Obedience In Oedipus The King

Obedience In Oedipus The King
The significance of obedience to the gods is a key idea in Sophocles play Oedipus from the 5th
century BC. Characters Oedipus and Jocasta play apart in reflecting the conventions of a tragedy,
which the tragic hero will suffer a fall from an elevated social position due to his hamartia, a
personality flaw. Oedipus, the protagonist of the text, can be to blame for his catastrophe that leads
him to his catharsis. Oedipus's hubris that gave him his curiosity and persistence to know the truth
and deny his fate, his aggressiveness and willingness to ignore the truth; all challenge the roll of the
gods.
A tragic flaw (hamartia) is a defect of a character that brings about the protagonists downfall in a
tragedy. Oedipus's flaws were revealed in the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oedipus begins to suspect that he was the abandoned baby; he killed a man on the road to Thebes,
where he met and married Jocasta to become king. Oedipus then tells her of the similar prophesy
given to him by an oracle. This is when the reader becomes aware of the tragic irony and shows just
how desperate Oedipus and Jocasta don't want to speak the truth.
The key idea of the roll of the gods in Sophocles play Oedipus, is challenged by the generic
conventions of a tragedy. Hamartia challenges this idea as it can be to blame for Oedipus's
Catastrophe. With Oedipus's Curiosity and persistence which began his journey, along with his
hubris and aggressiveness leading him to kill his father, and Jocasta's and Oedipus's willingness to
ignore the truth, all leading to Oedipus's catharsis. Oedipus's downfall leads him to a shame so great
he didn't allow himself to see it with his own
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Pride And Stubbornness In Oedipus Rex And Antigone By...
"Think: all men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and
repairs the evil. The only crime is pride." As a writer, Sophocles examined the interactions between
truth and ignorance. He wrote plays in which the hero has a tragic flaw, many times that being the
lack of wisdom caused by many different character flaws. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and Antigone,
pride and stubbornness obstruct the senses of Oedipus and Creon in a classic play about seeing the
truth. Sophocles delves into the meaning of seeing, in a conventional way, and also in terms of
insight. Pride in itself is a good character trait: pride in your country; pride in your heritage; pride in
yourself. However, excessive pride, hubris, can lead to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She is to no avail as Oedipus' stubbornness abets her death and his exile. After Oedipus sees Iocaste
dead, he gouges out his eyes. The choragus ends by saying, "Your fate is clear, you are not blind to
that." (72). Creon meets a similar fate in Antigone. Thebes, under the rule of King Creon,
successfully thwarted an attack from Argive. Antigone and Ismene, Oedipus' daughters, hear Creon's
startling decree about their two dead brothers. Eteocles was buried with military honors, while
Polyneices... "No one shall bury him, no one mourn for him, but his body must lie in the fields, a
sweet treasure for carrion birds to find as they search for food." (190). While this may seem
justifiable, in ancient history, the dead must be buried for their soul to pass into the Underworld. If a
body was not buried, the person would be stuck wandering the earth as a spirit. It was considered a
violation of the will of the Gods to leave a body unburied. Creon's punishment for anyone who tried
to bury Polyneices was death. Nevertheless, after Antigone decided to bury his body, Creon charges
her with the crime, but she unflinchingly says, "It was not God's proclamation... the immortal
unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be, operative for ever,
beyond man utterly." (208) Creon does not relent, his hubris his downfall. The chorus augurs
Creon's demise, when they question, "What mortal arrogance transcends the wrath of Zeus?... No
pride on earth is

Oedipus As A Tragic Hero
In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and lets his temper over power
him. He can be displayed as a tragic hero. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus' down fall. A
tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, "is a literary character who makes a judgment error that
inevitably leads to his/her own destruction." Sophocles' Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle's definition of
a tragic hero.
In the play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursed to kill his
father and marry his mother but never knew who his true parents were. In result of him escaping
from the town he was sent off to, he did exactly that without knowing who his parents were. This
cursed the city because the killer of the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
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.
In the Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and he lets his temper
over power him. Throughout the tragedy, he displays all the necessary elements to be categorized as
a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus' downfall. A tragic
hero, as defined by Aristotle, "is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably
leads to his/her own destruction." Based off this definition, Sophocles' Oedipus clearly exemplifies
Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero.
In the Greek play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursed to kill
his father and marry his mother but never knew who his true parents were. As a result of him
escaping from the town he was sent off to, he did exactly what was prophesied, killing his own
father and marrying his mother, without knowing who his parents were. His father was the king and

Oedipus the Tragic Hero
Oedipus; The Tragic Hero
In the Fourth Century BC, a famous philosopher named Aristotle wrote about the qualities that a
tragic hero must possess. Ever since that time, there have been many examples of tragic heroes in
literature. None of those characters, however, display the tragic hero traits quite as well as Oedipus,
the main character from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus is, without a doubt, the
absolute quintessence of a tragic hero. His example shines as clear as a sunny summer day.
Oedipus first shows himself to be a tragic hero through his birth and position in society. He displays
both power and stature as King of Thebes. Aristotle's first criterion states that the tragic hero must
occupy a high status in society ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In addition to gouging his own eyes out, which is brutal to say the least, he is punished with exile
from the city of Thebes, the most atrocious punishment possible. He says "Oh, Ohh – the agony! I
am agony – where am I going? Where on earth? Where does all this agony hurl me? Where's my
voice? – winging, wept away on a dark tide – My destiny, my dark power, what a leap you made"
(Sophocles 314). He is explicitly expressing the misery in his punishment, for he is to be exiled but
he had little control over what happened to him. His punishment is largely his parents' fault, as their
obscuration of his past fundamentally caused all of the events that led to his miserable collapse. His
intentions are commendable, but his hamartia and the carelessness of his parents lead to his ultimate
downfall.
When Oedipus is banished, he is given the gift of understanding through the discovery of his past.
This applies to Aristotle's fifth criterion because the tragic hero must experience an increase in self–
awareness. Oedipus learns that his actual parents are Laius and Jocasta and that they abandoned him
at birth. When he learns of his true history, he is able to understand the genuine meaning of the
oracle's prophecies. He finally understands why his life is the way it is, why he has scars on his
ankles, why a drunk man told him he was adopted and why Tiresias had taunted him saying, "You
cannot imagine...I tell

Oedipus Rex Research Paper
Hamartia and blindness were the causes of the downfall for Oedipus. Hamartia is defined as a tragic
flaw in a character. It is the source that causes the character's downfall or his destruction. This was
the downfall of Oedipus. However, not not only was it in that term of meaning. People sometimes
overlook the other meaning of Hamartia. It is also an error in judgment or a mistake. This was also a
major downfall for Oedipus. Blindness is the lack of perception or understanding. Oedipus was
blind to his fate. Before he was born Oedipus' fate was already sealed. An oracle had told his father
and his mother that their son was going to kill one and marry the other. This was Oedipus' fate and
he was blind to it. Even his mother was unwilling to accept the fact and it show throughout the story.
"Jocasta : A prophet? Well then, free yourself of every charge! Listen to me and learn some peace of
mind: no skill in world, nothing human can penetrate ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Oedipus had a Hamartia and it was Hubris. Pride. Pride it was a second factor that led to the
destruction or our character. There is no denying that Oedipus is a proud man. He defeated the
Sphinx, and was ruler of Thebes. He was smart. He was prideful. He tried to deny the his own fate
and that was in itself an act of pride. His pride also caused him to lose his temper. He would never
stand down or placed below anyone. This is shown when he loses his temper with his father. He
would not stand down from the road when asked by a traveler who had four assistants with him.
When denied the king fell upon Oedipus and started hitting him with his stick*. Oedipus was
angered and in his rage he killed his father and the assistants. Save one, who fled the scene. His
pride caused him to be stubborn, which angered the king and therefore caused Oedipus to kill his
father in a rage when beaten. In this story we can definitely apply the term "Pride comes before the

