play Oedipus definitely exemplifies Aristotle definition of a tragic hero.  Oedipus is not only a king but a person born a noble. Oedipus takes his fate into his own hands and takes his decisions head on. He is his own cause of the things happening around him, to him and in his life. Sadly, his life falls apart, but by his own doing. He has to suffer the consequences of his actions in many ways. First, he forces Teiresias to reveal his destiny as well as his father’s name. Teiresias tries to avoid all these questions but in the end he has to head warning to Oedipus against forcing him to reveal those details. Oedipus is relentless and is determined to find the truth. He continues questioning Teiresias further. Teiresias finally

Oedipus’s tragic flaw is gained once he obtained his greatness and became king. Oedipus’s knowledge contained arrogance, and a metaphorical blindness that fosters his urge for the truth. Hence, Oedipus’s tragic flaw was his own intelligence, which later became curiosity for the all the burdens that is be fallen over his kingdom. He had a troubling obsession for learning the truth, so he could not sit aside so he went on a menacing quest for answers. Oedipus stated a message that reveled his flaw, “Then once more I must bring what is dark to light, but for my own sake to be rid of evil” ( Sophocles 134; 140). His pride and determination clouded his judgment to see the surface of the whole truth. The truth is Oedipus wanted to avoid his fate, but instead his own tragic flaw walked him into it. Even after Oedipus learned of the truth from the prophecy, his mind continued to deny what was the actual truth. The prophet spoke these words to Oedipus, “I say that you, with your eyes, are blind / you can not see the wretchedness of your life” (Sophocles 196-197). He still ventured on to find the alternative to his fate and he only became worse. Soon Oedipus’s pride corrupted his intelligence increasing his flaw. He now accused anyone who restated the prophecy and told all they were only after his crown.

Discuss whether or not a hero who is tragic by trait and definition can exist within the structure of the monomyth.

Even though Oedipus killed his father and married his mother, he is often portrayed as a Christ figure, sacrificing himself for the good of the people. The tragedy Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles in the fifth century BC. Oedipus is a Christ figure because he put his life in danger to save the city from the Sphinx, displayed his deep concern for the health of his people, and sacrificed himself to save Thebes from the plague.

Oedipus is one of the most famous tragic heroes in drama history. His bizarre fate leads him to a tragic defeat that leaves the audience and reader feeling emotionally overwhelmed. According to Aristotle’s definition, Oedipus’ story makes him as a tragic hero. Oedipus is the personification of Aristotle’s characterization of a tragic hero through his ability to maintain and keep his virtue and wisdom, despite his shortcomings and situation in life. Aristotle’s observation of a tragic hero does not reveal the lack of morality or the evil of the character, based on an error in judgment. The tragedy and drama fit the Aristotelian characteristics of Oedipus.

A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is a man who is great but also terribly flawed, who experiences misfortunes while still remaining admirable to the audience at the end of the play. One of Aristotle’s favorite works, Oedipus the King, a play by Sophocles, is a play that above all others, defines the meaning of what a true tragic hero really is. In the play, Oedipus the King, the story unfolds after Oedipus unintentionally kills his own father and goes on to marry his mother. The events of the play are tragic, but it is the way that Oedipus handles the tragedies that make him a tragic hero.

In Aristotle's poetics, an ideal tragic hero is a man whose character is good and bad, but with the good predominating. Oedipus certainly represents a noble man with a tragic flaw. He's a concerned, caring, and devoted king. His people honor him, and depend on him. However his tragic flaw is that he has an impulsive temper, and fails to think in some critical situations. He is blinded by his ego, and pride that he looses his true self. As a result, he commits some terrible crimes, destroys his personal world, and drags innocent people down with him. So we can see that because of Oedipus' excessive pride and determination to avoid his 'fate', he walked straight into it. He even mocks the fact that Tiresius. Oedipus says to Tiresius, "If you could see, I should have said the deed was yours alone. We can see this when he is talking to Creon, asking him to take him into exile.

Like most greek tragedies, Oedipus the King had a tragic hero whose downfall was the result of a tragic flaw. Oedipus, like other greek characters, did not see his errors until his reign was coming to an end. Oedipus, the man who saved Thebes did not understand that every good thing must come to an end. A tragic hero defined by Aristotle has five characteristics that lead to their downfall and their understanding of why the situation happened. Oedipus is the ideal tragic hero because his downfall followed the five characteristics.

The other attribute that must be portrayed by tragic heroes according to Aristotle is the flaw and not just any flaw but a tragic flaw. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must not have flaws as one of their essential characters as this would cause the audience to lose respect for them and thus fail to be emotionally attached to them. An ideal tragic hero must have a failing that is both arbitrary and accidental, and this would, therefore, cause the audience not to fear for their hero. Oedipus perfectly fits this description of a tragic hero according to Aristotle, and this begins by him lacking knowledge of his true identity. The failings and the flaws that are depicted by Oedipus

“A tragic hero is a character of noble birth with heroic qualities. This character, as a result of his fatal flaw met his doom after substantial suffering. In the play, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles in 429 B.C., Oedipus is the tragic hero who is distinguished by the definition above. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy play and is set in Thebes. It describes a tale of a king with the inability to see the truth and this lack of sight ultimately causes him to suffer. Oedipus is a quintessential example of a tragic hero which can be seen through his characteristics, such as his start at noble height, his inability to acknowledge his own flaw, and through his own actions, brings his own doom.

In conclusion, Oedipus’ is excessively proud in himself but that will eventually lead to his downfall that will label him as a tragic hero. Aristotle even claims Oedipus to be the ideal tragic hero in Greek tragedy. Sophocles supports the way that Aristotle defines a tragic hero through the character of Oedipus form his Oedipus the King.

A great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat. What makes Oedipus such a Famous tragic hero? To what extent is Nora a tragic hero? Though both compelling in different ways, they hold more similarities then you may realize. Oedipus and Nora are both prideful and naïve but how they handle their tragic situation are different.

Many characters fall into the same category of the tragic hero, described over the decades in a variety of ways and spans different languages and cultures. In greece they followed the model of Aristotle in defining the tragic hero. His definition included a variety of different traits and events in the character's life that allowed writers to model and Aristotle’s vision of the tragic hero. Among these traits include hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis for the audience (Ohio State University). In Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King the main character, Oedipus, demonstrates the characteristics of aristotle's tragic hero.

Thesis: In Sophocles’ “Oedipus”, Oedipus is exemplified as a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition because his story appeals to the reader’s humanity in the way he maintains his strengths after inadvertently causing his own downfall.