Tragic Hero

4 Pages 917 Words

Art defines the advancement of humankind. Art instructs, reveals the truth, and expresses the highest feelings of humankind. Sophocles, the author of “Oedipus Rex,” and Aeschylus, the author of “Promethus Bound” and “Agamemnon” were both masters of art, weaving the effects of discord between brash humans and divine entities. Their plays unveil the cold reality of the vulnerability of humans, which shadows Aristotle’s idea of tragedy.
Aristotle believed that tragedy is a representation of terrible and piteous events arousing sorrow and fear. The conscious and unconscious actions of man are what precipitates events and future actions. Clytemnestra, Prometheus, and Oedipus Rex are all protagonists who evoke pity and fear due to their mixed natures, partly good and partly bad. The tragedy in a plot does not rise out of the characters themselves, but instead tests characters through destiny. Under inescapable fate, the moral characters of individuals are truly exposed, separating tragic heroes from tragic characters.
Oedipus Rex is a tragic hero because his attempt to escape fate, an offensive mortal sin to the gods, ultimately leads to his demise. However, before Oedipus ignores the will of the gods, he establishes himself as a moral and upright person. For instance, upon discovery of the oracle’s prediction, Oedipus flees Corinth to avoid killing Polybus and marrying Merope, the people he believes to be his parents. This sacrifice for his adoptive parents displays Oedipus’ virtue. Next, once arriving at the town of Thebes, the townspeople revere Oedipus as a hero for bravely expelling the plague by solving the Sphinx’s riddle. He secures a reputation as an intelligent, brave, and just leader. Oedipus’ nobility is emphasized further by his determination to punish Laius’ murderer appropriately. Unfortunately, a young victim of illusion, Oedipus spurns those who actually know the truth, believing he is above his ...