Questions On ' The Guilt Of Oedipus '
Section II: Counterarguments Free Will and Hamartia
Counterargument #1: P. H. Vellacott for Free Will Many classicists believe that Oedipus's fall is due
to his Free will and the decisions he makes. Those who hold this belief hold that Oedipus made his
own decisions, which is what led to his fall and that he was not compelled by some external source.
P. H. Vellacott is a strong supporter of this theory. As such, in his famous essay, "The Guilt of
Oedipus," Vellacott argues that, factually speaking, Oedipus must have at one point thought to
himself, "If the man I killed was my father, and if I overcome the Sphinx and marry the queen, the
oracle will be exactly fulfilled, and I shall have only myself to blame," (Vellacott 213). In other
words, Oedipus, knowing the prophecy given to him, must have understood the risk he was taking in
possibly fulfilling the prophecy. What Vellacott is claiming then, is that Oedipus made the choice to
approach the Sphinx, in turn risking the fulfillment of that awful prophecy for the reward of a
throne. Furthermore, Oedipus, in making this choice brings upon himself the curse that we are
addressed within the Oedipus Rex and it is his fault alone, because he chose to take a risk. In
Sophocles play, there was no investigation of the murder of king Laius; "Oedipus: Trouble? What
could have kept you from investigating the death of your king? Creon: The Sphinx. The Sphinx was
confounding us with her riddles, forcing us to abandon our search for the

Oedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay
Oedipus: The King of Thebes and Tragic Hero
Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great
masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration
of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively
described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great
suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic hero are most prominently recognized
from the viewpoint of the extraordinary Greek philosopher, Aristotle, in his work Poetics. Aristotle
defined this type of character, the tragic hero, as having several basic characteristics, to include:
hamartia, hubris, peripeteia, anagnorisis, nemesis, and catharsis. These characteristic elements of
tragedy were commonly manifest in numerous works throughout the classical Greek literature. One
of the finest and most renowned classics portraying the classification of tragic hero is the popular
Greek Tragedy written by Sophocles, Oedipus the King. In Oedipus the King, Sophocles portrays
the tragic hero by way of the main character Oedipus, the king of Thebes. For this research paper,
the focus is on the character analysis of Oedipus ascertained as a tragic hero. Oedipus is the
embodiment of a tragic hero as he epitomizes the elements of Aristotle's classic definition through
this character's tragic flaw in judgement (hamartia), excessive pride

Rex, Rex As A Tragic Hero In Oedipus Rex
The play "Oedipus Rex" recounts about the King of Thebes who was destined by prophecy to
murder his father and wed his mother. Regardless of his attempts to evade his fate, he inadvertently
fulfills it, which unavoidably led to his demise. Prior to the start of the play, the reader learns
Oedipus ascended to the throne of Thebes after unraveling the enigma of the Sphinx. While under
the jurisdiction of Oedipus, the Theban city was struck with a plague, respectively due to the death
of the former king. Oedipus is considered a tragic hero because he meets all five criteria designed by
Aristotle: the hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris, and acquiring a fate that is greater than
deserved. As defined by Aristotle, hamartia is a flaw or error in judgment of a hero. The hamartia is
most clearly illustrated in Oedipus' struggle to surpass his destiny. Upon learning his fate, Oedipus
flees his family in Corinth and obtains the throne of Thebes. The citizens of Thebes became his loyal
followers and proclaim him as "Oedipus, king of the land our greatest power (Sophocles 1)."
Oedipus believed that he successfully dodged his destiny in Corinth, but Creon brought news that
there was a corruption of power in the royal household of Thebes, "Drive the corruption from the
land, don't harbor it any longer, past all cure, don't nurse it in the soil– root it out (Sophocles 2)!"
Unbeknownst to Oedipus, it was he who was corrupt. Oedipus also showcases the characteristics of
hamartia when he accuses Creon of conspiring against him by stating that he had murdered the
former King Laius. An outraged Oedipus declared, "My loyal friend steals against me (Sophocles
5)", believing Creon was falsifying the information that he had received from the oracles of Delphi.
Oedipus' wife, spares Creon's life by convincing Oedipus that Creon was always a faithful and
reliable source of information.
Oedipus experiences the second trait of a tragic hero, peripeteia, when he successfully became King
of Thebes, but ends up fulfilling the oracle's prophecy. Aristotle's definition of peripeteia is a
reversal of fortune, meaning a change for the worst. One example is the scene in which the
messenger informs Oedipus that Polybus was not his true

Tiresias In Oedipus The King And Antigone
Tiresias is a minor, yet significant character in Oedipus the King and Antigone because he creates
irony with the motif of sight, reveals the hamartias of Oedipus and Creon, and reestablishes the
credibility of prophets to the Greek audience.
Tiresias, the blind prophet, develops irony with the motif of sight, which is prevalent in both the
plots of Oedipus the King and Antigone. In Oedipus the King, Tiresias enters tremulously with the
knowledge of Oedipus' family lineage, actions, and fate, that Oedipus doesn't possess. After
insisting, Tiresias reveals that Oedipus is the cause of the plague in Thebes, which results in his
denial, as he says Tiresias has "eyes blind as stones"(181). Ironically, Oedipus "with your [his]
precious eyes,/... [is] blind to the corruption of your [his] life"(183). In Antigone, Tiresias enters
with similar news, that it's Creon's "high resolve that sets this plague in Thebes."(111) Despite the
fact that Creon is not blind to this information anymore, he still does not heed Tiresias' warning, as
he is blinded by his determination to preserve his image and maintain his control. Tiresias, the blind
prophet, comes to both Oedipus and Creon with the intent of warning them about their fate, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Similar to Oedipus the King, Tiresias is the bearer of bad news, as he discloses that Creon is the root
of the plague. However, Creon's fate isn't sealed yet, so he has the opportunity to "turn his back on
folly, misfortune too,/ if he tries to make amends" (112). Because Creon is blinded by his
"stubbornness, [which] brands you [him] for stupidity," (112) he accuses Tiresias of "glorify[ing]
obscene advice with rhetoric–/all for their [his] own gain"(112). This missed chance triggers the
death of Antigone, his niece, and Haemon, his son. As a result, Creon "a man [who] has squandered
his true joys" is "a living

Oedipus the King
Oedipus the King by Sophocles is about Oedipus, a man doomed by his fate. Like most tragedies,
“Oedipus the King” contains a tragic hero, a heroic figure unable to escape his/her
own doom. This tragic hero usually has a hamartia or a tragic flaw which causes his/hers’
downfall. The tragic flaw that Sophocles gives Oedipus is hubris (exaggerated pride or self–
confidence), which is what caused Oedipus to walk right into the fate he sought to escape. Pride like
that of Oedipus had been the downfall of many great leaders. Oedipus is blinded by his arrogance
and won’t accept the fact that he can’t avoid his fate. His pride first affects him
when he is told about what his fate has in–store for him. Oedipus ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
What I am suffering is enough.” (pg 57, 1.1060–2) Oedipus let his arrogance make his
decision and wouldn’t let it go until he figured everything out. The begging of his wife,
couldn’t even stop him. He called for the shepard and interrogated him till he discovered the
horrifying truth that he is the killer of King Laius and Jocasta is his mother. Sophocles used
Oedipus’ pride to characterize Oedipus as a tragic man. It showed that he was destined to
make himself miserable because of the hubris he was born with. He also uses it to show that there is
fate, but we are a part of it and it is only what might happen based on the person we are. Oedipus
came about his tragic discovery not because of an evil act or an evil trait but because of the person
he was. When the oracles stated that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother, he stated
what could happen. Oedipus’ fate might have been avoided if Oedipus was not the type of
person he was. Oedipus was a tragic hero. Sophocles, instead of killing Oedipus in the end of the
novel, chose to give Oedipus a fate worse then death. Oedipus found out who he was and that he
killed his father and slept with his mother. His tragic end was a result of his hamartia, hubris. His
pride was what caused him to attack the carriage and kill his father, which led to him marrying his
mother. He

