Tragedy in Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy: Rex vs. Antigone

Introduction: Greek Tragedy and Aristotle's Definition

Sophocles is considered to be one of the greatest Greek dramatists, and remains among the most renowned playwrights even today. Greek tragedy is one of the most influential genres in literary and theatrical history, exerting a profound effect on modern drama and theatre. The theatre of ancient Greece was inspired by the worship of Dionysus, and the performance of plays was considered to be a religious experience for both the actors and the audience. Because of this, the intensity of the Greek theatre was very strong, and the degree to which the plays were taken seriously as a means of influencing and interpreting life was also very high.

According to Aristotle, the philosopher credited with creating the definition of tragedy, "Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. . . . Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which parts determine its quality — namely, Plot, Characters, Diction, Thought, Spectacle, Melody." (Aristotle in McManus)

Aristotle created this definition many years after Sophocles wrote his famous Oedipus Trilogy. However, Aristotle studied Sophocles' work intently, and his very definition of tragedy was derived from his understanding of Sophocles. In fact, Aristotle boldly dubbed Oedipus Rex the single greatest tragedy ever written. While Sophocles' other plays in the Oedipus Cycle are also tragedies, none fits the definition with as much precision. In a comparison of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex and the sequel Antigone, it is clear that both have tragic elements, but Oedipus Rex remains the stronger tragedy.

Mimesis and the Imitation of Action

The first way in which Oedipus Rex fits the Greek tragedy is through the imitation of action, or mimesis. The most important element of tragedy is drama, not narrative. Many plays revolved around narrative, where the plot was told to the audience rather than shown to the audience. (Many writers today follow "show, don't tell" as the most important mantra to be remembered by all writers [Sawyer] — a reminder of the enduring influence of Greek tragedy on the literary arts.) Aristotle believed that tragedy is more philosophical than history itself because history is simply a narrative of past events, while tragedy shows what may happen. "Tragedy, however, is rooted in the fundamental order of the universe; it creates a cause-and-effect chain that clearly reveals what may happen at any time or place because that is the way the world operates. Tragedy therefore arouses not only pity but also fear, because the audience can envision themselves within this cause-and-effect chain." (McManus)

Oedipus Rex clearly employs mimesis. Indeed, one of its major themes is the appearance of reality, and sight versus blindness — a thematic choice that heightens this dramatic element. Antigone also utilizes mimesis; however, that theme is not highlighted in the same way.

Unity of Action and Cause-and-Effect

Unity of action is also part of Aristotle's definition of tragedy. The cause-and-effect chain of events in Oedipus Rex clearly fits this criterion. The plague causes Oedipus to send Creon to the oracle; the oracle declares that Laius's murderer must be banished; Oedipus curses the murderer, who turns out to be himself; Teiresias reveals that Oedipus is the murderer; Oedipus denounces both Creon and Teiresias as conspirators against him; Jocasta accidentally provides information that proves Oedipus is the killer — and the intricacies continue through to the downfall of the hero. Every single action in the play (save for the arrival of the messenger) is caused by a previous action. In Antigone, while there is a suitable degree of cause-and-effect, it does not approach the same level of unity of action. This is perhaps because Antigone was actually written before Oedipus Rex, and Sophocles had not yet fully mastered this chain-of-events technique. The events in Antigone are less intricately connected.

Other elements of tragedy are far clearer in Oedipus Rex than in Antigone. Among these, conflict with the divine is a telling example. The protagonist of a tragedy is expected to be in conflict with the gods. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is the clear hero of the story, and he struggles against the prophecy that governs his life. He denounces the information passed to him through prophets and oracles, directly accusing the gods of being wrong. In Antigone, the heroine is not in as clear a conflict with the gods. Antigone's true conflict is with another mortal, Creon, and while Creon may fancy himself equal to the gods, he remains mortal. Antigone is actually struggling to carry out the gods' will regarding the proper burial of her brother.

Conclusion: Oedipus Rex as the Stronger Tragedy

Sophocles is considered the master of tragedy. Aristotle, in his definition of tragedy, used Sophocles as his strongest influence. Yet even within Sophocles' own body of work, varying degrees of adherence to the tragic definition can be observed. The Oedipus Trilogy stands as a prime example of the drama of ancient Greece. Oedipus Rex is the stronger tragedy — not because it is more "tragic" in the modern sense — but because of the technicalities of plot construction, dramatic presentation, and characterization. It is in these formal elements that Oedipus Rex surpasses Antigone and earns its place as Aristotle's model tragedy.