tragic heroism using oedipus the king from greek theatre

introduction
a tragic hero has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. he is trapped in a si tuation where he cannot win. he makes some sort of mistake, and this causes his fal l from greatness. a tragic hero is usually born into nobility, and falls because of a certain flaw such as pride. sometimes too much self-confidence leads to disaster as in the classic novel oedipus the king the pride that oedipus has causes him to make the numerous errors of judgment.
oedipus the king - a tragic hero
oedipus the king is a story of trials and tribulations for a man who believed he had it all. being known as the king of thebes that had saved the town from a killer sphinx did more than just boost his ego, it made him king. with the sudden fame and glory oedipus became a person of high status that was admired and envied by many of the townspeople. oedipus the king can be seen as a tragic hero which is defined as a person of high status who experiences a downfall due to their tragic flaw.
oedipus was considered a high society figure in two ways, being the heir to the city of cornith and being the king of thebes. thinking he was born to the king and queen of cornith, oedipus was the future heir of the throne. this thought alone made oedipus feel superior and more noble than the regular townsman. the second reason that oedipus was considered of high status is because he solved the riddle of the sphinx, saved thebes from disaster, and claimed the throne of former king lauis. oedipus was the only person to come remotely close to solving the riddle of the sphinx, therefore many looked at him as a superior being. oedipus knew that the townspeople held him with such high regard and so he took advantage of that. when one feels as if they are superior to everyone it can cause a lot of damage. being considered a tragic hero is not something that most people would want to be called. oedipus could have avoided the tragic hero fate by simply listening to his intuition and paying closer attention to the details of his own life. situations may be avoided easily if the time is taken to evaluate the situation as a whole and not just evaluating its pieces. oedipus the king is a perfect example of how living life for the greed of ones self can lead to the demise and destruction of loved ones.
the herendous events that took place in oedipus' life are more dramatic than one ever wishes to experience. the downfall begins with the plague of thebes. the entire extistense of life in thebes is threatened until the murderer of lauis is reveled. oedipus vows to seek out the killer and get sweet revenge. tiresas the blind prophet bust oedipus' bubble with the news that he is not what he seems to be. tiresas can see things clearly even though he is blind.

narcissistic oedipus – tragic hero
in the play oedipus rex by sophocles, oedipus is a classic tragic hero. according to aristotle's definition, oedipus is a tragic hero because he is a king whose life falls apart when he finds out his life story. there are a number of characteristics described by aristotle that identify a tragic hero. for example, a tragic hero must cause his own downfall; his fate is not deserved, and his punishment exceeds the crime; he also must be of noble stature and have greatness. oedipus is in love with his idealized self. all of the above characteristics make oedipus a tragic hero according to aristotle's ideas about tragedy.
using oedipus as an ideal model, aristotle says that a tragic hero must be an important or influential man who makes an error in judgment, and who must then suffer the consequences of his actions. those actions are seen when oedipus forces teiresias to reveal his destiny and his father's name. when teiresias tries to warn him by saying "this day will give you parents and destroy you" (sophocles line 428), oedipus still does not care and proceeds with his questioning. the tragic hero must learn a lesson from his errors in judgment and become an example to the audience of what happens when great men fall from their lofty social or political positions.
according to psychologists, a person who is great, who is admired everywhere, and needs this admiration to survive, has one of the extreme forms of narcissism, which is grandiosity. grandiosity can be seen when a person admires himself, his qualities, such as beauty, cleverness, and talents, and his success and achievements greatly. if any one of these illusions is lost, then a severe depression could follow. those actions happen when the herdsman tells oedipus who his mother is, and oedipus replies "oh, oh, then everything has come out true. light, i shall not look on you again. i have been born where i should not be born, i have been married where i should not marry, i have killed whom i should not kill; now all is clear" (sophocles lines 1144).
oedipus's decision to pursue his questioning is wrong; his grandiosity blinded him and, therefore, his fate is not deserved, but it is far beyond his control. a prophecy is foretold to laius, the father of oedipus, that the destiny of oedipus is a terrible one beyond his control. but when it is prophesized to oedipus, he sets forth from the city of his foster parents in order to prevent this terrible fate from occurring. oedipus's destiny is not deserved because he is being punished for his parent's actions.
his birth parents seek the advice of the delphi oracle, who recommends that they should not have any children. when the boy is born, laius is overcome with terror when he remembers the oracle. oedipus is abandoned by his birth parents and is denied their love. when a child is denied the love of parents then physiological problems often result. the birth of oedipus presets his destiny to result in tragedy even though he is of noble birth.
in tragedies, protagonists are usually of the nobility to make their falls seem greater. oedipus just happens to be born a prince, and he has saved a kingdom that is rightfully his from the sphinx. his destiny is to be of noble stature from birth, which is denied to him by his parents, but given back by the sphinx. his nobility deceived him as well as his reflection, since it shows only his perfect, wonderful face and not his inner world, his pain, his history. when he relies on his status, he is blind, not physically, but emotionally. he is blind in his actions; therefore he does not see that the questioning would bring him only misery.

