Oedipus is the perfect tragic protagonist,
for his happiness changes to misery due to hamartia
(an error). Oedipus also evokes both pity and fear in its audience, causing the audience to experience catharsis or a purging of emotion, which is the true test for any tragedy according to Aristotle.
What makes a perfect tragedy?
It is clear that tragedy, by nature exploratory, critical, independent, could not live under such a regimen. … A perfect tragedy, he says,
should imitate actions that excite “pity and fear
.” He uses Sophocles’ Oedipus the King as a paradigm.
What qualities does Oedipus the King have that make it a Greek tragedy?
Oedipus demonstrates several admirable qualities that are portrayed throughout Oedipus the King by Sophocles.
Compassion, diligence, and justness
are three qualities that contribute to the internal struggles that Oedipus faces resulting in his appalling downfall.
Why is Oedipus Rex good?
Despite his terrible fate, Oedipus is often an admirable character. His character is complex and well-formed, allowing us to sympathize and feel pity for him. Some of Oedipus’ most admirable traits are his determination, commitment to truth and justice, and
his desire to be a good king to Thebes’ people
.
What does Aristotle mean by pleasure proper to tragedy?
By “pleasure proper to tragedy,” Aristotle means
the moral emotions that it elicits
. Tragedy, he writes in his Poetics, should excite in audiences the emotions of “pity and fear.”
What are Aristotle’s 6 elements of tragedy?
Aristotle was born in 384 BC, but his thoughts on drama have been at the heart of writing curricula pretty much since that time. In Poetics, he wrote that drama (specifically tragedy) has to include 6 elements:
plot, character, thought, diction, music, and spectacle.
What was Oedipus greatest mistake?
First off early on in Oedipus’ life his first deadly mistake towards succeeding his self-inflicted downfall was
the murder of his father the former king
. In a blind rage without any motive, he kills Liaus and his men at a rode crossing.
What is Oedipus worst character trait?
The play Oedipus Rex is a literary tragedy, and its hero Oedipus’ most famous character trait is also his tragic flaw:
hubris, or excessive pride
.
Is Oedipus good or bad?
As a young man, Oedipus learned of his fate to kill his father and marry his mother. … If we accept the Aristotelian views of good and bad, as expressed in The Good, Oedipus was indeed
a good man
by saving the city, ruling justly and searching for the truth although his anger could be seen as a flaw.
What is Oedipus’s tragic flaw?
Oedipus fits this precisely, for his basic flaw is
his lack of knowledge about his own identity
. Moreover, no amount of foresight or preemptive action could remedy Oedipus’ hamartia; unlike other tragic heroes, Oedipus bears no responsibility for his flaw.
How does Oedipus see himself?
At the opening of Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, Oedipus views himself
as a “world-renowned king”
and as zealous, ruthless, and obdurate in the pursuit of truth. Oedipus also believes that he has a greater depth of feeling than any of his people.
Is the story of Oedipus true?
Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his
mother
. Homer related that Oedipus’s wife and mother hanged herself when the truth of their relationship became known, though Oedipus apparently continued to rule at Thebes until his death.
What is tragedy simple words?
tragedy, branch of drama that treats in a serious and dignified style the
sorrowful or terrible events encountered
or caused by a heroic individual. By extension the term may be applied to other literary works, such as the novel.
What is the significance of pity and fear in tragedy?
Along with fear,
pity is one of the emotions aroused in the audience of a tragedy
. We respond with pity, Aristotle seems to suggest, when we as members of the audience identify with the tragic hero’s suffering. Pity and fear are “purged” in the process of catharsis.
What is catharsis according to Aristotle?
Catharsis,
the purification or purgation of the emotions (especially pity and fear) primarily through art
. … Aristotle states that the purpose of tragedy is to arouse “terror and pity” and thereby effect the catharsis of these emotions. His exact meaning has been the subject of critical debate over the centuries.
What are the qualities of tragic hero?
- Be virtuous: In Aristotle’s time, this meant that the character should be a noble. …
- Be flawed: While being heroic, the character must also have a tragic flaw (also called hamartia) or more generally be subject to human error, and the flaw must lead to the character’s downfall.
