Oedipus' tragic flaw, also known as his hamartia, is his excessive pride, or hubris. Throughout the play, Oedipus displays a great sense of self-importance and arrogance, believing that he is capable of solving any problem and that his actions are always justified. This pride leads him to ignore the warnings of others and to refuse to listen to reason, even when it is clear that he is wrong.

One example of Oedipus' hubris is his treatment of the blind prophet Tiresias. “I say the murder of the man, whose murder you pursue is you… I say that you and your most dearly loved are wrapped together in a hideous sin, blind to the horror of it.”(page 21). When Tiresias tells him that he is the cause of the plague that is ravaging the city, Oedipus