Oedipus Rex as a Tragic Hero

Characteristics of the Tragic Hero:

 According to Aristotle:
 Usually of noble birth
 Hamartia- the tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall
 Peripeteia- a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero’s
tragic flaw
 Anagnorisis- his actions results in an increase of self-awareness
and self-knowledge
 Catharsis- the audience must feel pity and fear for this character

Elements of a tragic hero:

 High hero status

 Tragic flaw
 Downfall
 Enlightenment/realization
 Death/banishment

Main claim/thesis:

In Sophocles ‘play’, “Oedipus the King”, is an example of a tragic hero

because he changed from a hero at the beginning of the play into a
tragic hero by the end of experiencing power, tragic flaw, downfall,
enlightenment and banishment.

Power/Influence Evidence:

Before the play, Oedipus killed the sphinx and becomes a powerful
king. At the beginning of the play, the people of Thebes rely on
Oedipus’ power and help. For example the priest says,
“Oedipus, great in all men’s eyes we pray, find some strength again
and rescue our city.”

Form this quote, readers can see how empowered Oedipus feels and
how people in Thebes rely on him. Clearly, this scene represents the
power stage of the tragic hero.

Tragic Flaw Evidence:

Oedipus especially exhibits his heroic nature in the beginning of the

story when he is so determined to help the Thebans out of their
troubled state. As we see in his lines:

“Hence you do not wake me from sleep, but know that I have been
weeping much and wandering many roads of my mind. And that
which my inquiry found our only cure I have done, for I have sent
Creon… to Apollo’s home in Pytho, so that he learn what I should do
or say to save this city.”

However it is also his fatal flaw that makes Oedipus as tragic hero
rather than just a hero, and that tragic flaw is his excessive pride. In
fact, we learn that he has had his excessive pride even as a young man
and that it is his pride that leads him to unknowingly kill his own father.

As we see in his lines:

“…the old man himself drove me from the road with force. In my
anger I struck the driver, turning me off the road, and the old man….
soon was struck by the scepter in his hand… I killed them all.”

Downfall Evidence:

His downfall was when he killed the king without knowing, it was his
father. He also married his mother. For example, Oedipus says,

“It is I who have cursed myself and pollute the bed of him I killed.”

Evidence of Acceptance/Enlightenment:
Oedipus murdered someone but never knew it was King Laius and
father all along. He was born to murder. For example, Herdsman says,

“if you are the man he says you are, you were born to misery.”

And Oedipus says,

“cursed is my life.”

Evidence of Tragic Ending:

He stabbed himself in the eyes and went blind then got banished. For
example Oedipus says,

“they will never see the crime I have committed.”

Closing and Restatement of Main Claim/Thesis:

Based on the evidence provided, it is clear that Sophocles’ character,

Oedipus is a tragic hero because he goes through all the steps a tragic
hero would.