Tragedy in Oedipus Rex The Greek drama Oedipus Rex is clearly a tragedy. It definitely meets the five main criteria for a tragedy: a tragic hero of noble birth, a tragic flaw, a fall from grace, a moment of remorse, and catharsis. Oedipus Rex clearly meets the first of these five criteria. Oedipus is the son of Laius, who was king of Thebes. Even at the beginning of the story, when we are told that Oedipus is the son of Polybus, he is still of noble birth; Polybus is king of Corinth. The tragic flaw, or mistake that a character makes, in Oedipus Rex does not actually take place during the story. We only watch as Oedipus and the rest of the characters discover this mistake that was actually made long, long ago and cannot be reversed. This tragic flaw is of course Oedipus killing his father Lauis, and then marrying Jocasta, his mother. We realize that these actions have taken place much earlier in the story than the characters do. However, both of these events actually took many years ago. The fall from grace in Oedipus Rex is when Oedipus, Jocasta, and all the other characters in the story realize that Oedipus actually did murder Laius and that Jocasta is indeed his mother as well as his wife. This occurs rather quickly, very close to the end of the play. The audience sees this coming long before it actually does, however. In one of the passages of Oedipus speaking with Jocasta, just about everything is spelled out for us. Jocasta speaks of Laius leaving the castle with just a few servants and his being killed where three roads meet. Oedipus claims that he killed somebody where three roads met, who had a few servants with him. As though this isn't enough, Jocasta describes Laius to Oedipus by saying "his figure was not much unlike your own" (p. 27). Oedipus, after hearing all this, says "O, it is plain already!" (p. 27) indicating that he was the killer of his father. He goes on to make absolutely sure, even though it is obvious that he was Lauis's killer. The moment of remorse comes at the end of the story, when one of the servants who had accompanied Laius on his final journey came to speak to Oedipus. He was the only one who survived the attack, and told that contrary to rumor, Laius was killed by one man, not robbers. He then pointed out this one man, Oedipus. We are told soon after that Jocasta hanged herself upon hearing this. When this news reaches Oedipus, he takes the pins from her dress and stabs his eyes out. The catharsis, or emotional cleansing of the audience, comes at the same time as the remorse. The audience suddenly feels sorry for this poor man who has unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, for the people of this land who have been suffering from an awful curse because of it, and for the unfortunate Jocasta, who was basically an innocent bystander in the whole confusing disaster. In these five ways, the story Oedipus Rex classifies as a tragedy. However, in my opinion at least, you don't really need a standard checklist to see if Oedipus Rex is a tragedy or not. Any story which ends in the death of one major character and a lifetime of misery, shame, and self-exile for the other major character is clearly a tragedy.
A messenger hurriedly arrives at a palace to tell king Oedipus, that his father, Polybus, the king of another town, has died at an old age of natural causes. The message's receptor and his queen, therefore, assume that Oedipus has escaped his fate as told by the oracle at Delphi that he should murder his father and marry his mother. There is reprieve of worry until it is revealed that the man who died was merely Oedipus' adoptive father and that Oedipus had indeed once killed his father and was married to his mother. Oedipus was not the king of his fate.
To this Jocasta remarks in unpleasant surprise, “What do you say? Is Polybus dead, old man?”(Scene III) At this, the messenger tries to get him to come back but he declares that he’ll never go back. Then the messenger goes on to say that his worries are in vain for Polybus wasn’t really his father. Jocasta calls for Oedipus and they both begin to think that maybe they have defeated fate after all. However, Oedipus still has doubts. “Know that he had received you as a gift from my hands long ago.”(Scene III) The messenger tells Oedipus that he saves him from the mountainside where he found him and gave him to the king of Corinth in hopes that the child would become a king. As Jocasta begins to catch on she begs Oedipus to leave things alone as they are better off that way. There is much admiration for Oedipus’ adamancy to find out the truth yet he does not know that such things have
Both men had tragic outcomes; however, Oedipus' ending was by far the most heartrending. The tragedy of him being a "son, And a husband, to the woman who bore him; father-killer, And father-s...
My analysis is on the film The Goonies. While I view the movie and determine the various norms, behaviors, roles and interaction between group members, as well as individuals the examination within the realm of film can present many of the same components. Thus, our group selected this movie to analyze based on its formation of a cohesive problem-solving group full of unforgettable characters. The Goonies portray many different theories and aspects of small group communication.
