Oedipus Essay
Written by Sophocles, Oedipus The King is a magnificent example of an Aristotelian tragedy. The protagonist, Oedipus, is challenged with a numerous amount of ordeals and a horrible fate. Fate is usually described as a power that preordains the course of events. No matter how hard characters try, they are unavoidable. The concept is based off the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe. Character’s fates are already decided before they even know it. Trying to avoid these fates is pointless because no matter what, it will catch up to you wherever you are. While some face these fates with ignorance, some do so with honor. Taking into consideration of the many characteristics, Oedipus The King is a tragedy because it includes the protagonist’s hamartia, an anagnorisis, and peripetia.
Every true tragedy comes complete with a protagonist’s hamartia, a tragic flaw resulting from a central part of their virtue. At first glance, the story seems to argue that we are all bound to an unavoidable fate, power beyond our control, but farther reading reveals that it is the characteristics in Oedipus' personality …show more content…
The story shows that irony is a contrast of what appears to be and what actually exists. What’s expected and what is experienced. The irony being the result of an unavoidable fate. In Oedipus The King, the turning point happens when the Corinthian Messenger arrives. When trying to relieve Oedipus’ sufferings by telling him the truth about not being the biological child of Polybus, the Messenger does the reversal of what was intended. “Because Polybus was not related to you in any way.” (Sophocles, 56) This turning point leads to the irony of the story, Oedipus finding out he is his father’s slayer and that he had mated with his mother as foretold. The characteristics leading up to this turning point makes it a splendid
Written by Sophocles, Oedipus The King is a magnificent example of an Aristotelian tragedy. The protagonist, Oedipus, is challenged with a numerous amount of ordeals and a horrible fate. Fate is usually described as a power that preordains the course of events. No matter how hard characters try, they are unavoidable. The concept is based off the belief that there is a fixed natural order to the universe. Character’s fates are already decided before they even know it. Trying to avoid these fates is pointless because no matter what, it will catch up to you wherever you are. While some face these fates with ignorance, some do so with honor. Taking into consideration of the many characteristics, Oedipus The King is a tragedy because it includes the protagonist’s hamartia, an anagnorisis, and peripetia.
Every true tragedy comes complete with a protagonist’s hamartia, a tragic flaw resulting from a central part of their virtue. At first glance, the story seems to argue that we are all bound to an unavoidable fate, power beyond our control, but farther reading reveals that it is the characteristics in Oedipus' personality …show more content…
The story shows that irony is a contrast of what appears to be and what actually exists. What’s expected and what is experienced. The irony being the result of an unavoidable fate. In Oedipus The King, the turning point happens when the Corinthian Messenger arrives. When trying to relieve Oedipus’ sufferings by telling him the truth about not being the biological child of Polybus, the Messenger does the reversal of what was intended. “Because Polybus was not related to you in any way.” (Sophocles, 56) This turning point leads to the irony of the story, Oedipus finding out he is his father’s slayer and that he had mated with his mother as foretold. The characteristics leading up to this turning point makes it a splendid