Oedipus Rex
Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex is one of Greek literatures classic tragedies. It
supports and demonstrates Aristotle’s view on tragedy in the story, and ultimately
defines how this drama is a tragedy. He talks about tragedy being “an imitation of a
noble and complete action” (Witt, 165) along with being artistically enhanced with
fearful incidents. Important parts of tragedies also include plot, character, diction,
thought, spectacle, and melody. Tragedies are imitations of human action, life,
happiness, and misery, all of which are qualities that Oedipus Rex possess.
To understand exactly what a tragedy is, one must first understand what
Aristotle’s view on the matter. In The Poetics, he stated:
Tragedy is, then, an imitation of a noble and complete action, having the proper magnitude; it employs the language that has been artistically enhanced by each of the kinds of linguistic adornment, applied separately in the various parts of the play; it is presented in a dramatic, not narrative form, and achieves, through the representation of pitiable and fearful incidents, the catharsis of such pitiable and fearful incidents.
(Witt, 165)
That means that Aristotle understood tragedy as an artistic writing form that had a full
story with action and fearful events. There is a strong mood and emotion throughout
the work. Aristotle also says to note that tragedies “influence the soul” (Witt, 165).
Which directly correlates to the previous statement that a strong emotion and mood
should be kept steady through the work. One strong emotion in the story of Oedipus
Rex is anger. When Oedipus finds out that someone killed King Laïos, he is angry and
wants to search for the killer. The same emotion is present when the blind seer,
Teiresias, tells Oedipus that he himself, was the king’s assassin. Other specific events
in the play also spark the emotion of anger and keep it throughout the story.
supports and demonstrates Aristotle’s view on tragedy in the story, and ultimately
defines how this drama is a tragedy. He talks about tragedy being “an imitation of a
noble and complete action” (Witt, 165) along with being artistically enhanced with
fearful incidents. Important parts of tragedies also include plot, character, diction,
thought, spectacle, and melody. Tragedies are imitations of human action, life,
happiness, and misery, all of which are qualities that Oedipus Rex possess.
To understand exactly what a tragedy is, one must first understand what
Aristotle’s view on the matter. In The Poetics, he stated:
Tragedy is, then, an imitation of a noble and complete action, having the proper magnitude; it employs the language that has been artistically enhanced by each of the kinds of linguistic adornment, applied separately in the various parts of the play; it is presented in a dramatic, not narrative form, and achieves, through the representation of pitiable and fearful incidents, the catharsis of such pitiable and fearful incidents.
(Witt, 165)
That means that Aristotle understood tragedy as an artistic writing form that had a full
story with action and fearful events. There is a strong mood and emotion throughout
the work. Aristotle also says to note that tragedies “influence the soul” (Witt, 165).
Which directly correlates to the previous statement that a strong emotion and mood
should be kept steady through the work. One strong emotion in the story of Oedipus
Rex is anger. When Oedipus finds out that someone killed King Laïos, he is angry and
wants to search for the killer. The same emotion is present when the blind seer,
Teiresias, tells Oedipus that he himself, was the king’s assassin. Other specific events
in the play also spark the emotion of anger and keep it throughout the story.
Bibliography: Witt, Mary Ann F., et al. The Humanities: Cultural Roots and Continuities. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.