Aristotelian's Concept

“Aristotelian’s Concept / Process of Tragedy as Presented to
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex”
Oedipus Rex had passed from the process and concept on Aristotelian’s tragic hero. Because tragic hero was a noble by birth, he shows human errors, and he sets as warning to humanity. Oedipus was hubris so proud of his own intelligence, hamartia he thinks that he can escape a horrendous fate, catharsis he does not kill himself because he will not suffer and peripeteia Oedipus realizes that he is the son and murderer of Laius as well as the son and husband of Jocasta. Oedipus Rex was passed on classicism, for he shows a good manner for leaving his foster family thought that the prophecy will not happen, beautiful on aesthetic balance and true for instances that will happen to real life by coincident. Oedipus Rex was passed on the mimesis, Aristotle considered that the tragic hero must be a person of nobility and power- most frequently royalty. The reason for this, in my opinion, is dual: firstly, the rich people in the audience could relate to the protagonist, and secondly, it is in the character of the tragedy that the hero must undergo a downfall from the highest to the lowest status possible. However, being royalty is not enough: the protagonist must also be a role model for his people: he must be virtuous, brave, intelligent, compassionate, and clean of any vices. His downfall must be caused by error or frailty, so by a weakness of character. Sophocles was one of the greatest and purest tragedian in world literature, because his work is nearly true to the actual state on human experience and he never insinuate himself into his characters, never manipulate every characters into preconceived patterns. Sophocles asks is not how did this come to be or why did such a misfortune have to happen but rather, given the circumstances, how must one conduct oneself, how should one act, and what must one do.

ALEJANDRO JOSE B. PABILON
BSCE-3C