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Characteristics of the Tragic Hero in the Oedipus Trilogy

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In a span of years, a great thinker and dramatic writer by the name of Sophocles wrote his infamous Oedipus Trilogy. It consists of three plays surrounding the life of a man by the name of Oedipus and gives insight into a failing attempt to outsmart fate. The plays are called Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone. Oedipus is the protagonist and tragic hero in Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus, where he reveals his true character by his actions and feelings. By reading these plays, we learn that Oedipus causes his own downfall by his arrogance, hardheadedness, determination.


One of the most discernible characteristics in Oedipus is his arrogance and boastfulness. His arrogance first shows when he is angered by an old man in a chariot; he cannot control his temper when the man insults him, so he kills the man along with his attendants. This old man was is father, Laius, but Oedipus had no idea at the time. His boastfulness is the result of his smart answer in response to the Sphinx's challenge. All-knowing Oedipus gave the correct answer to the question she asked, and felt everyone needed to laud him for it. In addition to his intellect, the people cause him to be arrogant they all love and praise him, which contributes to his alter-ego. Creon looks up to Oedipus; he is his right hand man whom Oedipus sends to Delphi to get help for the city. The chorus also looks up to Oedipus because he tries to save the city from the plague, and they consider him a strong leader in the face of tribulations. But at the end of the play, they soon take pity on Oedipus and the life he is living. His true colors shine through when he discovers the dark sins that he has committed. His denial takes over him; he feels that because he is such a prominent king, there is no way that he could have committed the murder of his own father. His own arrogance takes over his life and eventually causes his own death and blindness.


Another characteristic of Oedipus is his hard-headedness. His thoughts are a major factor in the shaping of his character. All his life, he thinks he is Polybus' son from Corinth. He has no idea he was born to someone else, who wanted to kill him. He remains oblivious of this until a messenger from Corinth arrives to tell of Polybus' death and that Oedipus is not Polybus' son. His parents were Laius and Jocasta. Jocasta was not the wife he thought she was; she was, in fact, his mother. Never did he dream it was his own mother. He had to investigate further; he couldn't accept this news from just a messenger. His blindness to the truth brings out his true character he isn't half the man that he says he is. He wants to battle against the inevitable, and it can not be done. The thoughts of Oedipus show his hard-headedness and denial of the truth. Oedipus makes some very key statements and actions that show his intractable character. One action that comes to mind is when he makes a zealous attempt to save the city by getting rid of the king's killer. Little does he know that it is him. He shouts for the killer to come forth and he will not be hurt, only asked to leave. Later he states that the killer of the king may use the same hand to kill him. This foreshadows the future, letting the reader know that Oedipus may do something to harm his own self. He also makes many malicious statements to all the people who try to tell him the truth, such as Tiresias. His obdurate manner is what keeps him from accomplishing what he wants to and finding out the truth of his own life.


Another trait that Oedipus possesses is his determination and perseverance throughout the story. Moral actions and decisions played a part in Oedipus' holding this character trait. Some major decisions he had to make were dealing with the city. When dealing with the city, Oedipus took it in his own hands to save and protect it. He sent Creon to Delphi to get help. Then he took the necessary precautions to aid his fellow men even though it could mean him moving away forever. When hearing what the messenger from Corinth had to say, Oedipus decided to send for the Shepherd that saved him. He wanted to know if it was in fact true and hear it straight from him with all the details. He swears to take on the burden of de-plaguing the city and finding the murderer, and he will not stop till these goals are accomplished, which makes him the determined individual that he is. If he did not possess this willpower, he would never have found out the truth about his past. Another major decision that effectively expresses his persistence is when he pokes out his eyes. He wants to make himself suffer eternally by doing this; he feels that in order to see the truth, he must be blind to everything else. This again substantiates his determination. These actions all show that when he wants something, he does all he can to obtain it, even if it means death. Cheap Custom Essays on Characteristics of the Tragic Hero in the Oedipus Trilogy


When looking at an overview of Oedipus' character, we see that he is in fact a supercilious, stubborn, determined person who causes his own demise. He knows what he wants and does all he can to make sure it happens, whether it be finding out his background or saving his city. Even if he does it in an arrogant way, he accomplishes what he needs to. His characteristics relate back to Aristotle's definition of a tragic he one whose life falls apart when he discovers his past. This is true with Oedipus, and Sophocles's Oedipus embodies the quintessential model of a tragic hero in Greek Literature.


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