A tragedy is defined as a type of drama where the characters go through a form of suffering. Most tragedies stem from the outline defined in the works of The Poetics, which was written by the famous philosopher Aristotle. Aristotle defined tragedy as a form of drama whose plot is centered on human suffering for the purpose of taking the audience on an “emotional rollercoaster;” all tragic heroes face with obstacles yet they all manage to find peace by the end of the play. There are many qualities that are necessary for a tragic hero. First, all tragic heroes must be born virtuous, which means they either stem from nobility or are just good people in general. Second, a tragic hero must have a hamartia, or a tragic flaw; some characters are aware of their flaws, while others can’t do anything to help themselves. …show more content…
Prior to their death, they have a catharsis, or realization; meaning they return to their true self and become the virtuous man they once were. Finally, a tragic hero is capable of eliciting pity and fear from the audience, usually through their death and suffering. Throughout the course of time the mold of a tragic hero has evolved, which can be seen in the following plays and books. The Sophocles play, Oedipus, fits the classic tragedy mold introduced in the poetics. When the audience first meets Oedipus, they immediately feel an emotional bond. The dynamic nature of Oedipus’ nobility earns him respect, not only as a character in the play, but to the audience, who admires a tragic hero as a larger and better version of themselves. Oedipus’ nobility is not only credited by his birthright, but by his selfless actions to free the city of the Sphinx in which he is rewarded dominion of the city. Upon the throne, Oedipus receives the fate of the man who killed Laius, which reveals his hamartia. Although Oedipus does not realize it at the time, his lack of knowledge about his own family leads him to his