Oedipus Rex, Good vs Evil - 1130 Words

Aristotle also outlined the characteristics of a good tragic hero. He must be better than we are, a man who is superior to the average man in some way. In Oedipus s case, he is superior not only because of social standing, but also because he is smart  ¬ he is the only person who could solve the Sphinx s riddle. At the same time, a tragic hero must evoke both pity and fear, and Aristotle claims that the best way to do this is if he is imperfect. A character with a mixture of good and evil is more compelling that a character who is merely good. And Oedipus is definitely not perfect; although a clever man, he is blind to the truth and refuses to believe Teiresias s warnings. Although he is a good father, he unwittingly fathered children†¦show more content†¦Finding out who his true father is seems important for someone who has just been told he will kill his father. Nor is Oedipus particularly intelligent about the way he conducts himself. Even though he did not know that La ius and Jocasta were his parents, he still does kill a man old enough to be his father and marry a woman old enough to be his mother. One would think that a man with as disturbing a prophesy over his head as Oedipus would be very careful about who he married or killed. Blindly he pursues the truth when others warn him not to; although he has already fulfilled the prophesy, he does not know it, and if he left well enough alone, he could continue to live in blissful ignorance. But instead he stubbornly and foolishly rummages through his past until he discovers the awful truth. In this way, Jocasta s death and his blindness are his own fault. GOODNESS IN OEDIPUS: The statement Life is a constant struggle between good and evil is valid. All people have admirable traits. These same people may also have a despicable side to them. This is proven in the tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Oedipus is characterized as an admirable ruler. He is a man of action. Before he is even asked by his people, he sent Creon to the Oracle at Delphi. He also sent for Tiresias. Oedipus also cares a great deal about Thebes.Show MoreRelatedThe Difference Between Good And Evil?978 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish CP10 Final Draft 16 Oct. 2014 O vs. C What is the difference between good and evil? How can one person’s life be more tragic than another? What is a tragedy? â€Å"A tragedy is a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction† (Dictionary.com). The play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles includes different rulingsRead MoreOedipus Rex1350 Words   |  6 PagesGreek Tragedy The Greek drama Oedipus Rex is clearly a tragedy. 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Nothing bad happened o → Theme of good vs. evil: Eli is more of the calmer and reasoning character, Charlie is almost blood hungry †¢ The commodore is wealthy †¢ Eli’s face becomes swollen †¢ Dr. Watts- business man/dentist. His business have a failed- he’s a failure †¢ Watts says the cause of Eli’s swelling is unknown. †¢ Charlie goes to the saloon and when he returns he points his gun at Watts with anger †¢ Eli isn’t feeling too good, so they stop at a home where an old woman answers