ScriptMale ProfessorSince the time of Aristotle, thinkers have struggled to define the nature of TRAGEDY. You see, in classic literature… uhh, I mean, a classic tragedy is more than simply a story about an unfortunate occurrence. No, it’s much more th

Script
Male Professor

Since the time of Aristotle, thinkers have struggled to define the nature of TRAGEDY. You see, in classic literature… uhh, I mean, a classic tragedy is more than simply a story about an unfortunate occurrence. No, it’s much more than that—a classic tragedy is a story about how a heroic person struggles to find happiness, but how they somehow have a terrible FLAW… a terrible flaw that negates the possibility of their happiness ever coming about. Nevertheless, tragic heroes will often ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY for their downfall, admitting where they have been at fault. The audience experiences a sense of release, or CATHARSIS, when they see the transformation of the characters and the nobility of their decision to accept responsibility in even the darkest circumstances.

Aristotle believed that Oedipus Rex by the playwright Sophocles was one of the greatest tragedies ever written. It contains all the elements of a classic tragedy: an unsuccessful search for happiness, a tragic flaw, an acceptance of responsibility for one’s faults, and catharsis.

Oedipus is a heroic man who is quick witted, strong, and ambitious. He sets out in the world to find happiness. However, his tragic flaw is PRIDE. His pride leads him to kill a total stranger on the road. It also leads him to successfully answer the riddle of the Sphinx, a legendary monster. In gratitude for his achievement, the people of Thebes make Oedipus the king, and he marries the widowed queen of the city.

However, a PLAGUE soon comes to Thebes, brought on by the anger of the gods. Oedipus eventually finds out that HE is the reason for the plague. The stranger that he killed on the road was his father, and the woman that he married was his own mother. The play ends in sadness and disaster as Oedipus blinds himself and his mother commits suicide. However, before this happens, Oedipus apologizes for his pride and takes responsibility for all that happened, leading the audience to experience CATHARSIS… a sense of release… thanks to his heroism in the face of suffering. No wonder Aristotle praised the play so highly.