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Hubris represents the extreme pride and arrogance of a character that often leads to his or her downfall. This foolish pride or confidence describes both the attitude and the often-violent behavior of many characters in classical mythology. Despite the individual nature of this trait, hubris often creates lasting consequences for any group in which the offender takes part, as a result of the wrongful action. In many cases, hubris represents the overconfidence of these individuals in their accomplishments and capabilities, especially when mortal characters go so far as to compare themselves with the gods, which indicates a loss of touch with reality. As Aristotle wrote in Rhetoric, “Hubris consists in…
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-While questioning citizens, Teiresias, the blind prophet, tells Oedipus that Oedipus himself killed Laius- but his wife, Jocasta tells him not to believe in the prophets, because she and king Laius had a prophesy saying that they were going to have a child who was going to kill Laius and sleep with Jocasta, but they had the child killed.…
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Everyone makes mistakes and has flaws – not even famous celebrities are perfect. With all of the social networking, growth of the internet, and all other media sources, these mistakes by the people we adore are blown out of proportion and shared with the world. In the Ancient Greek Tragic play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the reader learns about the tragic flaw and downfall of Oedipus. While reading, he/she begins to think about all of the celebrities that have also had a flaw which led to a major downfall. Tiger Woods and Oedipus are very similar in that they were both on top of the world but each had tragic flaws which lead to their downfall and exile from the world that they ruled.…
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The despair that iconic characters like Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Oedipus, Adam, and Eve experienced exemplified the dangers of excessive pride, self-confidence, and vying for godlike qualities such as seeking omniscience or attempting to control one’s predetermined fate. However, these characters’ downfalls (and the downfall of humanity as a whole in the case of Adam and Eve) were not ineradicable, as people may have come to believe about the effects of hubris in literature. What could this unexpectedly hopeful trend in ancient literature mean in terms of the authors’ true message, if they were also trying to convey that hubris has awful consequences? Perhaps it is simply an indication of humanity’s hope that mistakes like hubristic actions do not define us. We may all have character flaws, but it’s how we present ourselves that really…
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In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (rpt. in James P. Place, Literature: A reader for Freshman Composition II, 1st ed. [Boston: Pearson, 2011] 122-168), the oracles had prophesied that Oedipus would kill his father and beget children by his mother. Oedipus does not want to do the things that Apollo predicted; he is no puppet, but indeed the controller of his own fate. Oedipus was unwilling to have his fate come true; he was frightened that he would kill his adopted parents. He believes they were his real parents, therefore he left to Thebes. The decision he made was based on the stories he heard. This led to Oedipus’s own downfall.…
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Oedipus also denied all accusations towards him, from both the messenger and Tiresias. The idea of himself being at fault immediately provoked a violent retort, in which he blamed the voice of the gods, blind or not. As Tiresias simply stated his prophet, Oedipus remarked with: “ I vent it all on you. Yes, you, you planned this thing, and I suspect you of the very murder even, all but the actual stroke.” Here he denied Tiresias’s accusation and put it back in the prophet’s fate. His ignorance against the truth, which he refused to analyze led to the further suffering of the people of Thebes. Despite his prophesized fate, he…
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In all the passages that have been written through history on how an excellent man should behave, one writing stands out from all of them. Aristotle’s, The High-Minded Man. This manuscript explains that for any play to be truly considered a tragedy, its hero must meet Aristotle’s standards for a high-minded man. In the tragedy of Oedipus Rex, by Sophacles, Oedipus clearly meets the requirements to be called a high-minded man. Oedipus is expressive about his thoughts, exceptionally important in society, and lastly an honorable man.…
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* showcase your critical thinking skills through analysis and insight and must demonstrate control of the topic at hand.…
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Every hero has a hamartia. A hamartia is a fatal flaw that eventually leads to the demise of a hero. Achilles’ hamartia, or his fatal flaw, was a characteristic trait: his pride. His pride caused him to withdraw himself from the fight, which caused…
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Tragic Flaw (Hamartia): The tragic hero must “fall” due to some flaw in his own personality. The most common tragic flaw is hubris (excessive pride). A person/character who tries to attain too much possesses hubris.…
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"There is no safety in unlimited hubris" (McGeorge Bundy). The dictionary defines hubris as overbearing pride or presumption; arrogance. In The Odyssey, Homer embodies hubris into the characters Odysseus, the Suitors, and the Cyclopes. Odysseus shows hubris when he is battling the Cyclopes, the Cyclopes show hubris when dealing with Odysseus, and the Suitors show it when Odysseus confronts them at his home.…
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“I, Oedipus, a name that all men know” said a very hubristic and “blinded” Oedipus. There are three causes that result in hubris, or overwhelming pride, that occur through Oedipus numerous times throughout the play Oedipus The King, and many other leaders. These three causes are: A situation in which a kingdom or a society is experiencing a downfall and is in need of a savior, something fortunate happens that puts the character in a favorable position and in an ideal setting in place, and an above-average denial, ignorance, or “blindness” to new-found knowledge which may place the character in an unfavorable or degrading position or situation with people of the kingdom or society in which the character is located.…
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Sophocles illustrates the instability of Jocasta through her fluctuating belief in the gods. When she feels as though there is no truth behind the prophecy, blaspheming ‘a fig for divination’. Her impiety is not always present, however, as she continues to pray to the gods and visit the holy temples, as well as give gifts to Apollo, begging him to ‘save us from the curse of this uncleanness’. Once her prayer is answered in the form of the messenger, her hope is regained as her belief that Oedipus has not fulfilled the first requirement of the prophecy, and through her renewed optimism, she becomes complacent and insults the gods ‘where are you now, divine…
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However, if the people chose not to speak up and were covering up for a family or friend they will be banished and not spoken to or able to attend religious activities. He will be cursed and live a life in misery. Oedipus summoned Tiresias as suggested by Creon and also the chorus. When Oedipus asked Tiresias of whom the murderer is, Tiresias refuses to say anything and…
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“Oedipus the King” was a tale depicting the human experience; each human has a great victory, shortly accompanied by a great demise; the rollercoaster of life. Oedipus had his great success soon become the reason for his fall. With Oedipus’ deadly flaw being ‘hubris’; his excessive pride led him to believe he was on the level of ‘gods’. Once he paraded that he was invulnerable (untouchable by even the gods), his fall would be all the more tragic. Throughout the tale however, Oedipus uses many rhetorical devices towards all his subjects without even recognizing.…
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