Hamartia Essay
Jennifer Strickland
Ms. Hall
ENG 102-02
26 April 2015
The term Hamartia which was derived by Aristotle is “the error of the tragic hero which causes his fall” (Scheepers 137). In modern terms hamartia can be described as a crime that was committed unwillingly or unintentionally. Sophocles’ demonstrates hamartia in his tragic play Oedipus Rex through Oedipus the king. In the tragedy “Oedipus’ destruction derives from acts that he unwittingly committed prior to his assumption to the throne” (Scheepers 143). Although Oedipus did commit a crime he took responsibility for his actions, and his punishment was unjust. Before Oedipus was born an oracle prophesized to the king and queen of Thebes that if they had a son then he would kill his father and marry his mother. In order to prevent the oracle’s prophecy from happening when Oedipus was born the king and queen gave the baby to a shepherd and ordered him to take the child into the pasture and leave him to die. Unable to do as told the Shepherd took the child to a nearby town where he was adopted. When Oedipus got older and found out we was adopted he ran away, on the road to Thebes Oedipus met King Laius, his true father. Unaware of each other's identities the two had an argument over whose chariot had the right-of-way. Oedipus' pride led him to murder Laius, his biological father, fulfilling part of the oracle's prophecy. Shortly after Oedipus encounters the Sphinx who put a curse on Thebes until someone could solve its riddle. Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and frees the kingdom of Thebes from the curse. Oedipus's reward for freeing the kingdom of Thebes from the curse is the kingship and the hand of Queen Jocasta, his biological mother. The entire prophecy is then unknowing fulfilled. Oedipus soon finds out the truth about himself when a plague is placed on Thebes, and in order to rid the plague the murderer of King Laius must be found. When Oedipus questions a shepherd about what he had done
Ms. Hall
ENG 102-02
26 April 2015
The term Hamartia which was derived by Aristotle is “the error of the tragic hero which causes his fall” (Scheepers 137). In modern terms hamartia can be described as a crime that was committed unwillingly or unintentionally. Sophocles’ demonstrates hamartia in his tragic play Oedipus Rex through Oedipus the king. In the tragedy “Oedipus’ destruction derives from acts that he unwittingly committed prior to his assumption to the throne” (Scheepers 143). Although Oedipus did commit a crime he took responsibility for his actions, and his punishment was unjust. Before Oedipus was born an oracle prophesized to the king and queen of Thebes that if they had a son then he would kill his father and marry his mother. In order to prevent the oracle’s prophecy from happening when Oedipus was born the king and queen gave the baby to a shepherd and ordered him to take the child into the pasture and leave him to die. Unable to do as told the Shepherd took the child to a nearby town where he was adopted. When Oedipus got older and found out we was adopted he ran away, on the road to Thebes Oedipus met King Laius, his true father. Unaware of each other's identities the two had an argument over whose chariot had the right-of-way. Oedipus' pride led him to murder Laius, his biological father, fulfilling part of the oracle's prophecy. Shortly after Oedipus encounters the Sphinx who put a curse on Thebes until someone could solve its riddle. Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and frees the kingdom of Thebes from the curse. Oedipus's reward for freeing the kingdom of Thebes from the curse is the kingship and the hand of Queen Jocasta, his biological mother. The entire prophecy is then unknowing fulfilled. Oedipus soon finds out the truth about himself when a plague is placed on Thebes, and in order to rid the plague the murderer of King Laius must be found. When Oedipus questions a shepherd about what he had done