tragoed The Tragic Figure of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)

The Tragic Figure of Oedipus Rex Sophocles is perhaps one of the greatest tragedians ever. Sophocles said that a man should never consider himself fortunate unless he can look back on his life and remember that life without pain. For Oedipus Rex, looking back is impossible to do without pain. This pain stems from his prideful life. Oedipus is aware that he alone is responsible for his actions. Oedipus freely chooses to pursue and accept his own lifes destruction. Even though fate victimizes Oedipus, he is a tragic figure since his own heroic qualities, his loyalty to Thebes, and his fidelity to the truth ruin him. Oedipus’ pride, strung from his own heroic qualities, is one factor that ruined him. A hero prizes above all†¦show more content†¦Aristotle explains that a tragic character is just and good, but his misfortune is brought about not by wickedness or depravity but by error, pride, or frailty. Oedipus fits this description perfectly. The story of Oedipus fascinates us because of the spectacle of a man freely choosing, from the highest motives, a series of actions which lead to his ruin. (Dodds 23). Oedipus could leave the city of Thebes and let the plague take its course but pity for the sufferings of his people compelled him to consult Delphi (Dodds 23). When Apollos word comes back, he could leave the murder of Laius uninvestigated, but pride and justice cause him to act. Oedipus cannot let a murder investigation go by without solving the riddle of who killed King Laius because his pride overpowers him. Oedipus pride reveals itself again in his loyalty to the truth. Oed ipus constant struggle to discover the truth for the sake of his people ruined him most in the end. Even though he is warned many times to stop seeking the truth, he keeps on searching. Oedipus has to choose between his doom and an alternative which if accepted would betray the heros own conception of himself, his rights, his duties, but in the end the hero refused to yield; he remains true to himself, to his physis (Knox 8). Therefore, one can see Oedipus need to uncover the truth about Laius and then about himself as proof of his commitment to uphold his own nature, pride. Oedipus quest for