What Is Dramatic Irony In Oedipus Rex
A) Dramatic irony, something that gives play that sense of je ne sais quoi; to have the audience have
and edge of knowledge that the cast/character doesn't. In Oedipus, Oedipus is a child of Jocasta and
Laius. Prophesied to murder his father, to lay with his mother and bare children. As the play entails
Jocasta and Laius decide to take heed to the oracle's prophecy and kill their newborn in fear of what
was yet to come. King Laius was to have his babies ankles pinned and put on a cliffside left to die.
Oedipus was taken into another kingdom adopted by the king and queen not knowing they were his
real parents. He soon finds out his fate to murder his father and lay with his mother; thinking he is
larger than life flees to escape his destiny ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Time– the play should not exceed a 24 hour period. Action– there is no subplots, no character
development, the main story line nothing more. The false accusation Oedipus makes, dealing with
Teiresias and Creon is an example of following the unity of action. Development of characters is a
lot of how modern movies are made, although back in the time of the greeks it was considered
boring and supplemented nothing of value to the play. In a lot of modern entertainment, characters
develop, learn, and grow; they realize their mistakes, but in following the unities, they're stuck in
their ways until the bitter end. And example of that is near the end of the play, when Creon is
attempting to confide in Oedipus; make him realize that he is not the one responsible for the kings
death. And yet, Oedipus still can't see past the bridge of his nose "I don't know; and when I know
nothing, I usually hold my tongue./–Creon– You know this much, and can declare this much if you
are loyal./–Oedipus What is it? If I know, I'll not deny it./–Creon That he would not have said that I
killed Laius/ had he not met you first"–Oedipus (568–574). In that instance, it is still very present
that Oedipus has not yet realized that the man he to purge is himself. After the warning from the
Oracle, that he would kill his father, lay/bare children with his mother, and become blind at the end,
his arrogance is still beyond present and has shown no development towards realizing his

King Oedipus The King Essay
Sophocles' play, King Oedipus is a perfect example of a clear Aristotelian tragedy. In fact, it was so
perfect that Aristotle himself considered it the ideal tragedy. An Aristotelian tragedy is "serious
action in a dramatic text that portrays incidents arousing pity and fear, causing catharsis in the
audience." Aspects of a tragedy include a tragic hero, who is neither good nor bad, who has a
hamartia which causes him to ignore a divine warning or violate a moral law. A common example of
hamartia is hubris, or pride. A tragedy is also often accompanied by a peripeteia, which is when the
tragic hero has a sudden change of fortune. The tragic hero moves us to pity and also to fear, by
showing us how what happened to him could happen to us as ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
However, he also shows that other characters also have some of these tragic qualities and that they
contribute to Oedipus' downfall. Firstly, Sophocles uses irony when Oedipus says, "It is I whom no
stranger, no citizen must take to his house; I to whom none may speak; on me is the curse that none
but i have laid." This is an example of irony because it shows that Oedipus sets all these curses for
anyone who killed Laius, yet he will end up being ensnared by these curses, which he himself laid.
This line references when Oedipus explains about how he kills all of the people in Laius' party save
one, who became a shepherd, and it evokes our terror by showing how Oedipus is capable of such
an extreme act of violence, and this shows Oedipus as a tragic hero. Similarly, Sophocles uses irony
when Jocasta says, "Where are you now, divine prognostications?" which shows how Oedipus is not
the only culprit in this tragedy, and that Jocasta ignores a divine warning, which helps to show the
play as an Aristotelian play, and that these characters who are not quite tragic heroes do contribute to
Oedipus' downfall. Lastly, Sophocles uses high modality when Oedipus says, "I must unlock the
secret of my birth." He uses the high modality to show Oedipus' final hamartia: that he sought the
truth until it was too late, and this causes his peripeteia, which

“Aristotle’s Definition of the Tragic Hero and Irony in...
Classification and definition of tragedy are among many things widely disputed in the all too
equivocal realm of composition and literary studies. These erroneous concepts happen to be directly
correlated in Aristotelian theory which leads us to his definition of the tragic hero. Aristotle's
conceptualization of tragedy and all that it encompasses is widely revered and accepted; setting the
standard previously and contemporaneously. The interpretation of his definition of tragedy is
ambiguous, but generally states that tragedy should evoke pity and fear within the viewer for the
purpose of catharsis, or purgation of senses sequencing the climax of a tragedy. (Battin) This elicits
his definition of the tragic hero, which states that a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(Brown) We must also consider that during that time period murder was sanctioned to a radically
different degree than today. Accordingly, his hamartia could very well be mistaken identity and
failed recognition which stimulates the viewer's sense of pity and causes him to be viewed more as a
"victim of ironic fate". (Brown) Line 1118 marks the point of the play where Oedipus comes to
realization that his prophesy has indeed come true. It is at this point that he experiences an
anagnorisis–discovering his hamartia. He acquired the throne due to his ability to solve a riddle that
proved to be impenetrable to any who had attempted to decipher it, due exceptional logical–
reasoning capacity (ironic). Perhaps it was this same power of reason that provoked him to believe
that he could escape fate, inversely leading to his destruction. Oedipus states "Ah God!/ It was true!/
All the prophesies!/ –Now,/ O Light, may I look on you for the last time!/ I, Oedipus,/Oedipus,
damned in his birth, in his marriage damned,/ Damned in the blood he shed with his own hand!".
(4.1118–1123) It was the acquisition of this throne that fulfilled the remainder of prophesy. He
realizes that he is the provocation of the plague which ravages his (former) kingdom. Thereafter he
concedes his anagnorisis: "Apollo–/ He brought my sick, sick fate upon me./ But the blinding hand
was my own!" (3.1286–288) He is conclusively a product of his own demise. As

Oedipus Tragic Hero
Picture yourself going from being the King of Thebes to a widowed, motherless man who is forced
to exile and fend for himself without sight. This is what occurred in Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex. A
tragedy is composed of six elements that determine the quality of each part. It starts off with a flaw
that leads to a hero's passing, the acknowledgement of these flaws, and lethal punishment of the
tragic hero. The play, Oedipus Rex, is about a king who finds out that he killed his own father and
married his mother. Throughout the discovery, he doubted the citizens and a new side of Oedipus
arose. Aristotle, the creator of the tragic hero cycle, thought Oedipus was the ideal example of a
tragic hero. The six elements are present within Sophocles' play beginning with the hamartia,
leading to the anagnorisis, and concluding with the nemesis. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The hamartia in Oedipus is his lack of knowledge about his own identity. Oedipus has no suspicion
or doubt that Polybus and Merope are his biological parents, until an intoxicated man approaches
him with the accusations. In the following quote, Oedipus learns about the rumors that were spread
throughout Cithaeron, "A drunken man maundering in his cups cries out that I am not my father's
son!" (Sophocles, Scene 2, Part I, Lines 735–736). Oedipus thinks that the accusations are absurd
but in reality they're the truth. Following the hamartia is the

