|1. "What makes Oedipus a tragic hero? What makes his situation fascinating rather than simply terrifying? From the beginning of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the reader is able to identify Oedipus, the protagonist of the play, as a famous hero. The prologue consists of a passage in which he boasts of his wise and powerful rule in the past and how the people depend greatly on him for future safety and good fortune (DiYanni 960-961). As the story progresses, however, it becomes apparent that Oedipus is more specifically a tragic hero. According to Webster's Dictionary, a “tragic hero” is a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy, destined to fall, suffer, or defeat. Oedipus has indeed been established as a great and virtuous character, but as the story unfolds it seems that all his heroic efforts lead him to a tragic end. For example, Oedipus arrogantly swears that he will solve the mystery of Laius' death and drive out the murderer, ending the plague and saving the kingdom. His bold intentions lead to a tragic end when he discovers that he is, in fact, Laïos' killer. Oedipus' tragic heroism, however, is not simply terrifying as one would expect from a Greek tragedy like Oedipus Rex. Instead, Oedipus' predicament is even more fascinating, even difficult to believe, because of his ignorance of the details of his actions. If Oedipus had intentionally killed his father and married his mother (as prophecy foretold) and was now suffering the consequences of his actions, the situation would have been horrible. In contrast, Oedipus was ignorant and thought he had escaped the possibility of the prophecy being fulfilled by fleeing his home town. The fact that the prophecy was unknowingly fulfilled by Oedipus makes his fate bizarre and intriguing especially for the reader.2. Identify and explain the different types of irony in Oedipus Rex:Irony plays a prominent role in Oedipus Rex and can be identified throughout the work. Most irony can be distinguished as situational, verbal, or dramatic. Dramatic irony, in which the audience is aware of something that the character is unaware of, is used at the beginning of the play. In Oedipus' speech to the men of Thebes, he curses the murderer of Laius, wishing that that man's life would be "consumed by evil and misery" (DiYanni 966).

Topic > |1. "What makes Oedipus a tragic hero? What makes his situation fascinating rather than simply terrifying? From the beginning of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the reader is able to identify Oedipus, the protagonist of the play, as a famous hero. The prologue consists of a passage in which he boasts of his wise and powerful rule in the past and how the people depend greatly on him for future safety and good fortune (DiYanni 960-961). As the story progresses, however, it becomes apparent that Oedipus is more specifically a tragic hero. According to Webster's Dictionary, a “tragic hero” is a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy, destined to fall, suffer, or defeat. Oedipus has indeed been established as a great and virtuous character, but as the story unfolds it seems that all his heroic efforts lead him to a tragic end. For example, Oedipus arrogantly swears that he will solve the mystery of Laius' death and drive out the murderer, ending the plague and saving the kingdom. His bold intentions lead to a tragic end when he discovers that he is, in fact, Laïos' killer. Oedipus' tragic heroism, however, is not simply terrifying as one would expect from a Greek tragedy like Oedipus Rex. Instead, Oedipus' predicament is even more fascinating, even difficult to believe, because of his ignorance of the details of his actions. If Oedipus had intentionally killed his father and married his mother (as prophecy foretold) and was now suffering the consequences of his actions, the situation would have been horrible. In contrast, Oedipus was ignorant and thought he had escaped the possibility of the prophecy being fulfilled by fleeing his home town. The fact that the prophecy was unknowingly fulfilled by Oedipus makes his fate bizarre and intriguing especially for the reader.2. Identify and explain the different types of irony in Oedipus Rex:Irony plays a prominent role in Oedipus Rex and can be identified throughout the work. Most irony can be distinguished as situational, verbal, or dramatic. Dramatic irony, in which the audience is aware of something that the character is unaware of, is used at the beginning of the play. In Oedipus' speech to the men of Thebes, he curses the murderer of Laius, wishing that that man's life would be "consumed by evil and misery" (DiYanni 966).