Dramatic tragedies that recount the transformation of tragic heroes from triumph to infamy have withstood the test of time and continue to captivate audiences around the globe. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy Oedipus the King, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, unearths the truth of his past and confronts the dreadful prophecy he previously tried to escape. Oedipus the King accentuates Oedipus whose stance is noble with good intentions to help the Thebans, as well as a fatal flaw that eventually leads to his self-destruction, proves him to be a quintessential tragic hero.
Similarly to tragic heroes across various cultures and time periods, Oedipus is in a position of power and demonstrates benevolence to the citizens of Thebes when they beg him to liberate …show more content…
Oedipus’ hamartia is hubris or excessive pride, and it causes him to believe he can overcome Apollo’s prophecy of, “defile[ing] my [Oedipus’s] mother’s bed, ...bring[ing] forth men a human family that people could not bear to look upon,” and “murdering the father who engendered me [Oedipus]” by fleeing Corinth, the place where his adoptive parents resided (951-954). Oedipus’ indifference toward his ill-fated prophecy expresses his arrogance that leads him to disrespect the gods, the most worshiped and idolized figures in ancient Greek society. Oedipus also shows his haughtiness when he criticizes Tiresias’ prophetic skills because the esteemed prophet who he called upon for assistance, “spoke the truth” (1365) Oedipus tried to avoid. Furthermore, Oedipus blinds himself because “nothing I [Oedipus] could see would bring me [Oedipus] joy” (1596). Oedipus blinds himself so he does not have to face his mistakes and to evoke attention and pity toward himself after the truth of his crimes is …show more content…
After investigating leads to King Laius’ murder, Oedipus realizes his fated prophecy has come true and he is King Laius’ killer as well as “the son of a corrupted mother / conceiving children with the woman / who gave me [Oedipus] my own miserable life” (1607-1609). Oedipus’ discovery that he is both a murder and a participant in an incestuous relationship reveals his unfortunate prophecy has come true and initiates his downfall that progresses when he discovers his wife and mother, Jocasta, committed suicide. Upon discovery, Oedipus tears “the golden brooches she [Jocasta] wore...raised them high and drove them deep into his eyeballs” (1513-1515). The death of Oedipus’ wife and mother, as well as his self-inflicted blindness, demonstrates his catastrophic downfall. Oedipus proceeds to beg Creon, his brother-in-law and uncle, for exile or death. The tragedy concludes with Oedipus morally and physically disgraced while awaiting banishment or
Similarly to tragic heroes across various cultures and time periods, Oedipus is in a position of power and demonstrates benevolence to the citizens of Thebes when they beg him to liberate …show more content…
Oedipus’ hamartia is hubris or excessive pride, and it causes him to believe he can overcome Apollo’s prophecy of, “defile[ing] my [Oedipus’s] mother’s bed, ...bring[ing] forth men a human family that people could not bear to look upon,” and “murdering the father who engendered me [Oedipus]” by fleeing Corinth, the place where his adoptive parents resided (951-954). Oedipus’ indifference toward his ill-fated prophecy expresses his arrogance that leads him to disrespect the gods, the most worshiped and idolized figures in ancient Greek society. Oedipus also shows his haughtiness when he criticizes Tiresias’ prophetic skills because the esteemed prophet who he called upon for assistance, “spoke the truth” (1365) Oedipus tried to avoid. Furthermore, Oedipus blinds himself because “nothing I [Oedipus] could see would bring me [Oedipus] joy” (1596). Oedipus blinds himself so he does not have to face his mistakes and to evoke attention and pity toward himself after the truth of his crimes is …show more content…
After investigating leads to King Laius’ murder, Oedipus realizes his fated prophecy has come true and he is King Laius’ killer as well as “the son of a corrupted mother / conceiving children with the woman / who gave me [Oedipus] my own miserable life” (1607-1609). Oedipus’ discovery that he is both a murder and a participant in an incestuous relationship reveals his unfortunate prophecy has come true and initiates his downfall that progresses when he discovers his wife and mother, Jocasta, committed suicide. Upon discovery, Oedipus tears “the golden brooches she [Jocasta] wore...raised them high and drove them deep into his eyeballs” (1513-1515). The death of Oedipus’ wife and mother, as well as his self-inflicted blindness, demonstrates his catastrophic downfall. Oedipus proceeds to beg Creon, his brother-in-law and uncle, for exile or death. The tragedy concludes with Oedipus morally and physically disgraced while awaiting banishment or