Sophocles: Aristotle's Theory Of The Tragic Hero

According to Aristotle 's theory of tragedy and his definition of the central character, Oedipus the hero of Sophocles is considered a classical model of the tragic hero. The tragic hero of a tragedy is essential element to arouse pity and fear of the audience to achieve the emotional purgation or catharathis. Therefore, this character must have some features or characteristics this state of purgation. In fact, Oedipus as a character has all the features of the tragic hero as demanded by Aristotle.

The concept of tragic hero is very important in the construction of tragedy. It is the main cause of pity and fear. The tragic hero is a character between the two extremes; he is neither virtuous nor evil. At the same time, this character

As a tragic hero, Oedipus 's errors bring his tragic downfall out at the end. First, the prominent flaw in his character is his stubbornness. He is stubborn to the extent that he does what he is thinking of whatever it costs. At the beginning, Tressias refuses to speak about the truth of Laius 's murder but he insists to know the killer to save Thebes. At the end Tressias tells him, that he is the murderer "the killer you are searching is yourself." Then, when Jocasta advices him not to follow the truth because it will bring his agony "you are a man of agony", he ignores her and keep on questioning the shepherd. He is stubborn and he wants to know his real identity from the shepherd. In fact, this stubbornness will bring his agony when he recognizes his real parents. Another flaw in his character is that he is a moody character and when he is in a bad temper, he can do anything. The result of his bad temper is the murder of king Laius who will turn to be his father. He was in a bad temper because of the prophecy. Moreover, he is a very quick character. He accuses Creon of plotting with Tressias against him to be the king. This because he is in a bad temper because of what Tressias said to him. Immediately before his accusation to Creon, he mocks Tressias the blind prophet of Apollo and insults him. Tressias replies

His downfall is not out of depravity or vice but it is out of natural errors in his personality. He will pay for his own flaws. The tragic downfall of our hero is in his real identity as the son of Laius and Jocasta. He will be the killer of his father and the husband of his real mother. As Tressias told him "no man will know worse suffering than you", and then Jocasta called him the "man of agony." He is does not know if he is the son of his daughters or the brother of them. After he discovers his real parents he blind himself in front of the dead body of his mother as a punishment. Moreover, the blind man will leave Thebes to get rid of the plague and the curse of the city. Neither Tressias nor the shepherd wanted to tell him the truth but his own stubbornness brought his end, they told him "I wish you had never the man you are." His bad temper made him killed his father and the same error is the cause behind his accusation to Creon his loyal brother-in-law. So, Oedipus stubbornness and bad temper make him lose his eyes and leave Thebes at the