How Does Oedipus The King Fit Aristotle Tragedy

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“Tragedy… is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its katharsis of such emotions...” (Poetics, P.10) Aristotle was a great admirer of Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, considering it the perfect tragedy, and not surprisingly, his analysis fits that play perfectly. Aristotle's theorizations in the Poetics were modelled on the tragedy of Oedipus, the king of Thebes. The play is adjudged as a great example of tragic drama on the basis of the following:plot, character, diction, thought, spectacle, and melody. The concept of tragedy applies to both ancient greek theatre and modern day …show more content…

According to Aristotle's Poetics, the tragic playwright must create a unified work. The play's running time must be the exact timespan of the tragedy, with no breaks or flashbacks; the setting must remain in one place. Most importantly, the action follows one inevitable course, and the tragic hero must be royal or highborn. In addition, this hero desires a greater good, such as the rescue or unification of his kingdom, and he places that prize at great risk with his own choices.Aristotle further elaborates that the tragic hero must, by the play's end, lose everything he has gained through hubris. Oedipus’ tragedy, is to discover his birth secret. Shakespeare carries Greek-style hubris even further, as he has Macbeth lose his soul, Lear his sanity and Hamlet his conscious identity, before robbing each character of his

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