Oedipus Influence

Many modern societies, such as America, are greatly shaped by European influences. Some of the most impactful cultural influences in America originated from ancient Greece. They provided recreational activities that evolved and became an important part of the American culture, such as their theatrical performances that progress into movies of modern time. The Greeks were the first to construct theatres and create a standard for storytelling through plays. Aristotle’s “The Art of Poetry” greatly influenced later literary geniuses such as Shakespeare in creating tragedy. Playwrights during Aristotle’s time, such as Sophocles, wrote plays based around his standards of what a tragedy should have. Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex incorporated the various

characteristics of a tragedy. The most important qualities in Oedipus Rex that makes it a Greek tragedy are suffering, character, plot, and pity and fear.
To begin, Aristotle believed that suffering was one of the many vital characteristics in the making of a Greek tragedy. Aristotle defined suffering as being wholly physical. According to Aristotle’s “The Art of Poetry”, “...Suffering, which we may define as an action of a destructive or painful nature…”(Aristotle 96). Based on his definition of suffering, there should be some kind of physical torture or murder in a tragedy. There are several instances in Oedipus Rex in which suffering is detailed such as Jocasta’s suicide. According to the Messenger, “Then we beheld the woman hanging there, A running noose entwined about her neck…”( Sophocles 62). This quote explains that Jocasta commits suicide after finding out the truth about Oedipus being her son. She commits an act that hurts her physically therefore she suffers. Another example of suffering seen in the play was right after Jocasta’s hanging, Oedipus suffers alongside her. The Messenger retold, “Such was the burden of his moan, whereto, Not once but oft, he struck with his hand uplift His eyes, and at each stroke the ensanguined orbs Bedewed his beard, not oozing drop by drop, But one black gory downpour, thick as hail…”(Sophocles 62). The Messenger’s description of Oedipus’s suffering shows how he gouges his eyes out because he sees his wife/mother die. The physical pain of blinding oneself is the kind of suffering Aristotle thought a good tragedy should have. Another example of suffering in the play is when Laius is killed by Oedipus. According to Oedipus, “Yet was I quits with him and more; one stroke Of my good saff sufficed to fling him clean Out of the chariot seat and laid him prone. And so I slew them everyone…”(Sophocles 40). Laius’s death is an example of suffering because he was murdered. The acts of murder and destruction evidenced in the play proves that Oedipus Rex has suffering in a physical sense.
Sophocles's Oedipus Rex also portrayed another important quality of a Greek tragedy: Character. According to Aristotle, “In the Characters there are four points to aim at...they shall be good...make them appropriate...make them like reality...make them consistent…”(Aristotle 99). To explain Aristotle’s view on character, they should have good morals, act within their rank, behave like how one would normally behave in reality, and they must maintain the same personality throughout the play. Oedipus Rex follows Aristotle’s guideline to character precisely. For one, Oedipus is a morally good king. According to the Priest, “Art thou not he who coming to the town of Cadmus freed us from the tax we paid To the fell songstress?”(Sophocles 6). This quote supports that Oedipus was a good man because he saves Cadmus from the terror of the Sphinx. In addition to that, Oedipus also promises to do everything he can to bring prosperity back to his kingdom. He shows the qualities of a kind, caring king which makes him a morally inclined character. Oedipus also acts appropriately, meaning he acts like a king and not below his status. According to Oedipus, “This proclamation I address to all:-- The bans, if any knows the man by whom Laius, son of Labdacus, was slain, I summon him to make clean shrift to me…”(Sophocles 13). This quote shows how kingly Oedipus is because he takes charge on the matter of Laius’s killers. He also demonstrates a kingly trait by being merciful; if the killers choose to confess, they can escape death. He also shows that he is powerful because if anyone knows the identity of the murderer but stays silent, he would kill them upon finding out. Being a realistic and relatable character is also a quality that Oedipus has. According to Oedipus, “...But for my daughters twain, poor innocent maids...For them, I pray thee, care, and, if thou willst…”(Sophocles 