Oedipus The King : A Tragic Hero
Aristotle (384–322 B.C.) defines a tragic hero as one who possesses the characteristics of hamartia,
peripeteia, anagnorisis, and that the characters fate must be greater than deserved (Else). Since the
main character in Sophocles' classic tragedy Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King matches up to
Aristotle's definition, Oedipus certainly exemplifies what it is to be a "tragic hero." The play's
protagonist Oedipus is revered as a good man and intelligent ruler who acts quickly to support
Thebes– a city which is troubled by plague. This is demonstrated in the background notes that
describe Oedipus saving the city from the curse of the sphinx and as a reward receiving the queen's
hand in marriage. The confrontation with the sphinx and the solving of the riddle is referred to
multiple times throughout the play as a reminder of Oedipus's intellect and ability to creatively solve
problems. His people's admiration is also suggested by the priest in lines 37–39 "We judge you the
first of men in what happens in this life and in our interactions with the gods" (Sophocles). Creon,
the brother–in–law of Oedipus, regards him as a great king which is shown by their multiple
exchanges throughout the play. Another indication of Oedipus's goodness is the respect shown by
his wife Jocasta. These examples reveal that Oedipus is a good and noble king who is virtuous and
respected by his people and his family. Sophocles uses Aristotle's trait of hamartia (flaw or error in
judgment) to bring a

Examples Of Tragic Hero In Oedipus
Is Oedipus a tragic hero? Italicize the book
The definition of tragedy is great suffering, destruction, or distress like a disaster. The term is
commonly used in our society but where did it come from. Aristotle, an ancient greek philosopher,
laid the foundation for the definition of a tragedy that we still use today. His idea of tragedy is a
character who makes a judgment error that inevitably lead to his or her own destruction. He called
this a tragic hero. Aristotle's' idea was based on five specific characteristics. The characteristics were
hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris and lastly, the character's fate must be greater than
deserved. The book, Oedipus The King, written by Socrates, fits Aristotle's idea perfectly. Oedipus
is an ideal tragic hero because he goes through all the five specific characteristics throughout the
book.
Oedipus' hamartia is his determination. The term hamartia is the greek for a tragic flaw or error of
judgment. An example of Oedipus' determination is when he goes to find Laius' murderer. Oedipus
wanted to find Laius' killer so he could save the city from Apollo's revenge. Apollo put the city,
Thebes under a plague as a punishment for Laius' death. Apollo wanted the murderers of Laius to be
either banished or killed. The journey to find the murderer lead to his downfall. If Oedipus wasn't
determined to find Laius he would never learned about his dark past.
The second characteristic a hero must go through is peripeteia. Peripeteia

Oedipus The King Research Paper
In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is forced to come to terms with the insufficiency of rationality
in the face of destiny. Oedipus's downfall challenges the Platonic superiority of reason over emotion,
suggesting that in order to navigate the absurdity of human existence, both the rational and irrational
must be given equal consideration as means of perception.
In The Republic, Plato states that everything in our world is merely a representation of ideal forms.
These eternal and changeless forms can only exist in the mind, as they are the creations of the
divine. When making objects, we imitate reality, producing imperfect versions of perfect forms. If
our perception of reality is already one step removed from truth, then art is one step ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
With each new revelation Oedipus's rationality is further shaken. Instead of defeating destiny he is
shown over and over that destiny itself is unavoidable. Oedipus never had control over his fate.
Oedipus is forced to come to terms with the insufficiency of reason in the face of destiny. At the end
of the tragedy Oedipus blinds himself and is banished from Thebes. Previously he was
metaphorically blinded by hubris and rationality. Now he is literally blind while his eyes are
metaphorically open to reality; that the world cannot be approached on purely rational terms.
In Conclusion, Oedipus's downfall shows that contrary to Plato's belief, human beings cannot
approach the world exclusively through reason. In The Republic, Plato states that the king of his
new Polis should be a philosopher, as the philosopher is able to access the realm of ideal forms
through rational thought. Oedipus is in a sense this philosopher king, however we are shown that
through ignoring emotion and irrational feeling he loses his Eudaimonia and his sight. Plato's claim
that tragedies are only effective at providing catharsis dismisses the ability of tragedy to illuminate
otherwise hidden aspects of human experience. In order to navigate the absurdity of human
existence, both the rational and irrational must be given equal consideration as means of perception.
Perhaps by integrating emotional and irrational

Oedipus The King
Over the years, tragedy has undergone an evolution in order to fit in with the status quo and the
demands of society. Aristotle created the perfect formula for the Greek tragedy which can be found
in The Poetics. His formation of tragedy revolves around the use of plot, character, diction, lyrical
poetry, and speculation (Aristotle). In the layout of Aristotle's layout of tragedy, a tragic hero who
undergoes a severe judgement error to lead to his/her downfall which is greater than deserved. This
definition of a tragic hero can be seen in most tragedy which includes Greek, Shakespearean
(Classical), and Modern tragedy. These three tragedies have different aspects, but in the end all have
the same roots. With the help of Aristotle's The Poetics, the evolution of tragedy and the tragic
figure over the years has been apparent through the author's use of peripeteia, anagnorisis, and
hamartia. Aristotle's The Poetics set the foundation for what today is known as tragedy. Mainly, The
Poetics discusses the formation of tragedy through the use of plot, character, diction, lyrical poetry,
and speculation. The plot of the work must have a concrete beginning, middle, and end along with
logical details embedded ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The anagnorisis in this work occurs when Oedipus learns when he is adopted from the messenger.
This news changes Oedipus from ignorance to knowledge and changes his fate as he did not avoid
the prophecy which stated that he would sleep with mother and kill his father. The peripeteia in
Oedipus Rex occurs when Oedipus realizes that he has not avoided the prophecy. This event
displays there is a 180 degree flip in what Oedipus believed since he did not expect the prophecy to
be fulfilled. Sophocles also displays hamartia in Oedipus through his impulsive judgements and
short temper. These tragic flaws influenced his decisions which, in the end, allowed him to crash and

Oedipus Hamartia
In the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus exemplifies a man whose hamartia is that he
does not know himself. Hamartia is a fatal flaw leading to the tragic downfall of a hero, and
Oedipus's fatal flaw is how he does not know his real self. In the play, the truth about many parts of
his life are revealed; such as how King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth are not his real
parents, that he was the one who killed King Lauis and caused the plague to the city, and that his
prophecy was unknowingly fulfilled because he killed his birth father, King Lauis, and married his
birth mother, Queen Jocasta. Oedipus's lack of knowledge about these parts of his life gives rise to
his tragic downfall as the hero of Thebes.
For instance, a messenger sent from Corinth visits Oedipus and Jocasta, from which they learn that
King Polybus has died. His death was due to sickness, not at the hands of Oedipus, so they believe
that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
A similar quote made by the author of Guardian of Lost Souls, Pamela Theresa Loertscher, says,
"Know thyself and all will be revealed." If one knows who they are, all truths must be revealed. This
connects to Oedipus' hamartia because in order to know who he really is, he had to reveal
everything. In Oedipus the King, the truth about who his real parents are, how he was found, and
who killed King Lauis were all revealed. The truth divulged the secret of Oedipus' adoption, that his
birth parents were King Laius and Queen Jocasta, and that he was the one to kill King Lauis.
Although Oedipus was finally able to learn about who he really was, the divulgence of these truths
caused harm. A known saying states that truth hurts, which relates to Oedipus because his lack of
knowledge led to his downfall. Oedipus' hamartia is that he does not know himself, and once he
learns is when he meets his

