Oedipus; The Tragic Hero In the Fourth Century BC‚ a famous philosopher named Aristotle wrote about the qualities that a tragic hero must possess. Ever since that time‚ there have been many examples of tragic heroes in literature. None of those characters‚ however‚ display the tragic hero traits quite as well as Oedipus‚ the main character from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus is‚ without a doubt‚ the absolute quintessence of a tragic hero. His example shines as clear as a sunny summer
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Aristotle uses six different points to define a tragic hero. The tragic hero must be of noble stature and have greatness. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great‚ he/she is not perfect. The hero’s downfall is partially his/her own fault‚ the result of free choice‚ not of accidental means. The hero’s misfortune is not wholly deserved and the punishment exceeds the crime. The fall is not pure loss. And though it arouses solemn emotion‚ tragedy does not leave the audience in a state
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philosopher Aristotle in his famous "Poetics" which discussed the characteristics of a tragic hero. In this composition of philosophy and literary theories‚ Aristotle’s ideas revolve around three crucial effects to audience members. First‚ the audience must develop an emotional attachment to the tragic hero. Next‚ the audience must fear what may befall the hero. Finally‚ once misfortune strikes‚ the audience pities the suffering hero. Clearly‚ for Aristotle’s theory to succeed‚ the tragic hero must be
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Oedipus‚ a Tragic Hero? Elizabeth Howell English 102- B33 Professor Katie Robinson Liberty University October 12‚ 2012 Oedipus‚ a Tragic Hero? Thesis: Using Aristotle’s five different descriptions of a tragic hero‚ we will show that Oedipus in Oedipus the King is in fact a tragic hero and how his decisions led to his downfall. Outline: I. Introduction and Thesis Statement II. Is the character of noble birth? A. King of Thebes B. Real father was king III. Though the tragic hero
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Oedipus: A Tragic Hero Aristotle’s tragic hero is one of the most recognizable types of heroes among literature. A tragic hero combines five major points all of which have to do with the hero’s stature in society‚ his faults‚ how these faults effect him‚ the punishment his faults gets him‚ and how he reacts to this punishment. Aristotle explained that the story of Oedipus the King‚ written by Sophocles‚ is a perfect example of a tragic hero. In the play‚ Oedipus is given a prophecy in which he
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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
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Aristotle and the Tragic Hero The traditional hero stresses courage and nobility as essential traits of heroism. He lived by a code of honor and valued certain things as more important than others‚ so that he is willing to take risks and endure hardships for their sake. He is often a leader and protector of a community. The fact that the hero not only performs great deeds but performs them out of worthy principles renders his deed even more admirable. On the other hand‚ the Greek tragic hero is
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URI 25 September 2013 Oedipus Tragic Hero Webster’s dictionary defines a hero as a person‚ who is admired or idealized for courage‚ outstanding achievements‚ or noble qualities. Although this definition accurately describes Oedipus’ character‚ tragic hero is more of an apt description. A tragic hero is defined usually by the following: One‚ A man of noble stature. Two‚ A selfless man who is not afraid to come under scrutiny. Three‚ The hero honorably receives the punishment given
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I decided to write on the Tragic Hero because I found it is fascinating how we find something heroic in his actions etc. A tragic hero is a man of noble birth with gallant or conceivably heroic qualities. A tragic hero is an abstract character who makes a judgment error that unavoidably prompts his/her destruction. In perusing Antigone‚ Medea and Hamlet‚ look at the part of equity and revenge and its impact on every character’s decisions when analysing any "judgment error.” The hero has a character
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In the tragedy play Oedipus by Sophocles‚ Oedipus’ self-destruction and fall from the power leaves him as the villain and not the hero. The very thing he fights so hard to discover is at leads to his self-destruction. Therefore‚ we tend to feel sorrow for Oedipus seeing that was only the fate of the God and the oracles. Oedipus is a tragic hero who fails to achieve happiness in such a way that it brings upon fear and pity by everyone. First we look at Oedipus behaviors at the beginning‚ we
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