...Hamartia in Oedipus the King According to the Aristotelian characteristics of good tragedy, the tragic character should not fall due to either excessive virtue or excessive wickedness, but due to what Aristotle called hamartia. Hamartia may be interpreted as either a flaw in character or an error in judgement. Oedipus, the tragic character in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, certainly makes several such mistakes; however, the pervasive pattern of his judgemental errors seems to indicate a basic character flaw that precipitates them. Oedipus’ character flaw is ego. This is made evident in the opening lines of the prologue when he states "Here I am myself--you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." (ll. 7-9) His conceit is the root cause of a number of related problems. Among these are recklessness, disrespect, and stubbornness. Oedipus displays an attitude of recklessness and disrespect throughout the play. When he makes his proclamation and no one confesses to the murder of Laius, Oedipus loses patience immediately and rushes into his curse. Later, he displays a short temper to Tiresias: "You, you scum of the earth . . . out with it, once and for all!," (ll. 381, 383) and "Enough! Such filth from him? Insufferable--what, still alive? Get out--faster, back where you came from--vanish!" (ll. 490-492) If an unwillingness to listen may be considered stubbornness, certainly Oedipus would take advice from no one who would tell him to drop the matter of his...
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...medicine on the human body. Consequently, throughout time, people regarded tragedies, including Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, as a mechanism to achieve this psychological disposition. Using Aristotelian theory, one can experience and understand the implementation of catharsis in Oedipus Rex through the elements of a tragic hero, peripeteia and anagnorisis, and the ultimate pathos. Contrary to a traditional protagonist, a tragic hero faces eventual downfall through unavoidable fate and his devastating hamartia. Utilizing Sophocles' Oedipus Rex as the ideal demonstration, Aristotelian theory outlines the elements of a tragedy. Therefore, Oedipus exhibits a fatal inadequacy in his overconfidence, specifically when he accidentally murders King Laius, his father, at the crossroads in an outburst of arrogance. Consequently, his insufficient knowledge and carelessness sanction the audience to gain wisdom through reflection of their own misunderstandings, therefore allowing for catharsis through...
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...Sign in Google oedipus rex thesis research paper WebImagesVideosNewsShoppingMoreSearch tools About 365,000 results (0.35 seconds) Search Results Free oedipus Essays and Papers - 123HelpMe.com www.123helpme.com/search.asp?text=oedipus Free oedipus papers, essays, and research papers. ... Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles - In “Oedipus the King,” an infant's fate is determined that he will kill his father ... Oedipus the King a Story of Fate - Research Papers ... www.termpaperwarehouse.com › English and Literature Feb 8, 2012 - Read this essay on Oedipus the King: a Story of Fate . ... Thesis: “Oedipus the King” by is generally a story about fate as it deals with its ... Oedipus Rex and Blindness Research Papers are Written ... www.papermasters.com › Research Paper Topics Oedipus Rex and Blindness research papers are custom written according to your literature or English 101 research paper requirements. Oedipus the King Research Papers on the play by Sophocles www.papermasters.com › Research Paper Topics In research papers on Oedipus the King by Sophocles, there is the example of the classic tragic hero in the character Oedipus. Often defined in research papers ... Oedipus the King Term Paper Topics - Planet Papers www.planetpapers.com/professional-essays/Oedipus-the-King.aspx Oedipus the King term papers available at Planet Papers.com, the largest free term ... 1000's of FREE Term Papers, Essays, Book Reports & Research Papers. Oedipus Rex Essay - Critical Essays...
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...Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero can be seen in many works of Literature, and has verified its importance towards a lot of authors. His definition basically states that the character comes from a noble figure, occupies a high position in his/her society or kingdom and epitomizes a tragic flaw that ultimately leads to his or her downfall. The term Hubris is defined as excessive pride and self-confidence. It indicates that the person who exhibits it has lost contact with reality and always overestimates his accomplishment, which can lead to his/her downfall. The downfall could be anything from mental disturbance to even death. The concept of a tragic hero can definitely be seen in Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex and Shakespeare’s King Lear. Even though there are differences in both the writing, they also have some similarities. In Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, the title character was the king of Thebes, and his city was infected with a poisonous plague. To discover the source of the plague and to get rid of it, the Oracle of Delphi was called. It turned out to be that the only way to get rid of plague would be to banish the killer of the former ruler of Thebes, Laius, from the city-state. Oedipus was Laius’s and Jocasta’s son, which was given to shepherd and was order to kill Oedipus, because it was found out that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother. He was very shocked after hearing this because he did not believe that he would ever do something like that. Jocasta then...
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...It's hard to acknowledge Oedipus tragic flaw I will explain who explain who or what is responsible for his downfall. Basically the theme of the book is “the desire to avoid the truth” basically the truth about his history. He's the son the prophecy foretold the one who would kill his father and marry his mother. Unfortunately, oedipuss desire to avoid the truth only puts off the inevitable and the tragic irony is that even as the facts are piling up against him, Oedipus can't seem to make even the most obvious connections. The desire to avoid the truth manifest itself, all along Oedipus continues to look at the truth, but never to really see it. There has been many reviews on showing how Oedipus is in fact a tragic flaw or tragic hero, for...
