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Who Is Oedipus A Tragic Hero

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“Oedipus Rex”, by Sophocles, contains the infamous archetype of the tragic hero. Coined by Aristotle, a tragic hero is a protagonist that is neither good nor bad, and makes a mistake that makes him experience misfortune and has a reversal of fortune. Many argue that the protagonist, Oedipus, was controlled by his fate, making him unable to play the part of a tragic hero. Yet, the choices Oedipus made illustrates the free will he had. Oedipus’ complex personality, short temper, arrogance and reversal of fortune presents him as a tragic hero. Oedipus is a neither a good or bad person because he only does what is best for Thebes, illustrating a complex personality within him. In the prologues of Oedipus Rex, the people of Thebes lay at the palace …show more content…

Before Oedipus arrived at Thebes, he killed a group of people at a crossroads. Later, upon cursing the killer of Laius, the last king of Thebes, Oedipus realizes he might be the murder of Laius, “I think I myself may be accursed by my own ignorant edict (1.2.700-701)”. Oedipus plays the part of a tragic hero because after trying to track down the killer of Laius, the killer was himself all along. This is only half of his misfortune after he finds out that he is the son of Laius and that he had married his own mother, Jocasta, “Oedipus, damned in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand! (2.4.1123-1124).” Above all, this is the most devastating to Oedipus because he had killed his father and he had committed incest with his mother. Jocasta finds out the truth and kills herself before Oedipus could realize, thus, Oedipus loses both his mother and his wife. Oedipus is illustrated as a tragic hero because he serves his own misfortune which leads to his reversal of …show more content…

Oedipus was known as a righteous and glorious king. Famous from defeating the sphinx and saving Thebes. His life falls apart once it becomes known that he has committed incest and has killed his father, “Is there a sorrow greater? Where shall I find harbor in this world? (Exodus.1.1260-1261).” Once he gouges out his eyes, he goes from a king to a blind begger, exiled out of Thebes. This transition proves that Oedipus is a tragic hero because of the contrast of his career from the begging to the end. Oedipus started from nobility that Thebes admired, to the blind man who committed vile crimes against his parents and city. Summarized by the choragus, how the citizens of Thebes view Oedipus, “No mortal eyes but looked upon him with envy, yet in the end ruin swept over him (Exodus.1.1470-1471).” Oedipus’s reversal of fortune proves that he is a tragic

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