Preview

Oedipus Tragic Flaw Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
259 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Oedipus Tragic Flaw Analysis
In the past, the hero who defeated the Sphinx, Oedipus, became victim of a tragic flaw. People could provide many different ideas for the flaws of Oedipus, and have a variety of correct answers. Likewise, quite a few people would say that anger became Oedipus’ tragic flaw.
A big part of his anger came from the murder of the King of Thebes, Laius, his father. Part of Oedipus believed that he had killed the King, however he refused to admit it and displaced his anger into blame towards Creon. Doing this, Oedipus caused many people of the city to lose trust in him.
He also displaced denial into anger. For example, he shut down the oracle, when it said that Oedipus slept with his own mother. Oedipus could not believe it, and would not
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    The Rulers of the Thebes: Oedipus vs. Creon Essay Example
    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The Rulers of the Thebes: Oedipus vs. Creon Essay Example

    As each story unfolds, we notice many similar qualities being shown through the rule of Oedipus and the rule of Creon. Creon and Oedipus both portray rage and how impetuous they are at many times throughout these stories as they struggle with issues that they face as rulers. One example of this is when Oedipus encounters a chariot on the highway which pushes him off the road. Oedipus "struck him in [his] rage […] [and] killed him" (Scene II. 283-288). This plus the fact show that the man he strikes down is actually his father, shows how impulsive and driven-by-rage Oedipus' actions are. Creon's harsh judgments against Antigone show his rage rashness as he sentences her to be buried alive. Another way their impulsiveness is shown is how both characters disregard what Teiresias tells them and Oedipus even fail to heed the warning from the Gods about the events that are destined to happen. Pride is what drives both characters to their ultimate demise, blinding them from seeing the evils that are occurring right before their very eyes. This pride prevents Oedipus from seeing the very fact that he is the murderer of King Laius which he has invested so much time and energy into finding. When Creon and his son, Haimon argue over principles of wisdom and rule, Haimon states that any man who thinks…

    • 1306 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pride In Oedipus Rex
    • 316 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Pride In Oedipus Rex

    His pride and blindness towards truth are also reflected in the play when he denies his destiny. Oedipus attempted…

    • 316 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Does Oedipus Show Blindness
    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Does Oedipus Show Blindness

    In Oedipus Rex a man blindly searches for the truth not knowing that it will be the cause of his own despicable fate. He finds out the to end the plague he has to find the former king's killer. He fights with Tiresias,the seer and says Creon is plotting against him. He fights with Jocasta about the past and current “coincidences”. They both realize the truth and Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus stabs his eyes out. Creon becomes king and agrees to take care of Oedipus’s daughters, Oedipus is banished. Throughout the whole play Oedipus struggles with seeing and realizing the truth.…

    • 625 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Who Was Responsible For Oedipus's Downfall
    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Who Was Responsible For Oedipus's Downfall

    “Oh, I fled from there, I measure out the stars to put all of heaven in between the land of Corinth and such a damned destiny," Oedipus shouted ferociously. Perhaps the most significant example of Oedipus’s flaw of pride occurs when he hears of Polybus’s death. When the messenger from Corinth tells Oedipus the news, joy consumes Oedipus. Although his father is dead Oedipus now believes that he is free of the curse of the gods. “Aha, my wife! So we are done with delving into Pythian oracles, this jangled mongering with birds on high, which foretold—yes, had it all arranged—that I should kill my father. Ha! He’s dead,” Oedipus exclaims with great joy. The messenger tells Oedipus that he came to bring him home, but Oedipus will not go home because he is scared of the curse. Oedipus tells the messenger the curse, and that he will not go home because his mother is still alive. The messenger is surprised because he knows that Merope and Polybus are not his real parents. The messenger then goes on to tell Oedipus that he received him as a baby from a shepherd, and he gave Oedipus to the king and queen of…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Free Will In Oedipus Rex
    • 1231 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Free Will In Oedipus Rex

    Another factor that contributes to the success of Oedipus the King is that Oedipus is a tragic figure. There are four elements to a tragic figure - a preliminary position of greatness, a hamartia (tragic flaw), a fall from greatness, and a catharsis (character’s emotional cleansing). This template for a tragic figure fits the character of Oedipus perfectly. Oedipus starts off at a position of great power, because he is the son of Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes. Although,…

    • 1231 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Flaws Essay
    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Oedipus Flaws Essay

    and led to his status as a static character. A static character is a character who does…

    • 697 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Flaws
    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Oedipus Flaws

    Oedipus' arrogance is a double-edged sword, which propels the story forward and goes in hand in hand with his detrimental hubris. On many occasions he is told to stop wondering. Tiresias, the blind prophet who can see much clearer than our fateful King, tells Oedipus, "Please let me go home. It's for the best." The Corinthian messenger also warns him of such atrocities, which lead him to the next element of Greek…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Flaws
    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Oedipus Flaws

    He thinks the oracle will provide “what act or word of mine I might redeem this city” (Sophocles 3). When Tiresias reveals the truth, Oedipus does not believe it is o be true. He lets his temper take over and blind him from seeing the truth…