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...Ironic Tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is a drama in which King Oedipus suffers a tragic fate. He leaves his country in order to avoid killing his father and sleeping with his mother (Sophocles 1327). In his attempt to prevent his foretold fate from coming to pass, he unknowingly brings it to fulfillment. After speaking to a shepherd, he realizes that the woman he is married to is his mother and that her former husband, whom he murdered, is his father. Sophocles uses several types of irony in the story of Oedipus’ fate. For instance, verbal irony is used in this drama. Oedipus Rex pronounces a curse on the “criminal” who has murdered King Laius (Sophocles 1314). This is ironic because he “curses the murderer of Laius and it turns out that he has cursed himself” (Knox 1383). Verbal irony is seen also in Oedipus’ conversation with the prophet Teiresias. Oedipus calls Teiresias “sightless,” and Teiresias calls Oedipus “blind” (Sophocles 1317-1318). The irony of this conversation is that Oedipus becomes physically blind when he repeatedly strikes his eyes with golden brooches after seeing his dead wife (1340). Also, the usage of irony of situation is present in Oedipus Rex. Jocasta, Oedipus’ wife and mother, believes that her son is dead (Sophocles 1325). The discrepancy lies in the fact that her son is alive and that her son is Oedipus. Irony of circumstance is seen again in Oedipus believing that the prophesies were a lie because Polybos died (1332). Oedipus’ joy over the news...
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...When the Tragic Hero Falls There are lots of tragedies happening all around us, whether it be a catastrophic incident or something as simple as dropping that last piece of cake, each of us have different ways of viewing tragedies. The two tragedies, Oedipus Rex and Death of a Salesman examine tragedies very differently. Oedipus Rex is about a king who uncovers his horrific backstory, that he has killed his father and married his mother. Knowing this information, it begins to demolish his state of reality. It caused him to go from an extremely high peak, honored king, to a terribly low peak, resented human. In Death of a Salesman, a average American man named Willy Loman spirals into further insanity because he cannot reach his deceitful dream....
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...a link, between times whilst the differences provide an understanding of the era. Oedipus Rex was written in the early 5th Century BC. The world was still new and undiscovered and the Greeks and Sophocles’ hero were at the mercy of their God. UP, on the other hand is set in our lifetime, with endless opportunities and adventure, limited only by the dreaded fate, old age and Doug, but we don’t need to mention him (Video – but it’s a talking dog). Although the elements, roles and representations of these heroes and...
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...Sophocles' Oedipus is a perfect fit to Aristotle's Ideal Tragic Hero. Oedipus follows all of the rules, with a hamartia, an anagnorisis, and a peripeteia. The audience is introduced to the hamartia, or tragic flaw, of Oedipus early in the play. Oedipus believes he can dodge the oracle given to him at Delphi that he will kill his father and marry his mother. By leaving the city of Corinth and heading to Thebes, Oedipus thinks that he can outsmart the will that the gods have for him. However, the audience knows that one cannot run away from an oracle. The oracle will come true no matter what is done. Therefore, the hamartia of Oedipus is his belief that he can evade his oracle. Oedipus' anagnorisis, recognition, later comes when he is told that it was he who killed the former King Lauis and that he is, in fact, now married to his own mother. The city of Thebes had been searching for King Lauis' murderer in order to drive him out of Thebes to save the city from the plague. With this anagnorisis Oedipus is finally led to his peripeteia, or downfall. First of all, Oedipus is put to shame in front of his entire city because of his incestuous act of marrying his mother. But, more importantly, he realizes that he had not successfully avoided the oracle. In order to try to save himself he blinds himself. If he is not able to see the truth with his own eyes, he should not be able to enjoy the gift of sight. http://personal.monm.edu/ysample/aristotle.htm Oedipus follows ten of the points...
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...A hero is defined as many things. One who is selfless, one who shows compassion, one who not only leads others into battle but fights alongside them. In the greek parables, The Odyssey, by Homer and in Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles a hero is described as someone who perseveres on even when burdened by the weight of the unknown. The hero of The Odyssey is named Odysseus, a young man who overcame many trials to get back to his home in Ithaca, and the hero of Oedipus Rex is King Oedipus, a ruler who has his people's best interest at heart. The protagonists in these tales are both reputed to have heroic qualities and yet how they dealt with being receptive to new ideas, their humility, and their relationship with a higher power was what led each to...
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...Comedy A tragedy is defined as beginning with a problem that affects everyone, i.e. the whole town or all the characters involved, the tragic hero must solve this problem and this results in his banishment or death [run-on sentence]. A comedy is defined as also beginning with a problem, but one of less significant importance. The characters try to solve the problem and the story ends with all the characters uniting in either a marriage of a party. Although these two genres are seen as being complete opposites of each other, through further analysis one can gather that though they are different certain similarities can also be seen. One aspect of these genres that can be compared and contrasted is the narrative or plot. A comparison can be analyzed in that both begin with a problem. In Oedipus Rex, the play begins with a plague devastating the city of Thebes. In A Midsummer Night's Dream there is also a plague that is upon the land. However, a difference between these two beginnings is that in Oedipus Rex the citizen are effected by it to the point that they look towards Oedipus for a solution to their suffering; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the effects of the plague are never shown to the audience and it seems a minor detail. Another difference is the cause of the plague in the two plays. In the tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the hero ends up being the cause because he murdered the king; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream the cause is a fight between Titania and Oberon. ...
