The Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King Essay

Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus the King,† successfully demonstrates Aristotle’s definition of tragedy. According to Aristotle â€Å"tragedy† is vastly different from what one would likely describe if requested in modern times. It is common today to hear one speak of a tragic vehicular crash, but what is being spoken of as a tragedy, is an accident, not a tragedy. Thus, it is important to understand what Aristotle thought when he spoke of a â€Å"tragedy.† Based on Aristotle, POETICS, CHAPTER VI, The tragedy is an imitation of an action of high importance, complete and some amplitude; in language enhanced by distinct and varying beauties; acted not narrated; using pity and fear effecting its purgation of these emotions (Kennedy Gioia, 2013, p. 905). Oedipus is a nobleman who overflows with pride. Through an Oracle, he finds that he is â€Å"doomed to kill his father and marry his mother no matter what he (or his parents) might do to prevent it,† and even father the children of his mother (Solomon, 2003, p. 447). Due to Oedipus’ hamartia, an error in judgment and his flaw of hubris, extreme pride, his kingdom, family, and self will endure great sufferings (Kennedy Gioia, 2013, p. 905). According to Aristotle, â€Å"the protagonist,† which is Oedipus in Sophocles play, â€Å"is a person of â€Å"high estate,†Ã¢â‚¬  and a â€Å"noble soul† (Kennedy Gioia, 2013, p. 905). In this case, one might say that the main character fulfills this in more than one manner, as he is born into nobility in Thebes to King Laius andShow MoreRelatedThe Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King )1044 Words   |  5 PagesThe Forgotten Ones (Describe the Significance of the Chorus in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King) Oedipus the King is a famous play written by the renowned author Sophocles and first acted out back in 429 BC. It is the second of three plays written by Sophocles that dealt with Oedipus; the first one being Oedipus at Colonus and the last one being Antigone. This play relates the story of Oedipus, a man who becomes King of Thebes while unwittingly fulfilling an old prophecy that said that he would killRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Oedipus The King By Sophocles2776 Words   |  12 Pagesthem with. In the tragedy, Oedipus the King by Sophocles, Oedipus’ fate starts with a prophecy. No matter how much Oedipus tries to do the â€Å"right† thing, the prophecy comes to term. 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Oedipus’s tragic flaws like hubris, curiosity, and anger, contribute to his unfortunate fate. The components of a perfect tragedy as defined in Aristotle’s Poetics are at the center of Oedipus Rex. The play contains the elements of a perfect tragedy such asRead MoreOedipus Tyrannus, A Tragic Hero. Summary: . Context. Oedipus1391 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus Tyrannus, a Tragic Hero Summary: Context Oedipus Tyrannus is a Greek tragedy that was first performed as a play in 429 BCE. The setting of the play is in Thebes, one of Greece’s city states that is suffering from a tragic plague. King Oedipus’s brother in-law; Creon, reports back from the oracle of Apollo that the plague would only be lifted if the murderer of his predecessor; King Laius, is found and brought to justice. 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