1. Oedipus Rex as a tragic hero
Presentation by: khalid Karim
Roll No: 1017
BS English semester 6
2. Definition of a tragic hero
• According to Aristotle;
The tragic hero must be a person of noble
birth and prosperity whose misfortune
results not from depravity or vice but some
hamartia
i.e., a tragic hero flaw or an error of
judgment from the hero.
3. Aristotle’s points of a tragic hero
• Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero
consists of the following five points
I. Noble structure
II. Fate proves to be downfall
III. Good person
IV. Misfortune is not deserved
V. Not a pure lose
VI. Exceeds the crime
4. I. Noble structure: the tragic hero is a
man of noble structure.
II. Fate proves to be downfall: his fate may
contribute to his downfall, but it is
ultimately the hero’s own choices and
actions.
III. Good person: a tragic hero is a good
person and his downfall results from his
committing of an act of injustice through
ignorance.
5. IV. Misfortune is not deserved: the hero’s
misfortune is not entirely deserved.
V. Not a pure lose: the tragic fall is not
pure. He learns something that he was
ignorant to previously.
VI. Exceeds the crime: the punishment
which is given to the tragic hero
exceeds the crime.
6. Oedipus Rex
• Throughout the play Oedipus rex, by
Sophocles, the character Oedipus proves
to be a perfect match for Aristotle’s tragic
hero.
• In fact, as the play moves on it almost
seems as though Aristotle created his
definition of a tragic hero by defining
Oedipus.
7. • By definition of Aristotle, Oedipus is a
tragic hero in the play because he is a
man of noble structure, he is good ,but
falls because of an act of injustice, his
downfall is his own fault, his misfortune is
not fully deserved, and because he gains
some self knowledge through the
resolution.
8. Causes of Oedipus misfortune
there are different causes which
brought misfortune to Oedipus.
Some were his own flaws but some
were brought by fate.
Some of the causes are following
I. Moral wisdom
II. Character and fate
III. Oedipus goodness
IV. Pity and fear
