Essay about Oedipus the King A Greek Tragic Hero

Many Greek tragedies include a central character known as the tragic hero. In the play, Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, the character Oedipus, portrays to the reader the necessary, central, tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero has a supreme pride (Jones. Pg. 133). That pride is a reflection of arrogance and conceit that suggests superiority to man and equality with the gods. Students of religion are often taught that pride Goethe before the fall. In Oedipus situation, his pride, coupled with religious fervor and other human emotions like guilt, lead to what can only be described as a downfall of enormous and costly proportions, in other words, his fate. The dictionary characterizes a downfall as, a sudden†¦show more content†¦The characters in the play that find themselves at the center of this past and future tug-of-war are: Laius (the slain King of Thebes), Jocasta (the Queen of Thebes), Oedipus (the current King of Thebes), the Messenger, and the Shepherd. The two reasons that these characters are being yanked back and forth are the oracles. The first oracle came to the father (Laius) in the deep past, and the second oracle came to the son (Oedipus) in the not-so-distant past. King Laius was a character from the past, a past that would indirectly start and finish the downfall of Oedipus. This past and present connection between Laius and Oedipus is found in one serious decision made by Laius. Laius decision, based on the oracles, was to have his son put to death. Jocasta told Oedipus, An oracle came to Laius one fine day (I wont say from Apollo himself but his underlings, his priests) and it said that doom would strike him down at the hands of a son, our son, to be born of our own flesh and blood. But Laius, was killed by strangers, thieves, at a place where three roads meet...my son--he wasnt three day old and the boys father fastened his ankles, had a henchman fling him away on a barren trackless mountain (Glencoe Literature. Pg. 291. Lines 790-793). Laius own actions ofShow MoreRelatedOedipus the King: A Greek Tragic Hero Essay516 Words   |  3 Pagesanalysis of the â€Å"tragic hero† of Greek drama. In his work, Poetics, he defines a trag ic hero as â€Å"...The man who on the one hand is not pre-eminent in virtue and justice, and yet on the other hand does not fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but falls because of some mistake; one among the number of the highly renowned and prosperous.† Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is clearly shown by the main character in the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus, the protagonistRead MoreOedipus The King : A Tragic Hero And Greek Classical Order979 Words   |  4 PagesSophocles a tragic dramatist, priest, Athenian general, is an ancient Greek writer who’s work has survived since circa 400 BC.; Oedipus the King is one of the three plays about Oedipus, believed to be first produced in 425 B.C., five years after the plague had broken out in Athens (Kennedy 947). Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero and Greek classical order. As Oedipus says in the play â€Å"if you think a man can sin against his own kind and not be punished for it IRead MoreEssay on King Oedipus as The Classical Greek Tragic Hero1360 Words   |  6 PagesKing Oedipus as The Classical Greek 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 judgement the change in the heros 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 heRead MoreEssay on Oedipus: The Reign of a Tragic Hero1266 Words   |  6 PagesThe time period of Greek theater’s popularity was a very influential time in our world’s history. Without knowing what Greek theater was all about, how can someone expect to truly understand a tragic play and the history it comes with? The history behind the character of Oedipus, in the play Oedipus the King, is very complicated. His intricate past dealing with prophecies, family members, and murder is the main focus of the story. There are many characteris tics that complete Aristotle’s definitionRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1094 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and lets his temper over power him. He can be displayed as a tragic hero. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus’ down fall. A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, â€Å"is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.† Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. In the play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursedRead MoreOedipus : The King Of Thebes And Tragic Hero Essay728 Words   |  3 PagesOedipus: The King of Thebes and Tragic Hero Ancient Greek Literature encompasses an assortment of poetry and drama to include the great masterpieces of tragedy. In Classic Literature, tragedies were commonly known for their elaboration of a protagonist fitting the classification of a tragic hero. This type of a tragic hero often collectively described as a character of noble birth, facing an adversity of some nature and a fate of great suffering. The characteristics of what encompassed a tragic heroRead MoreUnderstanding Fate in Oedipus Tyrannos1196 Words   |  5 PagesThe Greeks were one of the most powerful empires of early civilizations with the well documented conquest, legends, gods, etc. One of their most significant things left of their empire, is their theatrical style, none bigger than Tragedy. The Greek Tragedy was their basis of Drama and is still studied today. Their view of the world and life could be personified in the plays and by the personages. It is the case in the play Oedipus Tyrannos. The play, written b y Sophocles, represents the typical GreekRead MoreRole of Gods and Goddesses in Homers Iliad845 Words   |  4 Pagescriticism of Greek tragedy. His famous connection between pity and fear and catharsis developed into one of Western philosophys greatest questions: why is it that people are drawn to watching tragic heroes suffer horrible fates? Aristotles ideas revolve around three crucial effects: First, the audience develops an emotional attachment to the tragic hero; second, the audience fears what may befall the hero; and finally (after misfortune strikes) the audience pities the suffering hero. Through theseRead MoreThe Tragic Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King1601 Words   |  7 PagesThe Tragic Hero Tragedy deals with unexpected or unfortunate events that usually results in negative outcomes that affects the downfall of the main character in a play. Tragedy within Greek drama incorporates the time within the their lifestyle of religious and superstitions. Greek writers use tragedy as a theme in literature because it represents their civilization. Sophocles uses this theme in his dramatic plays because the audience is able to correspond to the story line. It allows the audienceRead MoreTragic Hero1598 Words   |  7 PagesTragic Hero From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia A tragic hero is a protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his demise. The concept of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle. Usually, the realization of fatal flaw results in catharsis or epiphany. The tragic flaw is sometimes referred to as an Achilles heel after the single fatal flaw of the Greek warrior Achilles. [citation needed] Aristotelian tragic