Oedipus the King :: Classics

Oedipus the KingOedipus the King EssayOedipus Rex lived his life knowing the component to which he was destined.He tried at all costs to neutralise Apollos prophecies however, this onlyled him to a state of tragedy and despair. This outcome make itjustifiable for the educated reader to label him as a sadal hero.Oedipus obvious identification made it all the more difficult to investigate the question as to whether there could be more than onetragic hero per novel. The supporting characters of Jocasta andLaius were possibilities, and in the following paragraphs, theirlikeness to a signifier of tragedy will be expressed.The character of Laius had already died the moment the form began,however, because his presence played such a significant role in thenovel, the reader was still able to determine a great set about him.The biological father of Oedipus had been the reigning king and helived in riches with his wife Jocasta in wealth and riches. This stateof prosperity last was trans formed into a pathetic end when hewas killed in the road by his own son. This fulfills the firstproperty of a tragic hero. Laius similarly experiences pain that had beenpartially self-inflicted. He sent his son, Oedipus, away to be killedat an early age, and in the end, it was this discarded son that killedhim. Laius then must moderate realized that this pain was the result ofallowing others to do his dirty work. If he had had the endurance tokill the infant himself, then the misfortune of dying at the debate ofhis son would have been avoided. Not wanting to sway from thestereotypical traits of a king, Laius exhibited a self-respect that waslargely displayed in the situation that had him killed. Instead of sledding the road for Oedipus to pass, he insisted on maintaining hisstature and he tried to pull Oedipus off the road (p.56). This ismore specifically defined as hubris, and is another(prenominal) essentialcharacteristic of a tragic figure. Similar to the unyielding pride ofa king, is the expression of ones mind at the expense of his ownbody. Again, the critical point situation can be used, as can the general genius of a typical king, a personality from which Laius did not sway.The preceding two points illustrate the main flaw of Laius, King ofThebes. It has many times been proved that pride can be onesdownfall, and the existence of this trait in Laius personality, andthe occurrence that it was this that killed him, prove that he experienced