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He immediately blinds himself with her brooches in a fit of madness brought on by the recent developments. Oedipus ultimately seeks to banish himself out of the Kingdom to escape his reality and for the good of the people of Thebes.
Conclusion
Oedipus fits the classic model of an Aristotelian tragic hero very neatly. First, Oedipus exhibits and is known to possess fine moral character, as is evident from his pattern of behavior displayed throughout the entire play. Next, he develops a tragic flaw or mistake which is an obsession with avoiding his prophecy. This is a human frailty on the part of Oedipus and not an instance of depravity or moral turpitude. The demise of Oedipus is fairly swift and sweeping as his kingdom, family and reputation are all ruined. Aristotle believes that a tragic hero must be found within stories which punish a decent man or woman for engaging their human instincts. This process allows the audience...
As is clear from the above, Oedipus is such a character.
Reference List
Aristotle. Poestics. The Internet Classic Archive. Web. Accessed 4 October 2010.
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.html
Belfiore, Elizabeth. Tragic Pleasures: Aristotle on Plot and Emotion. Princeton (1992), p. 176.
Dawe, R.D. ed. Sophocles: Oedipus Rex. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2006). p.1
Knox, Bernard. "The Date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles," The American Journal of Philology, Vol. 77, No. 2, The Johns Hopkins University Press (1956), 133-147.
Reeves, Charles. The American Journal of Philology. Vol. 73, No. 2, The Johns Hopkins
(1952), pp. 172-188
Sophocles. Oedipus the King. The Internet Classic Archive. Web. Accessed 4 October 2010.
Reference List
Aristotle. Poestics. The Internet Classic Archive. Web. Accessed 4 October 2010.
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics.html
Belfiore, Elizabeth. Tragic Pleasures: Aristotle on Plot and Emotion. Princeton (1992), p. 176.
Dawe, R.D. ed. Sophocles: Oedipus Rex. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (2006). p.1
<http://classics.mit.edu/Sophocles/oedipus.html>
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