Flaws are defined as a defect or weakness in a person's character. For the most part, flaws plague every man and woman on the planet. However, flaws are characteristics that makes one human. In the play, Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus shows that sometimes the combination of certain flaws can have a tragic outcome. Oedipus was caring, paranoid, and short tempered. One could infer, it was these flaws that brought him to his tragic downfall.
             From the beginning of the story, Oedipus is depicted as a noble and caring man. He is greatly distressed about the plague in Thebes. This is evident when Oedipus states, "Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I" (63). Oedipus also shows that he is a caring husband by mourning the death of his wife. Oedipus demonstrates how much he cares about his daughters when he says, "Take care of them, Kreon; do this for me" (1410). If Oedipus did not care for his kingdom, he never would have bothered to seek out Laios's murderer.
             One of the main reasons for Oedipus's exile is his short temper. Oedipus loses his temper with Teiresias because he will not tell Oedipus the truth. After Teiresias speaks the truth, Oedipus grows even more short tempered and taunts Teiresias for being blind. Oedipus says, "You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man!" (356). Oedipus then accuses Kreon of sending Teiresias to make Oedipus think he is the murderer. Oedipus tells Kreon, "No, not exile. It is your death I want, So that all the world may see what treason means" (590-591). The death of Laios would never have occurred if it were not
             for Oedipus's short temper. Oedipus forced King Laios off the road because his procession would not make way. One could conclude from this, that If Oedipus had thought things through, he would not have acted so irrational and killed King Laios.
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