    • 1084 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Analysis
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Analysis

    Aristotle once said “A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” (Aristotle) Aristotle actually had a lot of ideas about heroes, specifically tragic heroes. He defined a tragic hero as an individual of high social standing, whose fatal flaw leads him to be brought low in a reversal of fortunes, which he later recognizes before receiving a fate worse than he truly deserves. One of the most famous characters from a play in the tragedy genre is Oedipus. His tale is one of destiny, hope, and finally sorrow. The question posed, however, is whether or not Oedipus really does fit this model of a tragic hero. Oedipus must be a nobleman and have his own tragic flaw that causes him to experience a reversal of fortunes…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Vs Creon Essay
    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Oedipus Vs Creon Essay

    People began to get irritated with Oedipus and think differently about him when he acts sing-minded. One man was trying to help Oedipus figure something out, and Oedipus was not wanting to hear of his wrongs the man said to him:”You blame my mood and see not your own Which overcomes you; no, you’re bothering me”(lines 347-348). What is spoken to Oedipus shows how the one speaking, is irritated that Oedipus is blaming everything on others and not considering of what he could be doing mistakenly. Oedipus did not like to hear people's opinions on matters of his life; he only wanted people to believe what he thought to be true. While speaking to Oedipus a man says: “Your words, O king, are ill-spoken” (Oedipus The King 334) By saying this, he is doing his best but struggling to show Oedipus how ignorant he is being and how he is breaking up relationships with other by not listening to what people have to say about him. Oedipus is not intentionally trying to ruin his relationships with others, but his pride keeps him from repenting from his wretched…

    • 856 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus The King: A Tragic Analysis
    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Oedipus The King: A Tragic Analysis

    A tragic hero is defined as “a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake” (“Aristotle”, n.d.). Therefore, a tragic hero has some sort of tragedy that surrounds their life. A tragic hero also makes dramas more interesting and makes readers think. Dramas sometimes either exemplify or refute Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Oedipus by Sophocles exemplifies Aristotle’s definition in four different aspects. The first aspect involves both Oedipus’ ignorance and knowledge of his life situations, the second involves his hamartia, the third involves the actual plot itself, and the fourth involves the characterization of…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Tragedy In Oedipus The King
    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Tragedy In Oedipus The King

    “Tragedy is an imitation not of men but of a life, an action…” (Aristotle). Greek Tragedy was invented five hundred years Before Common Era, and focuses on the actions of characters. These actions emphasize the harsh reality in which the innocent mankind lives in. In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is defined as one with great potential, but has a hamartia leading to the ultimate demise of himself. Oedipus’ actions are tragic, as he tries to make the right choice but fails. He was dealt a hand that would only lead him to lose. Furthermore, Sophocles develops Oedipus as a relatable character which allows for catharsis to occur. Aristotle’s, The Poetics, explains the necessary components to create a powerful Tragedy. Oedipus the King is a powerful representation of Aristotle’s ideas on tragedy, so the purpose, protagonist, fall, and plot elements in Oedipus the King demonstrate the concepts of tragedy written in The Poetics.…

    • 1201 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Remorse In Oedipus The King
    • 923 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Remorse In Oedipus The King

    Remorse is the moral anguish, the sorrow and shame, and the regret and guilt, which may haunt even the fiercest, mightiest king. It is often accompanied with the consequences of the individual’s wrongdoing. Remorse takes a principal part in some of Greek’s classic tragedies. One could say, the tragic hero is likely to experience such feelings, likewise in the Greek tragedies Oedipus Rex, rewritten by John Bennett and Moira Kerr, as well as Antigone written by Sophocles, two characters Oedipus and Creon both display signs of remorse. Yet ultimately, it is evident through the emotions displayed, admittance of their sins, and further self imposed retribution, that Oedipus suggests a higher degree of remorse.…

    • 923 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Essay
    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Essay

    In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the main character and tragic hero. He is a royal king who came to Thebes to save it from the plague. Oedipus runs into some other character conflicts in the play with a prophet named Tiresias and his brother in-law Creon. In the play Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman stands out as the main character and has the tragic downfall. Willy’s mental disease causes trouble for him throughout the play with his family and friends. After examining the tragedies of Oedipus the King and Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman stands out as more of a tragic figure because the average person can relate to his everyday life.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Essay
    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Oedipus Essay

    "What walks on four legs at dawn, two legs at noon, and three legs at nightfall." This was the riddle posed by the Sphinx who at the time was destroying the city of Thebes. The riddle was solved by none other than Oedipus who was made king for ridding the city of the Sphinx. Ironically though, Oedipus in his life comes to embody the riddle of the Sphinx and its soulution. Firstly, the Sphinx is percieved as a curse on Thebes and Oedipus also becomes a curse by the end of the play. Secondly, Oedipus's physical health embodies the riddle. Thirdly, Oedipus's emotional state also resembles the riddle. Lastly, the events of Oedipus's life relate to the theme of identity in the play.…

    • 963 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics