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Oedipus The King - A Tragic Hero

            Oedipus the King is a story of trials and tribulations for a man who believed he had it all. Being known as the King of Thebes that had saved the town from a killer sphinx did more than just boost his ego, it made him King. With the sudden fame and glory Oedipus became a person of high status that was admired and envied by many of the townspeople. Oedipus the King can be seen as a tragic hero which is defined as a person of high status who experiences a downfall due to their tragic flaw.
             Oedipus was considered a high society figure in two ways, being the heir to the city of Cornith and being the King of Thebes. Thinking he was born to the King and Queen of Cornith, Oedipus was the future heir of the throne. This thought alone made Oedipus feel superior and more noble than the regular townsman. The second reason that Oedipus was considered of high status is because he solved the riddle of the Sphinx, saved Thebes from disaster, and claimed the throne of former King Lauis. Oedipus was the only person to come remotely close to solving the riddle of the Sphinx, therefore many looked at him as a superior being. Oedipus knew that the townspeople held him with such high regard and so he took advantage of that. When one feels as if they are superior to everyone it can cause a lot of damage.
             The herendous events that took place in Oedipus' life are more dramatic than one ever wishes to experience. The downfall begins with the plague of Thebes. The entire extistense of life in Thebes is threatened until the murderer of Lauis is reveled. Oedipus vows to seek out the killer and get sweet revenge. Tiresas the blind prophet bust Oedipus' bubble with the news that he is not what he seems to be. Tiresas can see things clearly even though he is blind. The downfall of Oedipus seems to improve with the news of his fathers death, this means that Oedipus did not kill his father. The tables turns when Oedipus and Jocasta come to the realization that they are mother and son.


Essays Related to Oedipus The King - A Tragic Hero

1. Oedipus Tragic Hero

A tragic character is "A morally good but not perfect tragic hero who is brought from happiness to unhappiness because of a mistaken act, to which he or she is led by a hamartia, an error in judgment" (1493). A perfect example of a tragic character is Sophocles's Oedipus the King. ... The sentences "As to the man surest in mortal ways and wisest in the ways of god" (915; 38-39) and "A king of wisdom tested in the past" (915; 46) show that the people of Thebes consider Oedipus a wise and spiritual king. ... King Oedipus fits the definition of a tragic character precisely. Despite his chara...

  • Word Count: 533
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Oedipus: A True Tragic Hero

Oedipus: A True Tragic Hero In his Poetics, Aristotle defined the term "tragedy" as "a man not preeminently virtuous and just, whose misfortune, however, is brought upon him not by vice or depravity, but by some error in judgment the change in the hero's fortune must not be from misery to happiness, but on the contrary, from happiness to misery". From this definition, he further expanded it by defining the profile of the Classical Greek tragic hero, basing it on what he considered the best tragedy ever written, Sophocle's Oedipus Rex. According to Aristotle, a tragedy sho...

  • Word Count: 1426
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

3. oedipus as a tragic hero

In Oedipus the King, Sophocles demonstrates how Oedipus is one of the most tragic characters in all of literature while using countless examples of irony. ... Sophocles portrays Oedipus as the ultimate tragic hero using a combination of powerful and enthralling scenes. ... Oedipus threatens the killer of King Laius. ... This is ironic because the murdered King Laius is in fact the murdered father of Oedipus. ... The conclusion of Oedipus the King is also essential in classifying Oedipus as a tragic character. ...

  • Word Count: 520
  • Approx Pages: 2

4. Oedipus

Oedipus has three tragic flaws in Oedipus the King. ... Oedipus was doomed to be ostracized and alone because of his tragic flaws. Sigmund Freud wrote that tragic effect of Oedipus the King lies in contrast between the will of the gods and man's futile attempts to escape it (447). According to Aristotle, a good tragic hero is better than the average man and has a fatal flaw ("Classic Note"); Oedipus applies to both guidelines. ... The hamartia of arrogance and pride led to the hero's tragic downfall. ...

  • Word Count: 862
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Oedipus Rex: The tragic fate of a tragic hero

According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is someone who creates his or her own downfall, whose fate is not deserved, and whose punishment exceeds the crime. In the play "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles, the main character Oedipus is a perfect example of Aristotle's tragic hero. ... The destiny of Oedipus is given to his parents, who were King Laios and Queen Iokaste, by the prophecy of Apollo at Delphi. ... Knowing that Thebes needed a king, Oedipus married Iokaste; his real mother. ... Throughout this play, characteristics of fate are what brought the destruction and downfall to the main charac...

  • Word Count: 647
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  • Grade Level: High School

6. Oedipus as a tragic hero

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is a famous Greece tragical play. The main character, Oedipus, is considered as a classic tragic hero base on the most influential literary theorist, Aristotle's definition of tragic hero. ... Throughout the play, Oedipus is proved to be perfect match to Aristotle's tragic hero as he is the king of Thebes, he is good and looked up by his people, but falls because of an act of injustice. ... As mentioned, a tragic hero must be highly renowned and prosperous. ... Oedipus is a highly renowned and prosperous person and has perfectly matched the condition of being...

  • Word Count: 569
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Oedipus Rex

Oedipus Rex is not only the protagonist of this story, but he is also the tragic hero. ... But what exactly is a tragic hero? ... King Oedipus fulfills all of these requirements, yet is considered a tragic hero. ... Oedipus must get rid of the man who killed the former king, Laius. ... The readers also know that Oedipus" father was King Laius. ...

  • Word Count: 1207
  • Approx Pages: 5
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8. King oedipus long essay

King Oedipus Long Essay King Oedipus, a classic Greek play, was written almost 2500 years ago by a playwright named Sophocles. ... Oedipus" explosive temper leads to his downfall, and gets him there in a hurry making him a classic tragic hero. ... These are all characteristics that the great Aristotle said a tragic Greek hero should embrace. ... Although Oedipus has many flaws none of them lead to his tragic downfall as much as his arrogance does. ... If Oedipus simply tried to control these three main flaws, his tragic downfall would have never taken place but he didn't so Oedipus is...

  • Word Count: 1090
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Oedipus Tragic Hero Criteria

According to Aristotle's criteria, "Oedipus the King," by Sophocles is a tragic fall. Aristotle gives us seven different criteria to prove Oedipus is a tragic hero. ... I will analyze "Oedipus the King" to show that it is a tragic fall. ... This shows that Oedipus is a king, and of noble birth. ... The priest shows that Oedipus has power by saying, "King Oedipus, our master in Thebes." (350). ...

  • Word Count: 719
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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