The Perfect Tragedy

Oedipus the tabby is a sad invention. A cataclysm is narrow down as a dramatic orliterary work in which the forefront sum character engages in a mor only(prenominal)y signifi arset struggle sacking in defile or profound disap loony toonsment (Poetics). Sophocles uses many techniques to construct thisfrightening effect of fright and pity in his readers. This in lift creates an excellenttragedy. The toy, Oedipus the force, by Sophocles, dis consorts many qualities that make itan immense Greek tragedy. match to Aristotle at that place are only fivethings that can describe a tragedy. The play has to reach a sad hotshot, preferably of noblestature. Second, the sad hero must suck in a tragic flaw. Because of that flaw, the herof entirelys from alone power or death because he or she constituted that at that place was a certain fraud or transgress thatwas disc everywhereed in him. due to the f only, the tragic hero discovers something. Finally, on that point mu st be acatharsis, or a olfaction of aw in the minds of the audience. Oedipus the King fits allthe characteristics as delineate by Aristotle; thus the narration is a tragedy. The tragic hero of a play is a man of some social standing(a) and mortalal account who has aflaw in his actions. Through forth the play Oedipus reaches the Peripeteia of the story when he nettle wordsin a conversation with a shepherd that he was non the real son of Polybus, but rather an choose sonfrom queen mole rat Laius. In his conversation with the shepherd, Oedipus in short remembered the oraclesprophecy of killing his gravel Laius, and marring his married woman would be wind (232). Throughout all ofthese events, the irony could be feeln because of Oedipus? blindness of his medieval history. One of Oedipus flaws was his speediness to take a stick andstubborn loyalty in spite of personal hazard. Oedipus makes decisions publicly for all to hear,making reconsideration elusive for a proud person such as himself. When Creon,Oedipus?s! kinsman returns with information from the oracle concerning the Ills ofThebes, he wishes to enounce Oedipus privately. But un rashly Oedipus tells Creon to speakup, non knowing that it was hard news concerning his future. For what Oedipus said was,Let them all hear it. It is for them I suffer, more than for myself (163).? This was the firsttime that Oedipus is confronted with the idea that he exponent nominate fulfilled the prophecy because hefeels that his kingdom is falling outside(a) in the hassle that they are stuck in. Oedipus? quickness to takeposition in tender leads to a great consequence that leave behind legal injury both him and his family in the future. Oedipus, hoping to remark any information regarding the evacuation of the pastking, decrees an localize for all of his citizens so that he might check the assassinator(s). Thisorder consisted of submitting any unknown facts of Laius strike so that he/she whitethorn come forwardwithout any business of r eprisal, concurrently forbidding the refuse of information. Oedipus reaffirms his stand to avenge the hit king, promising the consequences tonot diminish because of peer slights position (172). Oedipus has said all of this originally knowing anytrue evidence himself. If he just had only one clue that he could have been the unwitting culprit, hewould have active likely acted differently. As a strongly principled man, Oedipus, likeSocrates when approach with compromising his principles chooses death over compromise. When Oedipus realizes he may in fact be the culprit, he says, ?I must be exiled, and evenin exile? (206). This act compromises his security from harm as king. Due to his sins, Oedipus iscompletely blinded of his faults. When the Oracle Teiresias came to tell Oedipus why the gods moveplagues on there city, the blind oracle told Oedipus that he should open his eyes and recognize what wasreally deceaseing. Since the prophet did not have any eyes, he told Oedipus th at he was more blindedthen him himself, Teiresias. Th! ese words leave Oedipus searching for the murdering because he didnot command any of his curses that he release to come down on him. When Oedipus sent for a drover to describe the history of Oedipus, Oedipus began torealize all of his past sins and the oracles that were predicted about him which came true. At the end of the play we can see how the climax of the story ended with the exile ofOedipussand his quickness to take up dress and justify his sins by compact his own eyes whichsymbolizes his end of power. It also costs Oedipus his wife and mother, along with his kids. Oedipusrealized that he brought overrefinement to all of his family members. The consequence of this was the selfsuicide of his wife and the miser subject lives his children will live. Oedipus gouges out his own eyes inorder to not be able to see what the world has done overly him (237). From the audiences standpoint, they can take away many meanings from thisplay. In the multiplication when this play was wr itten, the audience taked that the godscontrolled what was press release to happen to them. It was their ultimate destiny. Oedipus the Kingproves to strengthen their belief in the gods. This is done by Oedipus fulfilling everythingthat was prophesized for him to do. Laius and Jocasta sent Oedipus to his death, but theShepherd could not do it. Oedipus then hears the prophecy in Corinth, and flees.

On hissubsequent journey, he kills his father, comes to Thebes, and marries his mother. Thetragedy of Oedipus the King is not so oftentimes that Oedipus commits two horrible crimes; later all, he was fated to do so, and committed t hem unknowingly. It is, rather, that he,like his doom! ed parents in the beginning him, ran headlong into the destiny he was trying to flee,and then intensify his evils by his imperious refusal to believe the prophetsdeclaration of his guilt. Pride was his downfall. Although Oedipus cannot be called a true hero, he fits the description of atragic hero. Oedipus key characteristics were his self-assured attitude, intelligence,and strong-will. Another ability of a hero is the ability to repress danger, which is seenthroughout the play. The first instance is seen when Oedipus meets with his father andslays him along with the people that were with him. disrespect Oedipus lack of self-control,he was lock away able to overcome his enemy. go Oedipus actions on the road were notparticularly wise or heroic in a traditional sense, they still showed godlike strength andcourage which is an ingredient of heroic behavior by definition. Another danger was theSphinx. Had he not had the intelligence to serve up the riddle he would have been killedi nstantly. Any other homosexual would have never move to enter Thebes, much less try toanswer the riddle. Nevertheless, above all odds, Oedipus succeeds and becomes the kingof Thebes. Oedipus the King is a tragedy. The Greeks defined a replete(p) tragedy as a play thatwill evoke pity and fear in the reader. The important point is that these strong feelings ofpity and fear will cause a feeling of catharsis. The reader experiences this feeling ofcatharsis because they realize that Oedipus makes mistakes just as the average personwould. Pity for Oedipus is felt because of the fact that he was a good man who did nothave bad intentions; he just had an ego a little too jumbo for his head. The feeling of fearforms because you read about all the bad things that happen to Oedipus. According toAristotle, Oedipus the King fits all the characteristics for it to be a tragedy. The play has atragic hero, the tragic hero has a tragic flaw and there is catharsis in the minds of theaudience. Sourc esAristotle, ?Poetics.? yarn in Western Humanities. ! Ed. Roy T MathewsF Dewitt Platt. New York: Mcbraw hill, 2001. 89-94Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Trans. Robert Fagles. Penguin Classics, 1984. If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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