The Consequences Of Fate In Oedipus The King
Throughout Oedipus The King, Oedipus embarks on a journey to realize that he is the murderer of
his father, Laius, and husband to his mother, Jocasta, making him a victim of what seems to be an
inevitable fate. What makes this more tragic is that Oedipus, a seemingly good leader, tries to avoid
his fate, but instead keeps inviting it over. Violating the word of gods and doing things in excess
shows Oedipus' pride that leads to his hubris. Because of his hubris, Oedipus brings his fate upon
himself. In this way, fate is connected to the traits of Oedipus, known as hamartia, instead of it being
a divine thing. Oedipus can't escape his fate because it is a part of him; no matter where he goes and
what he tries to do, it will always be there. Fate seems beyond anyone's control and more of the will
of gods, but Oedipus' fate is found within his personality. Moreover, Oedipus' traits are not
something that he can control. He did not choose to let his ego take control and ultimately determine
the course of his life. This means that it was inherited by the choices others made, or just by luck.
Basically, fate determines Oedipus' hubris and his hubris leads to hamartia, an element of fate. This
connection between his hubris and hamartia shows that what can make him a good leader goes
downfall when it becomes excessive. This is what Oedipus is blind to and does not realize. His pride
that comes to identify him and makes him a hero to everyone becomes too much and is the same
thing that leads to his downfall.
Oedipus' character is set as a king who is considerate of his people, yet a man full of pride because
of his power to be everyone's savior during the plague. When addressing the plague, he refers to
himself as, "I Oedipus whom all men call great" (73.8). Not only does his words show how great
Oedipus thinks of himself, but his subjective tone emphasizes his ego right from the start. This
portrays the status that he thinks he holds in the eyes of all people, showing the readers his potential
to excessive pride. Oedipus addresses the plague and says, "The town is heavy with a mingled
burden of sounds and smells, of groans and hymns and incense; I did not think it fit that I should
hear this from messengers but came

Oedipus The King
The use of hamartia is a key component to a tragedy in Greek times. In the festival of Dionysus, the
use of hamartia played a key role in the production of tragic plays that enhances the audience
experience in establishing morals and ideals in many different ways. Sophocles' Oedipus the King is
a key example of this, a play about the unfortunate destiny bestowed upon Oedipus. During the play,
Oedipus attempts to flee from his destiny that he will marry his mother and kill his father. The
dramatic irony where Oedipus tries to doubt the gods is imprudent and foolish, and his hamartia
further led him to his tragic downfall. Throughout this tragedy, the use of hamartia is used to justify
the catastrophic events that happened to Oedipus and his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
As Oedipus rambles on about who has the information that will solve the mysteries of his birth, he
starts to get angry or outraged about people in the chorus and Jocasta telling him to stop searching
for the answer and leave how everything is. Oedipus is so confident and arrogant that he asserted,
"Nothing will move me. I will find out the whole truth." This remark about finding the mystery of
his birth sends Jocasta to storm to the palace and hang herself. As the play goes on further the
shepard finally appears and gives him the tragic and heart–wrenching news, Oedipus goes into a
state of anagnorisis and dramatically recognizes "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, an unnatural murder." When
the Oedipus later enters the stage with his eyes gouged he weakly said, "Where am I going? Pity
me! Where does my voice range to through the air? O spirit, what a leap you made!" It is this quote
that shows peripeteia, it is the where Oedipus turned from confident and arrogant to a pitiful and
blind. Sophocles presents the theme that confidence is a great trait but can ultimately led to one's

Five Principles Of Tragedy
Discuss the principles of tragedy as defined in Aristotle's Poetics. Illustrate these principles by
examining Sophocles' play Oedipus the King, in order to establish the link between the theory and
practise of tragedy. Analyse the genre of tragedy as one that reveals dilemma and paradox.
The advent of modern theater as we know it today began with the worship of Dionysus: the god of
the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness, fertility, theater and religious ecstasy in
Greek mythology and a weeklong competition that welcomed the Spring in ancient Greece. Many
great playwrights were introduced to the World by the means of this weeklong competition
including Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. Sophocles is perhaps one of the pioneers of the genre
of tragedy and his plays Oedipus Rex, Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus have for centuries inspired
contemporary playwrights and theater artists to venture deeper into the understanding of the
complex idea of the individual versus fate. In this essay I intend to examine Aristotle's Poetics and
the five principles ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Oedipus, Sophocles creates a character who's not only the king but, also the solver of the Sphinx's
riddle and hence, can be recognised as a man portrayed better than 'he would've been in real life: a
man with an intricately defined moral compass and elevated social stature.' Further examples of
Oedipus as an ideal tragic hero can be derived out of the fact that he comes from a noble and
prosperous background as he's the biological son of the Laius, king of Thebes and the adopted son
of Polybus, the king of Corinth. He also is greatly revered in the society and respected as a very
adept and benevolent king which is evident from the Priest's reference to him as "the first of men."
Oedipus is also greatly worried by the Pestilence that haunts the city of Thebes and says the
following in that

Tragic Hero In Oedipus The King
The idea of a tragic hero was first thought of by the philosopher Aristotle in his work, "Poetics". In
article discussing the philosopher's ideology of a tragic hero, with emphasis on hamartia, the author
states:
The function of a tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear and Aristotle deduces the
qualities of his hero from this function. He should be good, but not perfect, for the fall of a perfect
man from happiness into misery, would be unfair and repellent and will not arouse pity. Similarly, an
utterly wicked person passing from happiness to misery may satisfy our moral sense, but will lack
proper tragic qualities. His fall will be well–deserved and according to 'justice'. It excites neither
pity nor fear. Thus, entirely good ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The queen Jocasta tells Oedipus to ignore this but also states the oracle told her first husband, who
was Laius, would die at the hands of their son. She believed this to be false because she believed her
husband was murdered during a robbery and her baby died. This made Oedipus become nervous
because before he came to Thebes, he killed a man who resembled Laius at a crossroads and when
he was younger, an oracle told him he would kill his father and marry his mother. After the death
Polybus, he finds out that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents and the messenger himself
gave Oedipus to the couple when a shepherd offered him an abandoned baby from the house of
Laius. The shepherd confirms Oedipus is actually the son of Laius and Jocasta. Oedipus realized the
prophecy is becoming true and becomes devastated by his fate. Oedipus finds that the queen has
killed herself so he takes the pins from her gown and rakes out his eyes, blinding himself. He begs
Creon to kill him, but ultimately surrenders under Creon's leadership, and awaits the decision
whether or not he will casted away from Thebes, the place he once ruled.
2. Nobility and Respectability
He is a king of excellence, love, and esteem. Due to his nobility, he left his originally thought city of
birth to make sure the prophecy didn't come true. Beginning with the opening of the play, Oedipus
shows he is a good king and

The Transformation Of Creon In Sophocles Antigone
There are thousands of spectacular tragedies in literature and in life, but none have quite the same
impact that Greek tragedies do. In Sophocles's first Theban play, King Oedipus, the Creon's
character makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with being king because he already has all of the
benefits without any of the responsibilities. In Oedipus at Colonus, Creon is in a struggle for power,
and the audience sees that his previously carefree and rational approach towards being king changes
slightly when he goes as far as taking Oedipus's daughters hostage for his own personal gain.
Finally, in Sophocles's last play, Antigone, Creon's character undergoes a drastic transformation.
After Oedipus's sons Polynices and Eteocles die and Creon ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In attempting to control everything as king, Creon loses control of the things happening in his own
person life. When the prophecy becomes a reality, Creon is left with his son, wife, and Antigone
dead. Creon's loss of his family is his peripeteia, and it's also the greater fate than he deserved. At
the end of the play, Creon has anagnorisis, and realizes the deaths of his family were all his fault. He
states, "...O the curse of my stubborn will!..."(lines 1276). He also states, "There is no man can bear
this guilt but I. It is true, I killed him..." (lines 1358–59 Antigone). These quotes offer the audience a
glimpse of the sorrow and guilt that Creon feels when he realizes that it is his fault that his wife and
son are dead. It humanizes him and causes the audience to feel sympathy for him, which further
titles him as a tragic hero.
Creon transforms throughout Sophocles's Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. In
Antigone, Creon becomes a more obstinate and prideful character. Overall, because he possesses
hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris, and a greater fate than he deserves, it is clear that he fulfills
Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. Also, his role as a character stands as a reminder to not be
excessively

