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... Oedipus the King is this kind of man, though he saves the people of Thebes from the Sphinx without being asked and is adored and loved by all, Oedipus still, as with all tragic heroes, has his unpleasant side, his unawareness and nobility which makes his downfall occur as with the insurmountable forces by which no one can overcome, not even his parents who try to kill him. With this in mind Oedipus fits the model of a tragic hero whose end is demoralizing.
Oedipus fulfills the criteria of being a tragic hero as he is introduced as an honourable man with integrity. Oedipus “liberated our city [Thebes]” from the Sphinx (Sophocles 3). Oedipus retaliates against the Sphinx risking his life even though he does not have to, and succeeds in ridding the Sphinx from Thebes. By solving its riddle Oedipus is now called “its [Thebes] saviour” and “noblest of men” (Sophocles 3). Oedipus again tries to become Thebes’s hero by committing himself to finding Laius’ murderer, thus ridding Thebes from the plague and death under which they are suffering. Oedipus believes in himself and others believe that he can find the murderer and rid them of the plague because he destroyed the Sphinx “with no extra knowledge” and “no extra training for the task” (Sophocles 3).
Approximate Word count = 969
Approximate Pages = 3.9
(250 words per page double spaced)
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