Everyone a fatal flaw. However, one can either change for the better or let one’s fatal flaw influence their decisions. Many Greek plays, such as Oedipus the King, are known for characters who are destroyed because of a tragic flaw. Written by Sophocles, Oedipus the King can be read as a morality play in which Oedipus has multiple flaws that affect him and the people around him. After he learns that he is fated to kill his father and marry his mother, he runs away with the belief that he has outsmarted the gods. However, he does not know his parents are not his biological parents. Once he abandons them, he influences the catastrophes of King Laius’s murder, the death of Jocasta, and his own downfall. The tragic flaws of Oedipus become a catalyst …show more content…
Nothing, friends. Take me away, far, far from Thebes… This great murderous ruin, this man cursed to heaven, The man the deathless gods hate most of all! (202) Although he feels a slight remorse, Oedipus remains ignorant to his own reality. Before and after he loses his sight, he still fails acknowledge the consequences of his actions. He knows he is the reason for the death of his mother and father, but he blinds himself so he cannot see the horrors of mistakes. His blindness prevents him from seeing the reality in which he lives in. He is no longer a powerful and courageous leader, but only a man suffering from a terrible fate. Therefore, he urges to be banished because he does not want anyone to look down on him or judge him. Wanting to save his pride, Oedipus blinds himself and urges for a banishment far away from Thebes. Oedipus’s fatal flaws lead to all the catastrophes that occur in Oedipus the King. His impulsiveness and hasty decision making influences him to murder his father, King Laius. Similarly, he is the catalyst for the death of his mother and wife, Jocasta; his persistence to know the truth drives her to commit suicide. His own downfall is also caused by his excessive pride. His blindness and banishment are results of his inability to accept his tragic fate. Oedipus allows his tragic flaws to influence his own fate and the fate of those around