Oedipus and Aristotle's Definition of a Tragic Hero

[Name of the Institute]Oedipus and Aristotle's Definition of a Tragic Hero

Introduction

Several examples of classics and masterpieces can be found in English literature, that are divided into various classes and parts and each of them is special and unusual in its own way. it should be noted that out of hundreds of thousands of stories and pieces of literature, only a few survive and gain the status of being classics, thus proving the fact that these are truly different from the rest and deserve the extraordinary position that they are granted. It is eminent to mention here that not all of them gain the status of being master pieces and classics, and only a few characters and stories gain the said position. It is due to the same reason that the characters and the plays that gain the status of classics are studied by the experts in all times. The following paragraphs highlight the relation of Sophocles' Oedipus with the Aristotle's definition of tragic hero.

Discussion

Sophocles

Sophocles was one of the three most famous and renowned Greek tragedians of all times, who succeeded in surviving the era. It should be noted that according to the records, Sophocles is said to have written a total of 123 plays during his lifetime, but only seven of them succeeded in retaining their original form while the other were altered and thus wasted, wither partly or completely. The seven plays of Sophocles that survived the circumstances and continued to retain their original shape include: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus (Keitlen, 2003). It should be noted that even before writing these plays, Sophocles was the most celebrated and cherished playwright in the dramatic competitions that were held in Athens at that time, in the religious festivals of Lenaea and Dionysia. Out of the 30 competitions that he participated in, Sophocles won around 24, which proves the popularity and fame of the writer's work. It should also be noted that according to records, Sophocles always held first position in such competitions, never getting the second one.

Oedipus

Oedipus was the main subject of the play Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles. He actually took the idea from the mythical Greek God, the Greek king of Thebes, who is known as one of the major tragic hero in the Greek mythology. It is eminent to mention here that Oedipus had specific controversies attached to him, which made the character even essential and important and thus caused Sophocles to make his play revolve around the character. Oedipus basically fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marring his own mother, which resulted in brining grief, sorrow as well as destruction to his area (Edmunds, 2006). The characteristics and qualities of Oedipus make him consistent with the Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero, which is presented in the following paragraphs:

Aristotle's Definition of Tragic Hero

Aristotle's idea of a tragic hero has been described in Poetics, and has certain ...