Oedipus The Tragic Hero

A detailed Summary of Oedipus The Tragic Hero


Based on the reading of Aristotle's "On Tragic Character" it is clear that the Greeks view the protagonist of Sophocles' play "Oedipus the King" as a hero. How does Oedipus himself meet the terms of Aristotle's requirements for a hero? When analyzing Oedipus's character the reader gets a sense of compassion and that he believes in doing the right thing. Oedipus's intentions and morals are good. His emotions, his thoughts, even his errors, have a dedicated loyalty. Aristotle says, a hero reveals in his speech or in action what his moral choices are, and a good character will be one whose choices are good.

Oedipus shows compassion in his choices, through out the story. For example, when he heard of the prophecy that he would one day kill his


After all the misfortune Oedipus went through he still believes in doing the right thing. He stood by his people and kept his word. He shows his dedication and loyalty by punishing himself for his people. This enables him to become human and see his place in the universe. After his punishment his people were saved from the plague that was killing them off. Oedipus recognizes his errors and suffers profoundly for them.

Although Oedipus had good intentions, his action became the opposite of his anticipated effect, because he attempted to change his fate. Eventually all his good deeds later became tragic. For example, when Oedipus tried to avoid the prophecy, the exact opposite happen, the prophecy had come true while he was trying to avoid it. He did eventually m

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Approximate Word count = 520
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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