Analyzation of Oedipus Rex\'s Fatal Flaw

Oedipus's Tragic Flaws

Oedipus Rex is the classic story of Oedipus, King of Thebes, a tragic hero whose fate was in the hands of supernatural forces and who was doomed to murder his father and marry his mother. In the play, Oedipus has many characteristics that allow him to be labeled a tragic hero. The philosopher Aristotle states that a tragic hero is an influential person that because of an error in judgment has to suffer the consequences of his or her actions. In the case of Oedipus, it can be argued that his tragic flaws are excessive pride, or hubris, and self-righteousness.

The root of Oedipus's tragic flaw is found in his stubbornness, pride, and ignorance. There are many events within the play that are not motivated by these flaws and are predestined to occur and are controlled by supernatural forces, however Oedipus's flaws make it easier for prophecies to come true. For instance, Oedipus kills his biological father, Laius, on a narrow road, an event that was prophesized, because both men were too stubborn to let the other pass (Sophocles lines 960-977). This is not the only time when Oedipus's stubbornness prevents him from seeing the truth. Earlier in the play, Oedipus refuses to listen to Tiresias when he tells Oedipus that the man he is looking for, Laius's murderer is Oedipus himself (lines 434-435). Even when Oedipus is told the truth about whom his parents really are, he refuses to listen to anybody and will not accept that King Polybius and Queen Meroe of Crete were not his biological parents. Oedipus's stubbornness does not only affect him, but also affects his wife/mother. Jocasta realizes that the truth will destroy them all and begs Oedipus to not investigate Laius's murder any further, but Oedipus will not listen to her pleas (lines 1270, 1276).

Another of Oedipus's tragic flaws is his ignorance. Oedipus cannot be blamed for his ignorance because he had been lied to his entire life. Because Oedipus was under the impression that his biological parents were the king and queen of Crete, and not Laius and Jocasta, he fled his adoptive home in order to prevent fulfilling a prophecy that he was said he was going to kill his father. What is more, neither he nor Laius was given the full prophecy but only a portion of a whole. It can also be argued that Oedipus's ignorance was predestined and that the gods intentionally made it so that truth would destroy Thebes and the Theban royal family.

The third of Oedipus's tragic flaws causes him to be arrogant and a braggart even after he defeats the Sphinx, saves Thebes, and ascends the Theban throne (line 1435-1441). He is unwilling to listen to anyone that would suggest that he is the cause of Thebes's present crisis. Furthermore, he threatens and mocks Tiresias after he called him to the palace because he is not getting the answers he wants. In the heated exchange between the soothsayer and king, Oedipus eggs Tiresias to mock his skill at solving riddles and boasts that decryption is his best skill; in turn, Tiresias tells Oedipus that it is this skill that will lead to his demise (line 534-536). Because he is too stubborn to listen to Tiresias during this initial interrogation, Oedipus untangles the messy web of his parentage too late, which leads to Jocasta committing suicide and him gouging his eyes out.