The Pride of Oedipus the King Essay - 1346 Words

The Pride of Oedipus the King Oedipus the King is perhaps one of the most famous and influential of Sophocles plays. It is a tragic play which focuses on the discovery by Oedipus that he has killed his father and married his mother. On the surface of this drama there is, without a doubt, a tone of disillusionment. Throughout the play we find that Oedipus, the protagonist of this Greek tragedy, is tested by life in a number of ways. To those in Athens who watched the performance of Oedipus the King, Oedipus appeared to be the embodiment of a perfect Athenian. He is self-confident, intelligent, and strong-willed. Ironically, these are the very traits which bring about his tragic discovery. He is portrayed as a character of†¦show more content†¦Oedipus’ pride derives from his own heroic qualities and, ironically, ruins him. A hero prizes above all else his honor and the excellence of his life. When his honor is at stake, all other considerations become irrelevant. A hero values strength and skill, courage and determination, for these attributes enable the person who possesses them to achieve glory and honor, both in his lifetime and after he dies. Oedipus was certainly a hero who was exceptionally intelligent though one can argue that killing four men single-handedly, on his way to Delphi, more than qualified him as a physical force of reckoning. He obviously knew his heroic status when he greeted the citizens of Thebes before the palace doors saying, I thought it wrong, my children, to hear the truth / from others, messengers. Here I am myself- / you all know me, the world knows of my fame: / I am Oedipus.† (ll. 6-9) In this such passage, Oedipus proves that he is guilty of hubris, being too sure of himself, too confident in his own powers, and a little under mindful of the gods. If we examine his quest for identity, it becomes quite apparent that the sequence of events are quite coincidental. First, he summons Tiresias to name the killer, whom Oedipus does not at the time believe to be himself. Second, the tragic hero emerges as anything but aShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Pride of Sophocles Oedipus The King 1449 Words   |  6 PagesThe Pride of Sophocles Oedipus The King      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Greek tragedy is characterized by the emotional catharsis brought about by the horrific suffering of a heroic figure. In Oedipus The King, by Sophocles, the onslaught of pain assailing the protagonist is a result of his tragic flaw. Sophocles often used a characters hamartia to alter or influence the outcome or future of the hero. Oedipus hubris traps him to fulfil the oracle and intensifies his punishment.    Oedipus pride is an innateRead MoreThe Role of Pride in Sophocles Oedipus the King Essay974 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Oh my children, the new blood of ancient Thebes, why are you here?† said Oedipus when addressing his people during his first appearance (1-2). 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