preview

The Tragic Hero Of Sophocles ' Oedipus Rex

Decent Essays
Open Document

In antiquated Greek drama, tragedy plays had a way of appealing to the audience effortlessly. Greek tragedies are still performed and read across the world in modern-day. Oedipus Rex, a standout amongst the popular tragedies, is written by Sophocles. Within every tragedy play, one character takes the role of a grievous or tragic hero. As stated by Aristotle, certain attributes characterize a deplorable legend or a tragic hero. In Oedipus Rex, the fundamental character, Oedipus, carries imperfections as well as inevitable fate much like a tragic hero. A few of the qualities of a tragic hero consists of nobility and carrying flaws that lead to unavoidable, foreordained fate. Born in Thebes and of loyalty, Oedipus was left at the side of a mountain with pierced ankles to die because of a prophecy told to King Laios of Thebes. On the contrary, Oedipus was given to King Polybus and Queen Merope as a young child, for they could not bear children. Oedipus believes that the parents that he grew up with are his biological parents. When “a drunken man maundering in his cups” tells Oedipus that he does not carry the DNA of King Polybus, he begins to inquire if he is adopted (Oed.1.2.252). After the confrontation, his parents tell Oedipus that the comment is a “slanderous rant of a fool” and to forget the rumor (Oed.1.2.257). Although the intention of the statement was to put the questioning at ease, Oedipus was still unsure about what the drunken man had said. Therefore, Oedipus

Get Access