Oedipus the KIng: A Tragic Hero

             In the play, "Oedipus the King," Oedipus, the main character, hurtles towards his desolation. Oedipus's ignorance, pride, and power lead to his destruction. Sophocles, the author of Oedipus the King, shows this by moving the main character through the stages of a tragic hero. Oedipus moves from being noble to having a flaw to committing evil and ultimately being finally noble.
             Oedipus is very noble and because of this others show admiration for him. Sure, Oedipus was born into nobility, however he had to work for it. Initially, and for most of his life he was ignorant and unsure of his real parents. The people of Thebes loved Oedipus just as he admired his people. As a dangerous and deadly plague settles over the city of Thebes, the Thebans look to their noble leader Oedipus for help and guidance. " The city is filled with smoke of burning incense, with hymns to the healing god, with laments for the dead... here I am, myself, world-famous Oedipus" (Oedipus 2). Oedipus, realizing that there is a need for help decides he will do anything possible in order to stop the deadly plague. In order for the plague to end, Oedipus must find the answer to who murdered Laius. Resolving this murder mystery is a daunting task but will be done by any measure. Oedipus fights for and helps his people as much as he can. He is a hero to the people of Thebes. He shows his love for his people even through the toughest of times. " My children, I am filled with pity" (Oedipus 4). Oedipus is a very honored character in this play. He proclaims that his city is the people's city too and when something bad happens to Thebes it affects everyone in the city. Oedipus is very noble. He cares a lot for his people and he shows enormous amounts of generosity throughout the early parts of the play. Because of the people's genuine admiration for Oedipus he feels comfortable and supported to make any decision for his city as a noble le...

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Oedipus the KIng: A Tragic Hero. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 13:25, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/24363.html