Sophocles Oedipus Tyrannus

It is argued by Aristotle in Poetics that a good tragedy is one with the correct plot, use of diction, character, spectacles, songs, and thoughts. Aristotle created the philosophy that a good and correct tragedy must have specific elements incorporated into these parts. It is by these elements that Sophocles’ Oedipus Tyrannus is one of the best examples of a tragedy writing piece. According to Aristotle, the most important part of a poem is the plot. More specifically, Aristotle provides insight on three elements that a literary piece must contain to be considered in his definition of a tragedy. One of the elements that Aristotle finds is key to the formation of a tragic plot is the instillation of fear and pit into the audience and reader. …show more content…
He writes that the reversal is significant to a tragic plot stating that, “the most powerful elements of emotional interest in Tragedy- Peripeteia or Reversal of the Situation, and Recognition scenes” (Aristotle 1). In Oedipus Tyrannus, the beginning of the peripeteia occurs when the messenger brings news from Corinth to Oedipus, saying that “My lord, this first of all: King Polybus is dead.” (Sophocles 36). It is at this point that Oedipus begins to question why his prophecy to have murdered his father is untrue, and begins to question the prophesies of Apollo. Soon after it is revealed that Polybus and Oedipus were in no blood relation whatsoever, when the messenger says, “Well, my lord, your fears were groundless: For Polybus, King of Corinth, was no relation of yours!” (Sophocles 37). It is at this point that Oedipus begins to delve into his mind, fearing that if his father was not Polybus, then it could have been Laius, thus the prophecy would be true and already …show more content…
After conversation with the messenger Oedipus is shocked and he begins catharsis soon after the shepherd arrives and he undergoes recognition, therefore the incident can be described as the parapeteia of the literary work. The third element that Aristotle underlines as a must-have for tragedies is the recognition phase. Alike the reversal of situation, Aristotle describes the recognition scene to be the most powerful in terms of emotional interest. In Sophocles’ literary work, the recognition phase occurs at different times, but the most prominent example begins when the shepherd arrives at Oedipus’ palace. It is in that scene in which Oedipus is revealed to have been the son of Laius by the shepherd, who says, “It was a child of … of Laius’ house!” (Sophocles 43). At that point, Sophocles notes in his work that Oedipus begins to suspect the truth and thus that is the point of recognition. Oedipus comes to a full recognition of his actions after finding that his prophecy was the same as the child of Laius, who is also him. In his anguish and realization, he