Hamartia in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman
Hamartia in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman Hamartia is defined as a fatal flaw leading to the
downfall of a tragic hero. Aristotle defines a tragic hero to be a man "who is not completely good
and just, whose misfortune is brought out not by vice or immorality, but by some error or
weakness." The three key requirements of Aristotle in regards to a tragic hero are; a high social
standing, goodness or moral excellence, or error committed by the hero in unawareness or
ignorance. Two quality examples of men that portray Aristotle's idea of a tragic hero, and who also
fit the three main requirements are Oedipus Rex and Willy Loman. Oedipus Rex clearly and without
a doubt answers to each of the three requirements laid out by Aristotle is regards to a tragic hero. He
is a man of social reputation, and possesses exceptional qualities, but is in no means perfect. It is
safe to say that Oedipus' hamartia is the cause of his own downfall. Willy Loman on the other hand
is also considered to be a tragic hero. Like Oedipus, Willy goes through his life, for the most part,
blindly, and never really realizes the complete truth of himself. Through his delusional personality,
and his continual blindness, Willy's hamartia is also the main cause of his downfall, where in his
case, leads to his death. Through further analysis of both Oedipus Rex and Willy Loman's tragic
flaws, along with literary criticism from Aristotle's poetics, their hamartia, which ultimately leads
them to their

Guilt In Sophocles Oedipus The King
Remorse, the feeling of deep guilt and regret for the commitment of a crime or atrocity, is a major
element in classical Greek tragedies. The resulting anguish that the character feels enhances the
magnitude of the catastrophe, as the atrocity is transformed into a powerful emotion bringing it to a
relatable level. In Sophocles's Oedipus Rex, retold by John Bennett and Moira Kerr, and Antigone
translated by E.F. Watling, the reader witnesses how different aspects of each play contribute
towards the final tragic ending. While both Creon and Oedipus exhibit feelings of remorse, Oedipus
displays a higher degree of contrition as a result of his hamartia, his thanatos and the impact that
family and secondary characters have towards his anagnorisis. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Creon is now conscious that he has, unintentionally, killed his only son. The chorus conveys his
feelings of anguish as they say "by the burden that proves too well the guilt, no other man's but his
alone" (Sophocles 15). However it is only the words of his dying wife ". . . and with her dying
breath cursed you, their slayer" that make him realize the wrongdoings of his actions. It is then when
he recognizes that, had he not been stubborn and prideful, his son and wife would still be alive. It is
the shepherd's proclamation about the baby he had left all those years ago that make Oedipus realize
the effects of his actions. The story says, "And the shepherd told his story . . . given the child of
Laius to a messenger, who would take the baby to be raised by the king of Corinth" (Bennett & Kerr
163). This is where he begins to feel those feelings of remorse and despair and sentences himself to
a life in exile and blindness because he had killed his real father while also marrying his own
mother, eventually bearing children of his own with

The Sphinx's Riddle In Oedipus Rex
The meaning of a tragic hero can be interpreted many ways and caused scholarly arguments about
the meaning of a tragic hero. The definition of a tragic hero by Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, is "a
hero, one who possesses great or special qualities, but have a hamartia or fated to fail." Oedipus,
from the plays Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles, was born a noble and has high
intelligence but was fated to kill his father, sleep with his mother, and be driven out by his own
country, making him a tragic hero.
In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is a king that is loved by his people because he freed them from "the
monster Sphinx" by solving its riddle. The Sphinx's riddle is a famous riddle known by its difficulty
and how no man was able to solve it but Oedipus; this achievement shows Oedipus's intellect and
his compassion for the people of Thebes. Then, Creon, Oedipus's brother–in–law, comes back from
his trip to the Temple of Apollo to declare they must "drive out the pollution" to save their dying
land. Oedipus ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These qualities invoke a feeling of pity from the reader for Oedipus. Oedipus's new special quality is
from the prophecy which, in death, allows him to extend or revoke blessings. When the "loud
thunder and abundant lightning" comes, Oedipus is ready and happy to meet his fate. This shows
how Oedipus is accepting fate and not fighting against it anymore, he does not have a tragic flaw in
this play but a supernatural power causes him to suffer. With this event his life as a tragic hero
comes to an end.
Oedipus was born with special qualities like compassion and intelligence but he made a mistake and
supernatural powers were against him causing him to fail and become a tragic hero. Tragic heroes
have many definitions but the similarities of all definitions is that tragic heroes are blessed with or
are born with special qualities and suffer either by themselves or by something

Oedipus The King
In Aristotle study, he outlined the important details necessary for a good tragedy. With his formula
pointing back to Sophocles's Oedipus the King, He considered this to be a perfect tragedy.
According to Aristotle, a tragedy must be narrow in focus and also the tragedy must be an imitation
of life. When having a good tragedy it will induce fear into its viewers. With the viewer's having the
feeling of catharsis.
Outlining the characteristics of a good tragic hero may be hard at times. Aristotle stated he must be
"better than we are" meaning that a man is bigger than the average human being in some way.
Oedipus is considered superior. Oedipus is superior because for one he is the king and also he is
very smart. Oedipus is the only person that

Tragic Hero In Oedipus The King
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.
In Oedipus the King sophocles utilizes the characteristic Hamartia to mold Oedipus into a tragic
hero. Hamartia in Aristotle's version of the fatal flaw. It presents as a flaw in judgement or a
character trait that eventually becomes the character's downfall. Oedipus' fatal flaws were his pride
and ego. When a character experiences the fatal flaw of pride it it called hubris, another element of
the Aristotle's tragic hero. Oedipus describes one instance when he decides to run from home in
order to avoid his fate to kill his father and marry his mother. This is revealed when he says "And
for all these years, I have kept clear of Corinth" (Oedipus 52). The reason this shows his
overwhelming and detrimental pride is because it shows that Oedipus felt as though he could defy
the fates and the gods by hiding from his parents to avoid the prophecy. This

Oedipus Rex Literary Devices Analysis
From a young age, humans choose to ignore the undeniable truth. Within Sophocles' Oedipus Rex,
Oedipus is told of his impending prophecy of killing his father, Laius, and marrying his mother,
Jocasta. Knowing this, he tries to prevent his fate, but ends up becoming oblivious to it once it has
happened. Oedipus enters a city that claims that their king has been killed shortly after he murdered
someone, he fails to connect the two events together and discover that he has started to fulfill the
prophecy. Oedipus Rex displays that humans will ignore the evident truth through the use of literary
devices.
One of the most apparent literary devices that Sophocles used is dramatic irony, where everything is
known to the audience, but unknown to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
His unawareness is for the greater good presently, but once he realizes the sin that he has done, he
will suffer greatly. His suffering began when Teiresias states "The man you have been looking for all
this time, / The damned man, the murderer of Laios, / That man is in Thebes. To your mind he is
foreign–born, / But it will soon be shown that he is a Theban, / A revelation that will fail to please"
(435–438). Within the story, Teiresias claims to know who Laius' murderer was and gives hints to
Oedipus, but Oedipus decides to ignore this indicator and instead lashes out on Teiresias. Not only
does Oedipus becomes aggressive with Teiresias, but also acts in a similar way to Kreon.
Finally, Sophocles uses a foil, Kreon, to further enhance Oedipus' ignorance. Sophocles built Kreon
to act as his opposite to bring out Oedipus' features. Kreon is a factual, reasonable, and pensive
character, while Oedipus is an intuitive, strong–willed character. This is shown during their
conversation: KREON. Now listen to me. You have talked; let me talk, too. You can not judge
unless you know the facts. OEDIPUS. You speak well: There is one fact; but I find it hard To learn
from the deadliest enemy I have. KREON. That above all I must dispute with you. OEDIPUS. That
above all I will not hear you deny. KREON. If you think there is anything good in being stubborn
Against all reason, then I say you are wrong. OEDIPUS. If you think a man can sin against his own