later, after his self-inflicted blinding, oedipus sees his actions as wrongdoing when he says "what use are my eyes to me, who could never - see anything pleasant again?" (sophocles line 1293) and that blindness does not necessarily have to be physical as we can se when he says, "if i had sight, i know not with what eyes i would have looked" (sophocles line 1325). in the play oedipus rex, sophocles portrays the main character, oedipus, as a good-natured person who has bad judgment and is frail. oedipus makes a few fatal decisions and is condemned to profound suffering because of them. aristotle is correct in that oedipus' misfortune happens because of his tragic flaw. if he hadn't been so judgmental or narcissistic he would never have killed king laius and called teiresias a liar. in the beginning, teiresias is simply trying to ease him slowly into the truth; but oedipus is too proud to see any truths, and he refuses to believe that he could have been responsible for such a horrible crime. he learns a lesson about life and how there is more to it than just one person's fate.
the roles and relationship of choruses with the hero.
in ancient greek plays, there was also the chorus. the choruses were a group of men, who played roles of either male or female characters, such as the elders, old women. they spoke together, and their speeches often made comments on what's going on in the play. this particular feature the chorus in the play oedipus has three basic functions. firstly, to act as bystanders throughout the play, observing what goes on, reacting and offering opinions at regular intervals throughout the play.
chorus discharges some broad functions in all classical tragedies. the structure of a greek tragedy is determined by the chorus. after the prologue, it is with the entry of the chorus that a greek tragedy begins. various episodes are also marked off by choric odes. the conclusion of a greek tragedy occurs with the exode or the exit song of the chorus. it is the function of the chorus to comment on actions and events. it also sometimes questions the characters. its standard role is that of the moderator. at times it represents the view-point of the common spectator and in some cases it represents the view-point of the dramatist himself.

the functions of the chorus are very well performed in oedipus rex. in the very first ode the chorus depicts the horror of the plague and expresses an apprehension about the message from the oracle of delphi. other odes comment on the action that has taken place after the last ode and build an atmosphere appropriate to that stage of the play. it plays the role of a peace-maker between the king and creon and succeeds in getting the king’s pardon for the latter. after the exit of teiresias it comments on the terrible predictions which teiresias has made but shows determination to support the king. its most significant response is when oedipus and jocasta have expressed irreverent thoughts against the oracles. at many other times also they reflect the dominant mood and help to deepen it. when oedipus imagines that he is the son of the goodness of luck, the chorus, immediately sing that their master, oedipus, might be the son of apollo.

in the fifth or last choric ode in oedipus rex, the chorus reflects the dejection of oedipus and says that all the generations of moral man add up to nothing. this ode must not be regarded as reflecting the final mood and impression of the play, for the impression is as much of the greatness of the human spirit as of the insignificance of man and the transitoriness of his happiness. this ode must, therefore, be looked upon only as reflecting a final judgment of it. oedipus remains forceful even in his downfall; in a sense he is still heroic.

the chorus takes part in the dialogues also. when oedipus consults them about ending the plague in the city, they express disappointment that the oracle had not guided them about the identity of laius’ murderer. they also tell him what they know about the murder of their previous king and its circumstances. when creon, learning that the king has accused him of treason, comes on the stage he talks to the chorus, who tell him that the king’s accusation was probably made in the heat of anger. creon asked if the king looked absolutely serious while making the charge and they rightly say that it is not for them to look into the eyes of his master when he speaks. when oedipus has almost passed a sentence upon creon, jocasta arrives on the scene and first talks to the chorus. they request her to settle the difference between the two men. they are worried when they see jocasta going into the palace in a very dejected mood, and they give expression to their apprehension. oedipus asks them about the shepherd who gave the infant to the corinthian, they answer that his queen would be able to answer the question better. they sympathize with oedipus when they see him after he has blinded himself. it is clear, thus, that the chorus never takes a direct hand in the action. it does not consist only of spectators but influences the action in various subtle ways.

