Characteristics of a Tragic hero Oedipus

1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident in the play. The character must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue as part of his/her innate character.

   The Time and Setting introduces the audience to Oedipus' background. He solves the Sphinx's riddle, and he becomes king for this noble deed. Oedipus shows his nobility and virtue by showing his determination to find the killer of Laius. He even says "I shall not rest until I've tracked the hand that slew the son of Labdacus, the son of Polydorus… And those who disobey, I'll ask the gods to curse with fields that never sprout and wombs that never flower..." (15-16)

2. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect. Otherwise, the rest of us--mere mortals--would be unable to identify with the tragic hero. We should see in him or her someone who is essentially like us, although perhaps elevated to a higher position in society.

   Oedipus has done great deeds, such as saving Thebes from the Sphinx, but we as the audience know that he has killed his father and slept with his mother (as mentioned in the Time and Setting). Although we may not commit sins that are that serious, it still proves that Oedipus is not perfect.

3. The hero's downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of accident or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered by some error of judgment or some character flaw that contributes to the hero's lack of perfection noted above. This error of judgment or character flaw is known as hamartia and is usually translated as "tragic flaw" (although some scholars argue that this is a mistranslation). Often the character's hamartia involves hubris (which is defined as a sort of arrogant pride or over-confidence).

   In the Time and Setting, after Oedipus hears about his fate at the Oracle of Delphi, he gets out of Corinth ASAP, and goes to Thebes. Believing that he can override the gods destiny, he is led to his downfall. He meets and kills his father and marries his mother. This ultimately boils down to Oedipus' pride.

4. The hero's misfortunate is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the crime.

   Oedipus' punishment does not exactly make sense, as he was not aware of his actions until it was too late. The psychological toll is punishing enough, but Jocasta commits suicide and he blinds himself.

5. The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge, some discovery on the part of the tragic hero.

   Oedipus "sees" the true story, and realizes the prophecy he so desperately tried escaping came true. He had killed his father Lauis, and slept with his mother Jocasta. It is this self-knowledge he gains during the climax of the story.

6. Though it arouses solemn emotion, tragedy does not leave its audience in a state of depression. Aristotle argues that one function of tragedy is to arouse the "unhealthy" emotions of pity and fear and through a catharsis (which comes from watching the tragic hero's terrible fate) cleanse us of those emotions. It might be worth noting here that Greek drama was not considered "entertainment," pure and simple; it had a communal function--to contribute to the good health of the community. This is why dramatic performances were a part of religious festivals and community celebrations.