Oedipus: Tragic Hero or Victim of Fate Essay Example

king and queen of Corinth, which allows for him to achieve another kind of nobility, even if it is false.Moreover, as previously stated, when Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx, he gained tremendous respect from all the citizens. Because Oedipus’ nobility and superiority is the resultant of various sources, it is not surprising that the audience members would develop a great respect and emotional attachment towards him. As Aristotle proclaimed, this emotional attachment is further used as a means for the character of Oedipus to evoke pity or fear from the audience in the latter half of the play.

Oedipus is superior not only because of social standing, but also because of his intelligence.However, while his intelligence allowed for him to attain a closer status to that of the gods after solving the riddle of the Sphinx, it is also what leads to the ultimate recognition of his pitiful fate. His inquisitive mind encourages him on as he seeks to unlock the mystery surrounding his birth. What is ironic, however, is the fact that a man as wise and knowledgeable as Oedipus would have tried to avoid the undeniable will of the gods. The mere thought that he could prevent the will of the gods is Oedipus’ judgment error, or “tragic flaw.

This irony plays an important part in Oedipus the King. The attempts to thwart fate can be illustrated in Oedipus' departure from Corinth. In this instance, the oracle's prophecy is proven to be true, despite the preventive actions taken by Oedipus. Oedipus flees Corinth only to discover that in so doing he has found his biological parents and has carried out the prophetic words

of the oracle. Sadly, Oedipus rejoices too soon over the failure of the oracle, only to find that the oracle was right after all.

In addition, the manner in which Oedipus displays his skepticism of the oracle is paradoxical. When Oedipus rejoices over Polybus' death as a sign that the oracle is fallible, he will not return to Corinth for fear that the oracle's statements concerning Merope could still come true. Regardless of what he might say, Oedipus continues to suspect that the oracles could be true and that the gods can, in fact, predict and shape the future. This would prove the fact that Oedipus’ pitiful future is not a result of his “tragic flaw,” but rather the exclusive will of the gods.

Instead of solely relying on the gods, however, Oedipus takes it upon himself to discover the truth. Nevertheless, his journey in search of the truth reveals the fulfillment of the oracle’s prophecy. Oedipus’ unremitting pursuit of the truth instead of placing trust in the gods, finally affirms the completion of the oracle’s words. While Oedipus’ “tragic flaw,” or the belief that he could change the predetermined will of the gods, had ultimately led him to the recognition of the unavoidable power of the gods, none of the measures Oedipus took had any effect on his future state.

What has God done to me? (Exodos, 84-88) The phrase “What has God done to me? ” suggests that Oedipus would agree that his present state was a result of a higher being. Oedipus is weak, distraught, and helpless at this time and seeks compassion from this higher power.This clearly shows that Oedipus’ downfall was not a

result of his “tragic flaw,” seeing that none of the anticipatory actions he took could outwit the authority of the gods. Finally, Oedipus' downfall evokes a great sense of pity from the audience members. By blinding himself, as opposed to simply committing suicide, Oedipus’ suffering is intensified.

Because Oedipus must continue through life lacking the ability to see, greater pity is elicited from the audience. "Apollo. Apollo. Dear /children, the god was Apollo. /He brought my sick, sick fate upon me. But the blinding hand was my own! " (Strophe 2, 110-113) Here, Oedipus attributes his harsh state to Apollo, god of the Sun.

This is only fitting as Apollo is responsible for bringing light into the world, which Oedipus is no longer able to see. He claims that Apollo has brought about his fate, but his personal act of blindness was his own doing. This shows that although Oedipus had tried to undermine the authority of the gods, which lead to all of his suffering, the will of the gods was to overpower him in the end despite his relentless attempts.Though Oedipus fits into most of Aristotle’s guidelines for a compelling tragic hero, he does not apply to all of the guidelines. For this reason, Oedipus is a victim of pure fate, as opposed to a tragic hero in Aristotle’s view.

Even though Oedipus was of noble and genuine character, evoked pity from the audience, and possessed a “tragic flaw,” this does not immediately suggest that Oedipus is a tragic hero. Oedipus’ downfall was not a result of his “tragic flaw,” but rather the sole authority of the gods.Upon closer examination, one discovers that even though fate

seemed to determine Oedipus’ life, he did have free will. It was this free will, which allowed him to make certain choices in hopes of preventing the ultimate authority of the gods, that eventually led to his suffering and brought the prophecy of the oracle to life. .