Oedipus the King The Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Essay

Fate chose him to kill his dad, marry his mom, and discover it all in Oedipus Rex, Sophocles’ tragedy. Oedipus was so determined to save Thebes from the plague bestowed on them by Apollo. But little did he know that he was the source of it all. His constant reversal of fortune, neutrality, and suffering make him the perfect example of a classic Greek tragic hero. One moment, Oedipus is brimming with hope; the next, he’s sure that he is the killer of his father, King Laius. Every time Oedipus thinks that it can’t possibly be him, evidence proves otherwise. His wife, Jocasta, attempts to prove his innocence but â€Å"lets out part of the dire secret by her allusion to the ‘triple crossroads’† (Haigh). By attempting to assist Oedipus, she†¦show more content†¦When he first speaks to the citizens of Thebes, he shows a side of himself that cares about the city and its people. â€Å"†¦my spirit / Groans for the city, for myself, for y ou†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (I. Prologue. 65-66), says Oedipus. He shows that he really does want what’s best for everyone. But then, he goes and insults the psychic, Teiresias, when Teiresias tells him that he is King Laius’ killer and the source of the plague. Says Oedipus, â€Å"You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man!† (I. 1. 356). He refuses to believe that he is the source of his peoples’ troubles. As one A.E. Haigh said, â€Å"[Oedipus] catches at each hint, and pursues each clue, with a light and cheerful heart†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But unfortunately, he doesn’t stay so light and cheerful. He shows all sides of himself throughout the story, which really helps the reader stay intrigued with Oedipus and the story as a whole. Suffering is the most evident and powerful piece of Oedipus as the tragic hero in the story, particularly near the end. And there’s a unique aspect of the suffering in Oedipus Rex that is worth mentioning: What makes the Oedipus story different from most of the other Greek myths is that there seems to be no reason why so many terrible accidents happened, not only to him, but to his parents, grandparents, and other ancestors (Costas). For instance, Oedipus’ daughters will have big problems leading normal lives after all the things that have happened to theirShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Flaws Of Oedipus The King1352 Words   |  6 Pagesbecome their greatest weaknesses. Their strongest traits can turn into their tragic flaws. A tragic flaw is a trait viewed as being favorable to a character at first, but it leads to their later downfall. It was often used in ancient Greek tragedies to show that mankind was susceptible to flaw. This was present in Sophocles s tragedy, Oedipus the King. The protagonist of the tragedy, Oedipus, was not exempt from his own flaws. 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