According to Aristotle's criteria, "Oedipus the King," by Sophocles is a tragic fall.
us seven different criteria to prove Oedipus is a tragic hero. The first criteria is a fatal flaw. A.
fatal flaw must be a character trait that causes them to fall. The second criteria is that the.
character suffers a fall beyond his or her control. The third criteria is that the character must take.
responsibility for their fall. The fourth criteria is that the character must be of noble birth. The.
fifth criteria is that the character is in a position of power. The sixth criteria is that the character.
suffers a catastrophic end. The final criteria is that the character is worth caring about. I will.
analyze "Oedipus the King" to show that it is a tragic fall.
Oedipus has a fatal flaw. The flaw is arrogance. Oedipus states, "you live in perpetual.
night; you cannot harm me." (Sophocles 359). Because of his arrogance, Oedipus believes he is.
untouchable and cannot be harmed. Oedipus shows his arrogance in another way when he says,.
"the Oracle at Delphi has told me my destiny--to be my mother's husband and my father's.
murderer. And so I left Corinth, many years ago and many miles behind me." (373). Since.
Oedipus was arrogant, he thought he could change his destiny. Oedipus thought he changed his.
destiny, and this angered the gods.
Angering the gods, Oedipus suffers a fall beyond his control. "All that was foretold will.
be made true!" (378). This was when Oedipus realized he had not changed his destiny. Oedipus.
thought he could control his future by trying to change his destiny. This angered the gods and in .
a twist of fate, Oedipus ended up killing his father, marrying his real mother, and fulfilling his.
destiny. Thus, causing him to suffer a fall beyond his control.
The third criteria is taking responsibility for the fall. Oedipus says, "I was the murderer; I.
struck the blow." (377). Oedipus figured out that he was Laius's killer, and he took the.