69). This quote shows how Oedipus is realistic and relatable because even after having suffered and heading to exile, Oedipus still cares about his kingdom, his mother wife, and his incest born childrens. It is relatable that a father should care and miss his children til the end even if they were born under shameful circumstances. And that a husband/son should want to see his wife/mother to a proper burial, that a king should want his kingdom in the hands of another abled ruler. Finally, Oedipus is consistent throughout the tragedy with his resolution to capture Laius’ killer. According to Oedipus, “...therefore, I His blood-avenger will maintain this cause As though he were my sire, and leave no stone Unturned to track the assassin or avenge The son of Labdacus…”(Sophocles 14). This quote shows how Oedipus vows to find and exile Laius’s murderer. Oedipus has shown that he is a morally good person therefore he would keep his words no matter what. When Oedipus finds out he was the killer all along, he submits to the punishment he declares early in the play because he is all about honor and pride. Throughout the play, Oedipus has consistently exhibited characteristics that Aristotle suggests Characters should possess.
Plot is another important factor in a Greek tragedy. It includes peripety, discovery, complex plot, and Propter Hoc. First, Peripety is defined as, “...the change from one state of things within the play to its opposite of the kind described…”(Aristotle 96). In other words, peripety is the turning point of the tragedy, it is the plot twist that causes pity and fear in the audience. Oedipus Rex has peripety when the Messenger said Oedipus was no more his son than he is Polybus’ (Sophocles 49). It was a plot twist because Oedipus thought he was Polybus’ son the whole time but he is not. Discovery is another quality of plot that Aristotle defined as, “...a change from ignorance to knowledged…”(Aristotle 96). Sophocles’s tragedy has discovery when Oedipus finds out the truth about his birth. Oedipus finds out that Laius is his father all along and he has married his mother, Jocasta, unknowingly (Sophocles 59). Relating back to discovery and peripety, complex plot is defined as, “...when it involves one or the other, or both [peripety and discovery]...”(Aristotle 96). Oedipus Rex has a complex plot because according to the evidence above, there was both peripety and discovery. Next, Propter Hoc is a Greek word for “because of this” which means it is the cause of the outcome (Aristotle 96). Oedipus Rex has several instances of Propter Hoc but the most important is the prophecy. According to Jocasta, “ An oracle Once came to Laius… declaring he was doomed To perish by the hand of his own son…”(Sophocles 36). Because of this prophecy, Laius tries to kill Oedipus which in turn leads him to be adopted by Polybus and a chain of events happens that causes the prophecy to come true. Oedipus ends up killing Laius and marrying his mother which could all be avoided had Laius not head the prophecy’s words in the first place. Oedipus Rex has all the twists and turns that Aristotle thought plot should have in order to effectively bring about tragedy.
The most important quality of all in a Greek tragedy is successfully inciting pity and fear in the audience.

This can be achieved by including suffering, character, plot and more. There were several points in Oedipus Rex that incites pity and fear. The instances that causes pity involves suffering. All of the evidence of suffering mentioned above contributes to pity because the audience would feel sympathy for those that suffered. Such as when Laius orders his son’s death, it incites pity and fear because the baby would die at such a young age by the hands of his own parents (Sophocles 36). In addition, Jocasta’s hanging and Oedipus blinding himself also causes pity because they are morally good people who unknowingly did a horrible deed. Because they were good people, the audience would pity them when they suffer. Fear and pity is also caused by the reveal of Oedipus’ birth parents because the audience would pity Oedipus for marrying his mother even though he tries so hard to avoid the prophecy. It would also cause fear moments after the reveal because they would fear for Oedipus’ fate. Pity and fear is the hardest quality to justify because of its subjectivity. Therefore, one could only analyze it objectively through Aristotle’s guidelines which stated that pity and fear can be achieved through having suffering, character, and plot as the most effective way (Aristotle 92-99). As evidenced above, Oedipus Rex has met the requirements for all three characteristics to be able to effectively inspire pity and

fear.