Research Paper On Oedipus The King

Oedipus the King Oedipus Rex is believed to be one of the best classical examples of the Greek classical order and what tragedy represents. Many Greek tragedies include a central character that is known to be the “tragic hero”. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus the main character plays this role. This paper will give a brief summary of some of the characteristics of a tragic hero, while also analyzing all the major events that lead to Oedipus rise and downfall. Oedipus, the king of Thebe’s tragedy modelled Aristotle’s theorizing’s of what tragedy is in his book the Poetics. The play has a very well-constructed plot that follows Greek classical order. Aristotle and subsequent critics have labeled Oedipus the ideal tragic hero. A brief summary of the play: Oedipus is the son of the King and the Queen of Thebes. The king Laius learns from an oracle that his son will grow up to murder him and marry his wife.

He is noble in the simplest sense, that is, he is the son of the King and Queen of Thebes. Following Aristotle, the tragic hero must be respected and the audience must think of him as a being “larger and better than themselves”. Oedipus is good king and the people of Thebes think highly of him His nobility derives from different sources, consequently earning the respect of the audience which allows them to develop an emotional attachment to him. According to the characteristics of an Aristolian tragic hero “hamartia” is also important. This is translated as “tragic flaw” and it allows the audience to sympathize with the character. A tragic hero is always hindered by a distinct characteristic or character trait that leads him to his ultimate demise. Aristotle specifies that every tragic hero must have hamartia. However, their failing must be neither a specific personal characteristic nor one determined by impulse, but one that is somehow more deeply