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Oedipius, the Tragic Hero
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In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, while trying to save his city, discovers his true origins, which have been shrouded to him by fate. By Aristotle’s description, a tragic hero is an ill-fated character who makes a mistake that leads to his ultimate downfall. A tragic hero is pitiful, at war with fate, and goes from riches to rags. Oedipus fits Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero by his pitiful character, his struggle against fate, and his experiences of a reversal of fortune from good to bad.
As the audience observes Oedipus in complete ignorance of his horrible fate, they feel more and more sympathy for his impending enlightenment to his true wickedness. Oedipus believes that he will be remembered for eternity for his great and noble deeds, when in actuality he will be remembered for his many sins. He exemplifies this belief when he is addressing the people of Thebes on the plague that is impairing them: “I would not have you speak through messengers, and therefore I have come myself to hear you—I, Oedipus, who bear the famous name” (4). The audience pities him for this, as he does not yet know that people will not remember his name for the good he has done, but for the patricide and incest that he has committed. His belief is further shown when he speaks his feelings about Laios’ murderer: “I pray that the man’s life be consumed in evil and wretchedness” (14). Little does Oedipus know that he is cursing himself to the sad life he will one day lea...
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