Oedipus Tragic Hero Essay
Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. According to Aristotle there are three key traits that denote a tragic hero. Given data from the play by Sophocles Oedipus the King, as well as other literature, we will reveal that as a result of his position, wealth and astuteness, he was not only great but destined for tragedy. In Aristotle’s Poetics, he defines a tragic hero as one who must evoke in the audience a sense of pity or fear, saying, “the change of fortune presented must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity. (S.H. Butcher) Aristotle continues to state a tragic hero is thought to be a man whose misfortune comes to him, "not through vice or depravity but by some error of judgment."(Tragic
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He begins his story by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. “You that live in my ancestral Thebes, behold this Oedipus, - him who knew the famous riddles and was a man most masterful….” (Oedipus, 1525) In all of his fame and greatness Oedipus was human and therefore had many things that were not perfect. Aristotle refers to this as hamartia, which are tragic flaws. A major factor of tragic flaws is fate. Although he was presented with many obstacles it seems they were consistently redirected through fate. For example, from his birth, Oedipus seemed to be plagued with misfortune. Oracles brought a prophecy to Jocasta and King Laius. To stop an unwanted prophecy, Oeidpus’ parents had his feet riveted together and left him to die in the mountains. However fate steps in and Oeidpus is found by a shepherd and taken to the King and Queen of Corinth. Other flaws are said to be his prideful attitude, quick temper and hastiness to judge and draw conclusions concerning people along his journey. Hamartia can be moral or intellectual. According to Leon Golden’s essay, “A tragedy must portray a hero who, in a moral sense, is worthy of respect and who makes a significant intellectual (not moral) error which leads to his downfall from happiness to misery.” (Golden, L. (1984, summer) With this understanding it is clear that Oedipus actions are intellectual errors based on great concern for his
He begins his story by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. “You that live in my ancestral Thebes, behold this Oedipus, - him who knew the famous riddles and was a man most masterful….” (Oedipus, 1525) In all of his fame and greatness Oedipus was human and therefore had many things that were not perfect. Aristotle refers to this as hamartia, which are tragic flaws. A major factor of tragic flaws is fate. Although he was presented with many obstacles it seems they were consistently redirected through fate. For example, from his birth, Oedipus seemed to be plagued with misfortune. Oracles brought a prophecy to Jocasta and King Laius. To stop an unwanted prophecy, Oeidpus’ parents had his feet riveted together and left him to die in the mountains. However fate steps in and Oeidpus is found by a shepherd and taken to the King and Queen of Corinth. Other flaws are said to be his prideful attitude, quick temper and hastiness to judge and draw conclusions concerning people along his journey. Hamartia can be moral or intellectual. According to Leon Golden’s essay, “A tragedy must portray a hero who, in a moral sense, is worthy of respect and who makes a significant intellectual (not moral) error which leads to his downfall from happiness to misery.” (Golden, L. (1984, summer) With this understanding it is clear that Oedipus actions are intellectual errors based on great concern for his