Oedipus Rex Vs. Antigone
Daniel Nierenberg Comparative Essay 11–20–01 "Oedipus Rex" & "Antigone" It is only natural that
an author use similar vessels of literature, such as figurative language, literary devices, and elements
in his/her work. It is even more apparent between works that are connected by character, time, and
theme. Sophocles did this when he wrote "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone". When comparing the two
pieces, it becomes evident that very similar vessels connected these very different plays.
Sophocles uses a specific type of figurative language in both pieces known as hamartia. Hamartia is
a characters flaw. The flaw often leads to a major downfall by its owner. In both "Oedipus Rex" and
"Antigone", there are three reoccurring hamartias: hubris, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
""¦to waste away in barrenness, unmarried". Sophocles followed through with the curse in
"Antigone". We see that Oedipus ' line ends in this piece. Ismene, the youngest daughter, is so
traumatized by the events in "Oedipus Rex" that she becomes a priestess and therefore will never
have children. The two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles, wind up dying at the hands of one another in
a great civil war. As for Antigone, her death is the worst of all. Although in "Antigone", Sophocles
establishes a relationship between Haimon and Antigone, Antigone pays the ultimate price for trying
to bury her brother. One cannot ignore that fact that Creon was Oedipus ' uncle/brother. Therefore it
is safe to assume that with the death of Haimon, there is no hope for even the slightest bit of
Oedipus ' blood to be passed on. And thus, the cycle of sins of the father is complete.
Sophocles ' plays each have a noble/tragic hero as the main character. The definition of a tragic hero,
according to Aristotle, is a man who is neither good nor bad, whose misfortune arises from frailty or
error. They must be prosperous and well known. The tragic hero must fall in front of our eyes. The
hero must start off high, fall, and at the end rise up higher than before. A noble hero is the same
except he/she does not have as many flaws as the tragic hero.
Oedipus was, of course, a

Oedipus Judgement
Sophocles wrote a tragic play, Oedipus the King, in which the protagonist, Oedipus, discovers his
fate. Thebes, the area currently ruled by Oedipus, has fallen under a plague so Creon, Oedipus'
brother in law, is sent to ask Apollo, a messenger for the Gods, for advice on how to save Thebes.
Oedipus discovers that to bring Thebes out of the plague he needs to find and persecute the murderer
of Laius, the former king of Thebes. Oedipus searches high and low for anyone who might have
information and finds a blind prophet, Tiresias, who claims Oedipus killed Laius. However, Oedipus
believes this cannot be true because Jocasta, Laius's former wife and now Oedipus' wife, was
prophesied to have a son who would kill Laius and have sex with Jocasta. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
About recognition, Aristotle writes, "...is a change from ignorance to knowledge..." (672). In the
beginning of the play, Oedipus is ignorant and has no idea who the murderer of Laius is and
consequently works diligently to find the murderer. Oedipus implores the blind prophet, Tiresias, for
help first when he states, "I beg you, grudge us nothing now....Rescue yourself, your city, rescue me
– rescue everything infected by the dead. We are in your hands" (351 – 357). Oedipus is using guilt
and begging to try to get help from the blind prophet, he is trying so hard because he doesn't know
the eventual consequences of his action. Another tactic Oedipus uses to convince people to give him
answers is torture which he uses on the Shepherd. Oedipus barks, "So, you won't talk willingly –
then you'll talk with pain" (1266 – 1267). He then goes on to order "Twist his arms back quickly!"
(1269). After the physical torture and a threat of death, the Shepherd tells Oedipus it was Jocasta
who gave him the baby. Oedipus realizes he is the murderer of Laius and goes on to claim "I stand
revealed at last – cursed in birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these
hands!" (Lines 1309 – 1311). Now Oedipus is knowledgeable of his actions and his fulfillment of
the

Essay on Oedipus: The Reign of a Tragic Hero
The time period of Greek theater's popularity was a very influential time in our world's history.
Without knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a
tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play
Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members,
and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteristics that complete Aristotle's
definition of a tragic hero; these being the presence of hamartia and peripeteia, a sense of self–
awareness, the audience's pity for the character, and the hero is of noble birth.
Greek Tragedy Theater rose to its peak in Athens around the 5th century ... Show more content on
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When referring to the play, Oedipus the King, many people question whether Oedipus should have
the title of a tragic hero based on the events that take place in the play. When deciding if this label is
true, we must look into some of the significant elements that make up the character of a tragic hero.
There are five important foundations that I will be focusing in on that distinguish a tragic hero from
a regular character in a play. According to Sophocles' Oedipus the King: A Reader's Guide,
hamartia, peripeteia, noble birth, self–awareness, and audience pity are five central pieces of the
story. These selected elements are equally crucial and are very important parts of who the character
is and how the story ultimately pans out.
The first aspect of the characterization of a tragic hero is the presence of hamartia, which by
definition is the fatal flaw leading to the tragic downfall of a hero. This fatal mistake is often also
known as the climax of the tragedy. The presence of hamartia are common in most, if not all Greek
tragedy plays. Oedipus proclaims, "Apollo, when we sent to him, sent us back word that this great
pestilence would life, but only if we established clearly the identity of those who murdered Laios.
They must be killed or exiled." This moment in the play, which can be found in the textbook, can be
categorized as Oedipus' major flaw. He didn't know it yet, but he is ultimately inflicting punishment
on himself

Suffering In Sophocles Oedipus The King
At times, people can be so closely bonded together that what one person does can immediately
affect the others in a negative way. In Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex, the king of Thebes, Oedipus, is
bonded to his mother through blood and marriage. Oedipus, the tragic hero of the play, acts as an
instrument of the suffering of others through his own hamartia and certain characteristics of his own
personality. Oedipus Rex causes himself and others around him suffering through his own tragic
flaw. At the beginning of the play, Sophocles immediately introduces you to the problem that has
stricken the city of Thebes. They have been suffering a horrible plague and King Oedipus himself
sent his brother in law, Creon, to figure out why. When Creon returns ... Show more content on
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Throughout the play, one can grab that Oedipus is prideful, stubborn, heroic, and fair. King Oedipus
is very prideful in the play because when he is told that he is really adopted, he visits the oracle of
Apollo to really find out. This proves that Oedipus is prideful because he saw himself as a prince
and as a man with power who came from Merope and Polybus. He refused to believe the old man
that gave him this information and so he set out to prove him wrong. Second, Oedipus is stubborn.
One can see this within line 376 of the play. In this moment, Oedipus immediately claims that
someone told Tiresias to call Oedipus the killer. This proves that Oedipus is stubborn because he
abruptly refused to believe himself as the killer and then accused Tiresias of saying that because
someone else told him to. Third, he is heroic and fair. Oedipus's heroism is what freed the city of
Thebes from the sphinx's control, but this just added to Oedipus's fate. This also allowed him to
become king of Thebes, thus marrying the queen, his mother. Lastly, his fairness contributed to his
own suffering. After realizing the truth of what he had done, Oedipus blinded himself because exile
was not

Analysis Of SophoclesOedipus The King
Abstract
This research paper consists multiple sourced to support the thesis that Sophocles' Oedipus
exemplifies Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. Provided are five secondary source and one
primary sourced that are synthesized in order to prove the common theme.
Final Draft
In the Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and he lets his temper
over power him. Throughout the tragedy, he displays all the necessary elements to be categorized as
a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus' downfall. A tragic
hero, as defined by Aristotle, The term hero is derived from a Greek word that means a person who
faces adversity, or demonstrates courage, in the face of danger. However, sometimes he faces
downfall as well," (Literary Devices Editors, 2013). Based off this definition, Sophocles' Oedipus
clearly exemplifies Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero.
In the Greek play, "Oedipus is the hero for aiding in keeping off Thebes' plague through solving the
riddle, He is also the false hero and the villain," (Ferdous, 2017). Oedipus unknowingly has cursed
the entire town of Thebes. He was cursed to kill his father and marry his mother but never knew
who his true parents were. As a result of him escaping from the town he was sent off to, he did
exactly what was prophesied, killing his own father and marrying his mother, without knowing who
his parents were. His father was the king and his mother the queen of Thebes. Oedipus would then
best the Sphinx and he would move to the throne after the vacancy he made when he killed his
father. Now king, Oedipus married his mother, unbeknownst to him, and had several children. This
cursed the city because the killer of the king, King Laius, was set free and not executed. "He is also
determined to discover the truth about himself," (Zachrisson 2013). Oedipus was told that he
murdered the king before him by Tiresias, the blind prophet that could only see the future. The
outcome of Oedipus receiving this information, he lost his temper on the blind prophet. He could not
believe it. He said that everyone that pointed towards him with the truth were liars. He has so much
pride and self–righteousness