the contribution of the chorus in oedipus rex is considerable. they link the play with common humanity. in some sense they are often in the position of the ideal spectator. they fill in the gaps in the action when no other character is there on the stage. they add to it the element of melody which must have been one of the attractions of greek tragedy. they provide an appropriate shift between the titanic, heroic figure of oedipus and the mass of common humanity represented by the two shepherds in oedipus res. the tragedy of oedipus and its relevance to common life is very well stressed by the chorus in its exit ode or exode.
how has the respective choruses enhances our understanding or appreciation of the dramatic test
oedipus the king is a dynamic tale, expertly making use of all assets available to forge and shape a truly spellbinding play. as sophocles weaves the plot throughout the tragedy, he manages to increase the tension and pace of the story through the development of all assets, particularly with regards to the role of the chorus. in the beginning, the chorus attempts to position itself in the audience’s mind as the population of thebes, and functions largely as petitioners, relatively indecisive to the plot. the play moves on, though, and by the middle third, the chorus begins to act as a moderator, providing a sober perspective on the heated arguments that rage throughout, attempting to infuse the arguing parties with the spirit of reconciliation, or at least keep the tempers from taking control of the characters’ actions. as the end approaches, the chorus does indeed render judgment upon oedipus, condemning him, in the eyes of the audience and himself as the cause of the plague of thebes. the chorus of oedipus the king starts the play as mere petitioners, seemingly unimportant in the grand plot swirling about them, but gradually become more involved, taking active roles in the progress of the story, until the climax.
in the beginning, they have found themselves threatened by the plague that has descended on thebes, and so open the play by petitioning for help. there is no sword of thought which will protect us" (12). here, at the end of all things, the chorus has finally realized its potential as a major and integral part of the plot, and a prime standard bearer of the ongoing themes, particular the respect to pity view of oedipus, that really makes this story such a tragedy. by the middle third, the chorus plays a small role as mediator. to a certain extent, the chorus does manage to accomplish this goal, keeping the parties from breaking into violent disagreement, though reconciliation proves to be beyond the powers of the chorus. men of all ages-some not yet strong enough to fly far from the nest, others heavy with age, priests, of zeus in my case, and these are picked men from the city's youth" (2). this transformation from the meek fear of the opening third, to the judgmental pity of the final third is a major theme progressed by the chorus, proved as they lament oedipus:o suffering dreadful for mankind to see, most dreadful of all i ever saw. in the beginning, they serve only as respectful observers, mindful of their station but grieved by the darkness that has befallen thebes. the evolution of the chorus throughout is certainly quite profound, bringing together the many varied elements of the story into one dynamic play, lending authenticity and genuine distress to the dire straits of tragic oedipus, once king of mighty thebes. i have many questions to ask you, much i wish to know; my eyes are drawn towards you-but i cannot bear to look. it is the petitioning of the chorus that first brings to light the fit of evil that befalls the city, and sets oedipus on his doomed quest to solve the problems.
conclusions
oedipus is in love with his idealized self, but neither the grandiose nor the depressive narcissus can really love himself (miller 67). all of the above characteristics make oedipus a tragic hero according to aristotle's ideas about tragedy, and a narcissist. using oedipus as an ideal model, aristotle says that a tragic hero must be an important or influential man who makes an error in judgment, and who must then suffer the consequences of his actions. those actions are seen when oedipus forces teiresias to reveal his destiny and his father's name. when teiresias tries to warn him by saying i say that you and your most dearly loved are wrapped together in a hideous sin, blind to the horror of it (sophocles 428). oedipus still does not care and proceeds with his questioning as if he did not understand what teiresias was talking about. the tragic hero must learn a lesson from his errors in judgment and become an example to the audience of what happens when great men fall from their lofty social or political positions.
oedipus is abandoned by his birth parents and is denied their love, which is what results in what miller calls depression as denial of the self. depression results from a denial of one's own emotional reactions, and we cannot really love if we deny our truth, the truth about our parents and caregivers as, well as about ourselves (miller 43). the birth of oedipus presets his destiny to result in tragedy even though he is of noble birth. in tragedies, protagonists are usually of the nobility that makes their falls seem greater. oedipus just happens to be born a prince, and he has saved a kingdom that is rightfully his from the sphinx. his destiny is to be of noble stature from birth, which is denied to him by his parents, but given back by the sphinx. his nobility deceived him as well as his reflection, since it shows only his perfect, wonderful face and not his inner world, his pain, his history (miller 66). when he relies on his status, he is blind, not physically, but emotionally. he is blind in his actions; therefore he does not see that the questioning would bring him only misery. later, after his self- inflicted blinding, oedipus sees his actions as wrongdoing when he says what use are my eyes to me, who could never - see anything pleasant again? (sophocles 1293) and that blindness does not necessarily have to be physical as we can se when he says, if i had sight, i know not with what eyes i would have looked (sophocles 1325). in the play oedipus rex, sophocles portrays the main character, oedipus, as a good- natured person who has bad judgment and is frail.
oedipus makes a few fatal decisions and is condemned to profound suffering because of them. agreeing with aristotle that oedipus' misfortune happens because of his tragic flaw. if he hadn't been so judgmental or narcissistic, as miller would characterize a personality like oedipus, he would never have killed king laius and called teiresias a liar. in the beginning, teiresias is simply trying to ease him slowly into the truth; but oedipus is too proud to see any truths, and he refuses to believe that he could have been responsible for such a horrible crime.
references
herodotus, in his histories (book 1.32), attributes this maxim to the 6th-century athenian statesman solon.
dawe, r.d. ed. 2006 sophocles: oedipus rex, revised edition. cambridge : cambridge university press. p.1
sir richard jebb in his commentary. cf. jeffrey rusten's 1990 commentary. greece & rome, 2nd ser., vol. 13, no. 1 (apr., 1966), pp. 37-49
sophocles. sophocles i: oedipus the king, oedipus at colonus, antigone. 2nd ed. grene, david and lattimore, richard, eds. chicago: university of chicago, 1991.