Oedipus Rex

The classic tale of Oedipus Rex is among the most popular and widely-read Greek tragedies and is based on the concept of Hamartia. The irony in the entire play is that Oedipus, who is portrayed as a short-tempered, vainglorious and hubristic king is actually the protagonist of the story. Oedipus Rex is a complex character and there are many ways one can go about describing him. One of the traits that define the character of Oedipus is that he is determined and decisive. As described in the opening scene of the play, Oedipus is a man of great insight as well as swift action so that he proves to be a great ruler who is able to foresee the needs of his subjects even before they are reported to him.

Along with having a keen insight, Oedipus is also decisive and is blessed with acumen. This can be seen from the fact that Oedipus had already ordered Creon to seek the counsel of the oracles long before the citizens approach him, begging him to take action against the plague. However, this particular quality of Oedipus to be decisive and to take swift actions and concrete decisions can also be seen as a negative trait when we observe that it is mainly because of these traits that he ends up killing the king of Thebes who is actually his biological father. Therefore, this proves that his decisions can also be rash and impatient at times so that it is a strong negative trait that can be easily identified in his character (Sophocles & Mulroy, 2011, p. 31).

At the start of the play, Oedipus is portrayed as a confident, caring and determined ruler. However, it is also unmistakable that his character radiates pride and a certain degree of hubris. This can be seen ...