Tragic Flaws Of Oedipus Rex - 950 Words

Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Rex The ancient Greek’s culture was greatly influence by their belief in in many gods. They believed that the gods would guide them and that everyone was destined to live out their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play, written by Sophocles. Sophocles’ write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero because his whirlwind of a life force the audience to admire him in the beginning of the story as a privilege young man and also pity him as he falls into a crushing downfall. Sophocles intentionally gave Oedipus certain flaws because he intended his downfall. His tragic flaws, pride, persistence, and ignorance lead to his fate. Sight is a very important motif in this play. Oedipus is unable to see his fate clearly because he is blinded by his tragic flaws. Sophocles really drilled the motif of sight vs. blindness into the fabric of this play. The first sight of this motif is at the beginning of the play when the prophet Teiresias graces the stage. Teiresias is blind, but he can see Oedipus s past, present, and future and the pain it will cause. Even though Oedipus s eyes are fine, he is blinded to his fate because of pure ignorance. Oedipus’s ignorance on this key matter which is purely ironic because he was famous for his keen insight, after solving the riddle of the Sphinx. As a matter of factShow MoreRelated tragoed Essay on the Tragic Flaws of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)696 Words   |  3 Pages The Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Rex nbsp; At one time in our lives there is a moment that we may think of ourselves as better than someone or something else. There may also be a point when making a decision leads to a great error in judgment. In the play Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, both of these characteristics can be seen in the main character. These characteristics are known as tragic flaws. These flaws are known as hubris meaning excess pride, leading to overconfidence, and hamartiaRead MoreHamartia in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman834 Words   |  3 PagesHamartia in Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman Hamartia is defined as a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero. Aristotle defines a tragic hero to be a man â€Å"who is not completely good and just, whose misfortune is brought out not by vice or immorality, but by some error or weakness.† The three key requirements of Aristotle in regards to a tragic hero are; a high social standing, goodness or moral excellence, or error committed by the hero in unawareness or ignorance. 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Oedipus, the main character in Oedipus Rex, is characterized as a tragic hero when he tries to run away from his fate and finds out that the cause of his fate was his attempt to escape it. Oedipus Rex and Othello share a commonRead MoreOedipus Rex as Aristotalian Tragedy1506 Words   |  7 PagesOne may argue that the Greek playwright, Sophocles modeled his play Oedipus Rex on Aristotles definition and analysis of tragedy.Since according to Aristotles definition, A tragedy is an imitation of action that is serious, complete and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished artistic ornaments, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not narrative with incidents that evokes pity and fear of a persons emotions. Also Aristotle identifiedRead MoreDeconstructing Tragedy And The Definition Of The Protagonist’S1173 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition of the Protagonist’s Innocence In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus meets the Aristotelian definition of a tragic hero as divine fate and tragic flaws lead to his downfall. Oedipus’s tragic flaws like hubris, curiosity, and anger, contribute to his unfortunate fate. The components of a perfect tragedy as defined in Aristotle’s Poetics are at the center of Oedipus Rex. The play contains the elements of a perfect tragedy such as â€Å"imitation †¦ purification †¦Read MoreOedipus Rex : The Tragic Hero735 Words   |  3 Pagesa hero must possess a tragic flaw that leads to his or her ruin. An example that backs up this argument is Sophocles’s tragedian play, Oedipus Rex, in which its protagonist was a victim of such fatal flaws that caused ruination in his life. In this case, Oedipus tragic flaws were both his anger and his pride. Furthermore, the fate that Oedipus suffered because of such flaws not only caused his downfall, but also the death of those he cherished. The tragic fl aws that Oedipus possessed made fate andRead MoreThe Three Themes of Oedipus Rex1106 Words   |  4 PagesThemes of Oedipus Rex The contrast between trust in the gods oracles and trust in intelligence and pride plays out in Oedipus Rex. Of course, the irony is, that Oedipuss and the oracles’ methods both lead to the same fallout. Oedipuss hunt for truth reveals just that, and the truth confirms the oracles prophecies. Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother. The irony is that the reader knows this from the very start of this Greek drama. There is also irony in the fact that Oedipus is theRead MoreFate : Fate And Fate976 Words   |  4 Pages In The Oedipus Cycle, fate plays a large role in each character s destiny. Oedipus is told at a young age that he is doomed to murder his father when he is older. Antigone, trying to give a proper burial to her brother kills herself once she is caught. The main characters in Oedipus Rex and Antigone are doomed to face their bleak future because it is in their fate to do so. They are both destined for a tragic end. Although the audience is aware of Oedipus’ future, his tragic flaw is not outwardlyRead MoreOedipus Rex Vs. Antigone1417 Words   |  6 PagesDaniel Nierenberg Comparative Essay 11-20-01 Oedipus Rex Antigone It is only natural that an author use similar vessels of literature, such as figurative language, literary devices, and elements in his/her work. It is even more apparent between works that are connected by character, time, and theme. Sophocles did this when he wrote Oedipus Rex and Antigone. When comparing the two pieces, it becomes evident that very similar vessels connected these very different plays. Sophocles uses a