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...Comedy A tragedy is defined as beginning with a problem that affects everyone, i.e. the whole town or all the characters involved, the tragic hero must solve this problem and this results in his banishment or death [run-on sentence]. A comedy is defined as also beginning with a problem, but one of less significant importance. The characters try to solve the problem and the story ends with all the characters uniting in either a marriage of a party. Although these two genres are seen as being complete opposites of each other, through further analysis one can gather that though they are different certain similarities can also be seen. One aspect of these genres that can be compared and contrasted is the narrative or plot. A comparison can be analyzed in that both begin with a problem. In Oedipus Rex, the play begins with a plague devastating the city of Thebes. In A Midsummer Night's Dream there is also a plague that is upon the land. However, a difference between these two beginnings is that in Oedipus Rex the citizen are effected by it to the point that they look towards Oedipus for a solution to their suffering; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the effects of the plague are never shown to the audience and it seems a minor detail. Another difference is the cause of the plague in the two plays. In the tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the hero ends up being the cause because he murdered the king; while in A Midsummer Night's Dream the cause is a fight between Titania and Oberon. ...
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...be considered a tragedy. Miller states that a play is recognized as a tragedy when it presents a character that is willing to “lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing–his sense of personal dignity.” This character is trying to find his “‘rightful’ position in society,” but is eventually destroyed by shame that is caused by what is perceived as unfair treatment. Therefore, according to Miller, tragedy is the consequence of a man’s need to evaluate himself fairly (Miller “Tragedy”). The three dramas being evaluated, The Tragedy of Othello, Oedipus Rex, and Death of a Salesman, all fit this definition of a tragedy to some degree. The degree to which the parameters of dramatic tragedy are fulfilled in each play increases from The Tragedy of Othello to Oedipus Rex to Death of a Salesman. Out of the plays being analyzed, The Tragedy of Othello is the least tragic of the three. Othello, as a character, is a tragic hero that does actually give his own life in order to secure his sense of personal dignity (Shakespeare 1542). Othello feels that, despite the influence of Iago, he himself caused Desdemona's death as well as much of the other damage and tragedy that has occurred, and the only way to redeem his dignity is by killing himself. On the other hand, though, Othello had never really lost his rightful position in society, so the tragic events that occur are not implicated by shame or indignation. Instead, the tragic events that occur are implicated by trickery and...
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...On the surface, Oedipus Rex seems to be the story of a man who is caught in the awful trap of fate. Although this is true, Sophocles uses this story as a vessel for the discussion of the themes of the nature of humans and reality. One thing that is displayed by the journey of Oedipus is that there are many elements of fate that one can not run from. Sophocles also discusses how to determine the nature and worth of a person. Through the vessel of this narrative, everyone is challenged to look at these facets of humanity. Of these questions about humanity, the question of fate is the one that is most readily visible. According to Sophocles, when Oedipus goes to Delphi, he is told that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus’s first reaction, similar to one that many people would have, is to remove himself from a situation in which he might fulfill the prophecy. The irony of the situation is, that in doing so, Oedipus walks directly in to the situation that fulfills the prophecy that he dreads. Through this strange twist of events, Sophocles tries to show that there are some aspects of our lives that that we have no control over. What one needs to do in these situations is simply to make the best of the situation that is presented. In the modern context, people are born into certain circumstances and living conditions. These situations will often limit each person’s opportunities, but he should still make the most of whatever he can. Only by fully exploiting...
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...Pig-headedness IV. Downfall V. Conclusion Dramatic Research Paper “Oedipus Rex” by Sophocles “Oedipus Rex” was a Greek Tragedy written by Sophocles in the fifth century BC. It was the first of a trilogy of plays surrounding the life of Oedipus. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays approximately 100 years before Aristotle even defined a tragedy and the tragic hero. Aristotle’s definition of a tragedy is “… an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and of some amplitude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; by means of pity and fear effecting its purgation of these emotions” (Kennedy and Gioa 2010). According to Aristotle there were six elements to a tragedy: the plot, the character, the thought, the spectacle, the diction, and the music. He believed that “[t]he plot, then, is the first principle, and, as it were, the soul of a tragedy; character holds the second place” (Aristotle 1999). The character (tragic hero) being the second most important element of the tragedy, he must be of nobility, he is not infallible and his downfall is due to an error in judgment, and is capable of making his own choices and, most important, accepting the consequences for those choices. “Oedipus Rex” is not only a classic example of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic plot; Oedipus (the protagonist) has all the characteristics of a tragic hero. Oedipus is the son of a king and eventually becomes a King; his character is also that of...
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