Oedipus The King Essay Research Paper

A man has many defining characteristics – some positive and some negative. At times, a

potentially positive characteristic may cause his eventual downfall. This concept can be directly

related to the story Oedipus Rex. Aristotle stated, ??the tragic hero falls into bad fortune because

of some flaw in his character of the kind found in men of high reputation and good fortune such as

Oedipus.?? Essentially, he is telling us that Oedipus has a flaw that, under normal circumstances,

would be a beneficial characteristic, but in his case, causes his demise. The defining characteristics

of pride and determination can be attributed to the downfall of Oedipus.

Oedipus?? personality clearly reflects pride and determination throughout the play. When Oedipus

heard the oracles?? prediction that he was to kill his father and marry his mother, he was

determined to prevent the prophecy. Therefore he left his homeland of Corinth never to return.

Then when he solved the Sphinx??s riddle, Oedipus?? pride rose to a new level. He was praised by

the people of Thebes, resulting in his marriage to Jocasta, Queen of Thebes. Oedipus also shows

his determination when in search of Laius?? murderer. He stated that he would avenge the King??s

death as if Laius were his own father. He cursed the murderer, announcing ??May he drag out an

evil death-in-life in misery.?? These characteristics of pride and determination, which Oedipus

emanates throughout the play, may appear to be positive attributes to one??s personality.

However, Oedipus?? actions, based on these characteristics, are what led him to his eventual

downfall and suffrage.

If Oedipus had not been so determined to escape and prevent the prophecy, he would not have

fulfilled it. Possibly, he was doomed to fulfill the prophecy because he believed he could avoid it.

Nevertheless, his fate was sealed by his actions of pride and determination. His pride of

conquering the Sphinx led him to the marriage of Jocasta, his mother. When avenging Jocasta??s

previous husband, and his true father, King Laius?? death, he was blinded by his pride to the

concept that perhaps he was the murderer. Not knowing the truth, he cursed himself to an ??evil

death-in-life of misery??. Of course at that time, Oedipus failed to realize his connections to

Jocasta and Laius, but recognition of the truth would bring him to his eventual suffrage. When the

blind prophet Teiresias stated that Oedipus was the murderer of King Laius, Oedipus?? pride

prevented him to believe. However, other events opened his eyes to the tragedy, which had taken

place. When his final realization came, and he recognized the truth of what he had done, Oedipus

stabbed his eyes with broaches, a mere physical suffering compared to the torture of his soul. He

had fulfilled the prophecy because of his own actions, which he had believed were beneficial-based

on highly respected attitudes of pride and determination.

The story of Oedipus shows that pride, sometimes thought of as a positive characteristic, may

lead to one??s downfall if it is expressed as arrogance. Oedipus was proud e prophecy. A man has many defining characteristics – some positive and some negative. At times, a