Characteristics Of Oedipus - 1406 Words

Sophocles is very influential and one of the first great play-writes. One of his greatest characters is no-doubt Oedipus the king. Oedipus is one of the most complex and interesting characters ever put to paper. Oedipus’ actions are very unique and human, in the context of books. Oedipus has many different character traits, such as his hubris, determination, and knowledge, however all of them blend seamlessly together in a very believable and human way. When Oedipus first introduces himself to us he already displays one of his greatest traits. He is summoned to his balcony because a messenger of the Gods has returned to him with news. â€Å"My sons!† (Sophocles 1) He cries out. Oedipus views himself in a very Godly and fatherly way. He saved†¦show more content†¦You are blind in mind and ears as well as in your eyes.† (22) Oedipus summons Tiresias to his castle in hopes that he would tell him good news. After Tiresias does not tell him what he wants to hear, and accuses him like Creon, Oedipus turns on him and calls him a traitor. Prideful people view themselves and their needs as more important than others, Oedipus also views his position of authority very highly. When people challenge his authority he, due to his pride and hubris, reacts very aggressively. Oedipus, throughout the book, displays great determination. This may be an effect of his hubris, his overconfidence in the way he views himself has led him to believe that he can do anything, so he tries to. Soon after Oedipus discovers that he must find a murderer in Thebes, he vows to Creon that he will find this murder, and questions him vividly. â€Å"Oedipus: Where are they? Where would a trace of this old crime be found? Creon: The clue is in this land, so said the God.† (10) Oedipus truly wants to find the killer, whether this is to prove himself or save Thebes is up to interpretation, however he asks Creon many questions about the killer. If Oedipus was just hubristic and not determined he wouldn’t care about Laius’ murder, because he would view himself above the Gods and their punishments. However, he questions Creon and vows to find the murderer with him. Along with his questioning of Creon, Oedipus invokes a curse onto theShow MoreRelatedCharacteristic s Of Oedipus1043 Words   |  5 Pages Oedipus Rex Oedipus Rex is a book about a man named Oedipus, who before he was born had a prophecy to fulfill. The prophecy stated that Oedipus would kill his Father and marry his mother. Oedipus had many flaws, with one being inner blindness. Oedipus’s flaws and inner blindness played part in him being a static character because he was oblivious to the clues all around them, if he had caught the clues in time he could have saved his family of embarrassmentRead MoreCharacteristics Of Oedipus The King928 Words   |  4 PagesConstitution on, like in the US. In Sophocles’ play Oedipus Rex the king, Oedipus, was very well liked because of his heroic act of solving the Sphinxs riddle, ridding the city of the monster, which led him to become the king of Thebes. During his rule, a plague spreads throughout the city, killing many people, forcing the people go to their king to plead for the help of their heroic king to once again save the city. A prophecy from Apollo was given to Oedi pus which said, in order to save the city, theRead MoreCharacteristics of a Tragic Hero in Oedipus the King by Sophocles1238 Words   |  5 Pagesof a tragic hero, it can be concluded that Oedipus is a tragic hero. Oedipus The King was written by a well-known tragic dramatist named Sophocles. This story is considered to be one of the greatest tragedies of all time. In fact, the Marjorie Barstow of the Classical Weekly says that it â€Å"fulfills the function of a tragedy, and arouses fear and pity in the highest degree† (Barstow). 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This manuscript explains that for any play to be truly considered a tragedy, its hero must meet Aristotle’s standards for a high-minded man. In the tragedy of Oedipus Rex, by Sophacles, Oedipus clearly meets the requirements to be called a high-minded man. Oedipus is expressive about his thoughtsRead MoreThe Characters Of Hubris In Oedipus The King1032 Words   |  5 PagesHubris is one characteristic of humans that leads to people committing evil deeds. In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles with facing the truth about his fate. His hubris leads him to be an arrogant and ignorant person throughout the play. Hubris also leads Oedipus to lose control over his emotions on multiple occasions in the story. In Sophocles’ play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus’ character flaws clearly ou tweigh his positive qualities. 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This ignorance of truth is a characteristic found within the Aristotelian definition of a tragedy. Tragedy, as defined by Aristotle in his Poetics, are imitations of actions and are not narrative. This means that tragedies are often demonstratedRead MoreDiscuss The Importance Of Oracles To Oedipus Rex1620 Words   |  7 Pages1. Discuss the importance of oracles to the ancient Greeks and specifically, to Oedipus Rex. Include a consideration about whether human actions are the result of predestination (Fate/Destiny) or free will. What does Sophocles seem to believe on this issue? After reading the passage throughly, I feel that for the ancient Greeks fate was an important aspect to their daily lives it shaped and formed human life. Fate has evolved during the years mainly because for the Greeks it was seen somethingRead MoreOedipus Rex And The Downfall Of Oedipus951 Words   |  4 PagesA man has many defining characteristics. Some characteristics are positive, and others negative. There are times a potentially positive characteristic may cause his eventual downfall. This concept could be directly related to the story Oedipus Rex. Aristotle once said something to the effect that the tragic hero falls into bad fortune because of some flaw in his character. Essentially, he is telling us those characters, like Oedipus, have flaws that, under normal circumstances, would be a beneficial