The uncertain vision used by Sophocles’ in the tragedy “Oedipus the King”, was created through a prophecy foretelling of Oedipus killing his father and marrying his mother. When King Laius is told of the prophecy, he orders his wife Jocasta to kill their son Oedipus. Queen Jocasta orders a servant to carry out the task, and as was the common practice of that time, the servant left the baby in the wilderness, to die alone. A Shepard finds him and takes him to the city of Corinth, where King Polybus decides to raise him as his own son. When Oedipus is older, he learns of the prophecy and thinking that King
Oedipus Rex contains a hero who while being defined as a tragic hero also manages to follow the pathways of the heroes journey. Oedipus goes on a hero’s journey that is vastly different from the usual journey but it still qualifies as a hero’s journey nevertheless. Oedipus is also a tragic hero as his flaw of quick anger would eventually lead to his demise and exile from Thebes. Oedipus Rex is a great example of a story that can contain a hero’s journey, but yet have a tragic hero.
Oedipus portrays a tragic protagonist absorbed in a web of illusion that he believes to be real. Oedipus sincerely believes that his life is reality and that he is the son of King Polybus, the King of Thebes, and the husband of Queen Jocasta. However, what Oedipus does not grasp is that he fulfilled the prophecy the gods sent for him.
Sophocles’ tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, sees the conflict develop and reach a climax, and this is followed by a catastrophe and resolution of the conflict.
According to Aristotle, Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is the ultimate example of a Greek tragedy. In his work, Poetics, he states numerous reasons of what makes a story a tragedy. Oedipus the King embodies all of the qualities that make a story a tragedy. Oedipus the King does not only cause catharsis, but Oedipus is a hero who has a tragic flaw which, in turn, leads to his demise.
Just as Jocasta was, Oedipus is left in a confused state of mind and is quick to make the assumption that the oracles were false in their prophecies. "They led me to believe that I would kill my father. But he is dead and in his grave, while I stand here - never having touched a weapon" (Sophocles 22). At this time Oedipus is ignorant to the fact that Polybus was not his father. Although comforted in thinking that he was able to avoid the oracle because he did not kill his father, Oedipus still fears his union with his mother in bed. "But my fear is of her - as long as she lives" (Sophocles 22). If Merope was to have been Oedipus' mother, then he would not have been a sacrificial scapegoat, because one characteristic of the sacrificial scapegoat is the permission of the character to engage in sexual intercourse with a woman usually forbidden to him. It is not natural for a man to sleep with his mother, and Oedipus thinks he has managed to refrain from doing so. Later in this scene the messenger reveals information to Oedipus that contradicts everything that he had long believed. "Then you must realize that your fear is groundless. Because Polybus was no relative of yours" (Sophocles 23). The messenger proceeds in telling Oedipus about his childhood - that he gave Oedipus to Polybus as a gift after receiving him from another shepherd in the hills of Cithaeron. Because Oedipus wanted more information
Murray’s appreciation of the “crescendo of tragedy” in Oedipus Rex is echoed in the sentiments of another critic: In Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge, Charles Segal says that the protagonist fares well in the first series of tests, but declines towards his catastrophe in the second series:
Many things can describe a tragedy. However, according to definition of a tragedy by Aristotle, there are only five. The play has to have a tragic hero, preferably of noble stature. Second, the tragic hero must have a tragic flaw. Because of that flaw, the hero falls from either power or death. Due to the fall, the tragic hero discovers something. Finally, there must be catharsis in the minds of the audience.
We will explore what it takes for a working group to become a high performance team. We will see how these teams are formed and how a high performance team could benefit a company and we will see how demographics and cultural diversity affect them. High performance teams are teams that get together for a specific important task. It is important for everyone that is apart of the high performance team to have the same purpose and or goals. If the teammates have different goals or motives then it can make it difficult for the team to be effective. Everyone who is participating with the team should trust or learn to trust each other. Along with trust, which may be even more important, is respect. Respect is such an important aspect in any type of team, especially a high performance team. If all of the members in the high performance team trust and respect one another, it makes it easier to achieve success.
According to Aristotle, a tragedy must be an imitation of life in the form of a serious story that is complete in itself among many other things. Oedipus is often portrayed as the perfect example of what a tragedy should be in terms of Aristotle’s Poetics. Reason being that Oedipus seems to include correctly all of the concepts that Aristotle describes as inherent to dramatic tragedy. These elements include: the importance of plot, reversal and recognition, unity of time, the cathartic purging and evocation of pity and fear, the presence of a fatal flaw in the “hero”, and the use of law of probability.
When it comes to the history of drama Sophocles’ Oedipus is the king of all tragic heroes. From killing his own father and marring his own mother Oedipus’s tragic downfall leaves the reader emotionally scarred for life. Yet he still holds on to his morality and prevails past it all. Famous Greek philosopher Aristotle defines what a tragic hero is and Oedipus fits it perfectly. Oedipus is a true embodiment of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero through his ability to preserve his virtue and wisdom, despite his flaws and predicament.