Oedipus Rex Plain Sight
Hiding in Plain Sight
Sophocles, one of the most famous writers of all time, wrote 120 plays in his lifetime. Now, only
seven of those survive. Fortunately, these seven plays demonstrate complex themes and portray the
beauty of Aristotle's tragedy. Oedipus Rex, one of his most famous plays, develops a prime example
of a tragic hero. The play's hero, Oedipus, fails because of overwhelming pride which causes his
blindness to the truth. Sophocles highlights Oedipus' tragic flaw through the chorus and characters,
and uses dramatic irony to show that the truth can hide in plain sight.
Throughout Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses characters to present the truth to the audience to
emphasize Oedipus' hamartia, his blindness towards the truth. Not only do characters like Tiresias
and the messenger build up conflict within the tragedy, but they also introduce the idea of how
obvious the truth is and how ignorant Oedipus actually is. This is ... Show more content on
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Oedipus does not believe this and exclaims, "You've lost your power, stone–blind, stone–deaf–
senses, eyes blind as stone!" (181). Sophocles chooses to use Tiresias and his straightforward
explanation of the truth to prove that truth is in fact hidden in plain sight. The use of Tiresias, a
trusted figure and the voice of the gods, is to assure the audience how authentic his word is.
Moreover, his explanation of Oedipus' fate was so clear, no one could question him as he said, "you
are the murderer you hunt" (180). Tiresias' explanation is so concise that whoever questions it is sure
to be blind towards the truth. To continue, the audience is clearly convinced that Tiresias, with his
background, is telling the truth. When Oedipus questions such a trusted prophet and throws horrible
claims like, "You've lost your power", and that he's, "stone–blind" it exemplifies Oedipus' blindness
even more because he can't see even when everyone else

The Hamartia of Blindness in Death of a Salesman and...
The Hamartia of Blindness in Death of a Salesman and Oedipus Rex
"Tragedy is an imitation not of men but of a life, an action..." (Aristotle). Tragedy is not about
learning of certain characters, but rather learning about life itself. The inability to confront reality is
a matter that takes place both in everyday life and in both plays. Despite the differences in both
plays, Death of a Salesman and Oedipus Rex, the theme of being unable to confront reality is
revealed through the protagonists' shared hamartia of blindness. Through experiences with
themselves and other characters, the protagonists show that their tragic flaw is what leads to their
downfall. Both plays display the blindness of the protagonists, Oedipus and Willy Loman, when
coming to terms with what they believe to be true. Although Oedipus truly is the murderer, he does
not have the slightest thought that it could be him. He is blind to the prophecy and decides he must
take action towards the murderer when he says: "Whoever killed King Laïos might–who
knows?–/Lay violent hands even on me–and soon./I act for the murdered king in my own interest"
(Sophocles, 141–143). This is very ironic because Oedipus is feeling threatened by the murderer
when he is in fact the one whom he seeks, but he is blind to that fact. Throughout the play, Willy
Loman is consumed by the fact of being 'well liked' and maintaining a respectable status. He lies to
friends and family about his successes to remain above the social

Role of Gods and Goddesses in Homer's Iliad
In his famous "Poetics," the philosopher Aristotle laid the foundations for literary criticism of Greek
tragedy. His famous connection between "pity and fear" and "catharsis" developed into one of
Western philosophy's greatest questions: why is it that people are drawn to watching tragic heroes
suffer horrible fates? Aristotle's ideas revolve around three crucial effects: First, the audience
develops an emotional attachment to the tragic hero; second, the audience fears what may befall the
hero; and finally (after misfortune strikes) the audience pities the suffering hero. Through these
attachments the individual members of the audience go through a catharsis, a term which Aristotle
borrowed from the medical writers of his day, which means ... Show more content on
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First, by blinding himself, as opposed to committing suicide, Oedipus achieves a kind of surrogate
death that intensifies his suffering. He comments on the darkness – not just the literal inability to
see, but also religious and intellectual darkness – that he faces after becoming blind. In effect,
Oedipus is dead, for he receives none of the benefits of the living; at the same time, he is not dead
by definition, and so his suffering cannot end. Oedipus receives the worst of both worlds between
life and death, and he elicits greater pity from the audience. Second, Oedipus himself and the
Chorus both note that Oedipus will continue after the tragedy's conclusion. Unlike, for example
Agamemnon, Clytemnestra, and Orestes (the heroes in the Orestia trilogy), Oedipus' suffering does
not end with the play; even so, the conclusion also presents a sense of closure to the play. This odd
amalgam of continued suffering and closure make the audience feel as if Oedipus' suffering is his
proper and natural state. Clearly, Oedipus' unique downfall demands greater pity from the audience.
Oedipus fulfills the three parameters that define the tragic hero. His dynamic and multifaceted
character emotionally bonds the audience; his tragic flaw forces the audience to fear for him,
without losing any respect; and his horrific punishment elicits a great sense of pity from the
audience. Though Sophocles crafted Oedipus

Oedipus Rex Tragic Hero Essay
Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex details the catastrophic downfall of Oedipus, King of Thebes, who
kills his father, marries his mother, and plagues his kingdom unknowingly. Aristotle's discourse
Poetics references Oedipus Rex as containing several elements of the ideal tragedy (CITE). Among
other factors, Aristotle stresses that the tragic hero's collapse does not occur in response to his or her
depravity, but in reaction to a "serious error" (CITE). Throughout the play, Oedipus demonstrates to
readers "vice or depravity" did not incite his actions (cite). Rather, he is an ethical man who makes
fatal mistakes. Oedipus Rex is not a corrupt villain, but an impulsive man who lacks the knowledge
to understand the implications of his actions. Oedipus ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
(CITE) Oedipus demonstrates his morality through his deep care for others, especially the Thebans.
Upon his arrival to Thebes, he cures the city's plague by solving the Sphinx's riddle, a task which no
Theban could complete. The chorus praises Oedipus' success, saying "you came here ... and freed us
from the tribute we were paying to that cruel singer – and yet you knew no more than we did and
had not been taught" (Sophocles 40–43). Oedipus risked his safety by interacting with the Sphinx to
protect the Thebans. This act shows Oedipus' care for Thebes through his selflessness and concern
for others, despite not even knowing the Thebans. Even after Oedipus becomes King of Thebes, in
honour of his ability to solve the Sphinx's riddle, he still cares about Thebes. Oedipus demonstrates
this when he listens to the chorus' concerns, which represent Theban concerns. When the chorus
shares its anxiety about the plague with him, he responds "I am not ignorant of what you yearn for ...
I sorrow for myself, and for the city, and for you – all together ... I've been shedding many tears"
(Sophocles 67–77). This quote shows that Oedipus is already aware of and worried about the
plague's implications for his subjects. Thus, it demonstrates Oedipus' compassion. Oedipus' care for
those "below" him in rank shows that he wants to help his subjects regardless of their role in the
hierarchy and is not a cold

Obedience In Oedipus The King

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