Oedipus Rex is a tragedy since it satisfies Aristotle’s criteria for a tragic hero in Poetics. The protagonist of a classic tragedy of a heroic and noble person whose downfall is triggered by a defect in his character. His frailty causes him to become caught in events that overwhelm him, rendering him unable to deal with a challenging scenario generated by another character or circumstance. Although the tragic hero dies at the end of the play, he has an insight or awareness that makes him and the audience more perceptive and aware. This research paper aims to demonstrate how Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s idea of a tragic hero. The research for this paper comes primarily from primary and secondary scholarly sources. It strongly shows the connection between Oedipus and the tragic hero described by Aristotle in Poetics by the conclusion of the research.
Following Aristotle’s Principle and definition of a tragic person, it is clear that Sophocles’ hero, Oedipus, fits the bill. A tragic hero, according to Aristotle, must be able to arouse sympathy and dread in the audience while also making them more perceptive. In the play, Oedipus possesses virtually all of Aristotle’s traits of a tragic hero. In an ideal world, the tragic hero’s vision would be critical in creating tragedy, as it would be the primary source of sympathy and awe. Aristotle’s tragic character usually evolves between two extremes. According to the description, the character should be on the cusp of being both good and bad. In addition, this character is superior to other persons and possesses extraordinary qualities. The figure transforms from bliss to misery as a tragic hero, culminating in his death (Moharami, 2020).
Rather than the influence of evil or corruption, the tragic hero’s downfall is usually caused by a fault in character. In addition, the tragic hero is frequently wealthy and of excellent social standing. By reading the story, it is clear that Oedipus possesses all of these characteristics and is a tragic hero. Oedipus’ character appears to meet all of the criteria for a tragic hero. To begin with, Oedipus is, by nature, a nobleman. He helps the inhabitants of Thebes solve the Sphinx’s riddle, which saves their city, thanks to his virtue. Oedipus is crowned King of Thebes after discovering the enigma, and it is here that we witness another aspect of his nature.
Once installed on the throne, the king exhibits deep sympathy for the Thebans’ suffering due to the epidemic. He informs the Thebans that his suffering is more significant than theirs. Everyone now looks to him to help survive the spreading illness after saving Thebans’ ability and wisdom. God’s intelligence is compared to his (Moharami, 2020). Even before the people complain, Oedipus dispatches Creon to Apollo’s oracle. This shows that he is a remarkable man who understands what is best for his people as a monarch. When Oedipus decides to blind himself to carry out the punishment he had vowed to the king’s killer, he demonstrates another virtuous attribute.
If Oedipus were a flawed character, he would have committed suicide with his mother, Jocasta. Instead, Oedipus resolves to confront the Thebans with his calamitous error. Oedipus’ good character is demonstrated in this story, qualifying him for Aristotle’s tragic hero role. Oedipus is the son of King Laius and a nobleman; hence he has royal blood. Even before the populace knows he is King Laius’s son, Oedipus tells Jocasta that he is the son of Polybus, the King of Corinth. After receiving a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, Oedipus departed Corinth.
Oedipus flees Corinth and marries Jocasta in Thebes, fearful of the prophecy. During the play, Jocasta tells Oedipus about a prophecy that the late king would have a son who would kill him and marry his mother. Jocasta subsequently tells Oedipus that no one can see into the future, and thus he should not believe the prophecy. Things become more complicated when he learns from Jocasta that they killed their son to evade the prophecy. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Jocasta, confirming his royal status. According to Aristotle, Oedipus possesses a weak character that qualifies him as a tragic hero despite his royal birth. Oedipus is unquestionably a virtuous, courageous, and astute ruler. Despite his incredible attitude, he appears to have certain inborn defects in his character. As a tragic hero, his blunders eventually lead to his demise from glory. By carefully examining the entire text, it is evident that Oedipus is a stubborn guy. In reality, his persistence is to blame for his ills since he does what he feels is right regardless of the repercussions.
Tressias initially refuses to reveal the truth about King Laius’ death, but Oedipus persuades him to rescue Thebes. Tressias reluctantly admits that he is the king’s killer after being pushed to the limit. When Jocasta advises Oedipus to stop inquiring about the matter, he ignores her and questions the shepherd (Rahmani, 2020). Despite the warnings, he is adamant in his desire to learn the harsh reality from the shepherd. When he discovers his parents’ identities, his stubbornness becomes a cause of pain. Oedipus is shown to have a temperamental personality in addition to his intransigence. He demonstrates this when he kills King Laius on his way to Thebes. Because of the prophecy imparted to him, Oedipus was clearly in a terrible mood when he performed this atrocity. He’s also a rapid thinker who doesn’t pause to consider what he’s saying. He demonstrates this when he accuses Creon of plotting with Tressias to deprive him of the throne.
This is most likely due to his irritability from what Tressias had told him. Oedipus is taunting and abusing the blind prophet Tressias just before meeting Creon. Tressias informs him that they are alike because he cannot perceive his wicked relationship with his mother. His failure is due to his stubbornness and short words. By carefully examining the scenario, it is easy to see how Oedipus’ collapse is linked to his determination. This concludes that his demise was not driven by malice or depravity but by fundamental defects in his personality. In reality, the audience realizes that this hero is the legitimate son of Laius and Jocasta, which leads to his tragic end.
This satisfies the Delphi prophecy and Tressias’ prediction that no one will suffer more than Oedipus. This happens when he can’t tell if he’s his children’s father or brother. After his cover is blown, Oedipus flees Thebes to rid the city of the plague and gorges his eyes out to exact the vengeance he promised for the murder of King Laius (Rahmani, 2020). Neither the oracle nor the herder is willing to give him the truth, and his defiance brings him down. This corresponds to Aristotle’s assertion that a flaw causes a tragic hero’s downfall in character.
It is clear that the audience has been purified by the time the curtains close. Throughout the play, Oedipus gains the audience’s sympathy and dread. Almost everyone is afraid of the hero’s true identity, and they keep praying he won’t find out. After he reveals the truth, what happens to Oedipus makes the viewers feel sorry for him (Moharami, 2020). Oedipus demonstrates the characteristics of a tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle in poetics, by eliciting sympathy and dread in the audience. Everything that has been prophesied about him has come to pass, indicating that the wheels of fate are turning in his life. Whatever happens to him is a clear indicator that it is fated and that nothing he can do will avoid it.
Because it fits Aristotle’s criteria of a tragic hero in poetics, Oedipus Rex is a tragedy. Sophocles’ play is often considered the best example of literature that meets Aristotle’s tragic hero criteria. Analyzing Oedipus’ personality reveals that, rather than any evil powers, his stubbornness and horrible temper led to his downfall. Throughout the play, the hero captivates the audience, but everyone is driven to melancholy at the end. This definition also plainly matches Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.
Reference
Moharami, R., Kazemiha, A., & Rahmani, M. (2020). The analysis of mythical character Oedepus Shahriar in the Sophocles’ play and Siruye in the Khosrow and Shirin epopee. Ourmazd Journal, (9), 7.