Why Is Oedipus A Tragic Hero

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Sierra McNeely Mr. Hancock World Literature 4 November 2016 Oedipus the Tragic Hero The story of Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, perfectly lays out the qualities of a tragic hero. Oedipus, the king, blindly plays the role of a tragic hero, in a hopeless attempt to save the city of Thebes from a murderer; who turns out to be him all along. The qualities he possesses are clearly displayed through his action/words, lack of judgement, pride, and unfortunate fate, making him the ultimate tragic hero. One reading the story may wonder how he did not see that all the signs pointed to him, but that just goes to show how well he fit the description. Actions and words can easily be the backbone of character building. Oedipus aids to his description …show more content…

A very unfortunate fate it was, but nonetheless as one knows, it could not be avoided. “Oedipus’ nobility and virtue provide his first key to success as a tragic hero.” (Struck, 2017) He was born with this fate from the gods and he had not way of escaping it, his parents had already tried. The way that the precautionary measures were taken by Jocasta and Laius when Oedipus was born did not work, showed clearly how nothing could stop what the gods said was going to …show more content…

Stricken with grief and sorrow, Oedipus felt like a fool for being so blind to everything that was going on. The way he broke down and blinded himself at the end of the story calls for empathy from the readers, in an attempt to understand and relate to Oedipus. The audience is made to feel sorry for him because they know that he had no control over his terrible situation. Which may cause them to question if something just as tragic could possibly happen to them. Oedipus reveals yet another trait of being a tragic hero when he shows regret for his own life being lived. “Had I died then, I would have caused no great grief to my people and myself.” (The Norton Anthology 520) This shows his innocence of the situation and how he intended to cause no harm. His words show his remorse for his actions, allowing the audience to once again connect with his character and reason with

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