Explain how fate and Oedipus's own essential nnature combine to make him a tragic hero - Essay Example

 The search for the truth depicts Oedipus’ tragic nature.  The make-up of a classic tragic figure include characteristics such as a fatal flaw, noble background, and inevitable downfall.  This paper analyzes three specific instances of Oedipus’ search for the truth that suggest his qualities of a tragic hero:  his blind hubris, his remorse upon his epiphany and his self fulfilling prophecy indicting his downfall.               Oedipus was determined to find the murderer and asked Creon about the context surrounding the crime.

 His relentless pursuit of the truth reveals his essential nature as a tragic hero. He was told that Laius was on pilgrimage when he was slain. The only witness fled the scene indicating that there was a group of robbers: I go, but first will tell thee why I came. Thy frown I dread not, for thou canst not harm me. Hear then: this man whom thou hast sought to arrest With threats and warrants this long while, the wretch Who murdered Laius--that man is here. (5-6) This quotation indicates that Oedipus curiosity of the murder of his father.

This is a unique quote in that it sets the stage for the search for the murderer of his father. This starts the path to self destruction. . He has already lived up to the prophecy that was delivered to him, now he pursues the knowledge that will vindicate the verdict.  Oedipus’ search for the truth initiates his compounding hubris.  His blind sense of pride distorts his view of his objective and leads to his inevitable downfall.  In this manner, Oedipus’ pursuit of his prophecy marks his tragic flaw.

          Oedipus poses the assumption that he is being framed by Creon who seeks his position as king. This quotation represents Oedipus’ deployment of defense mechanism as a means of justifying why he could never be implicated in the murder of his father. While at the same time, he deploys the mechanism because he is coming to grips with the conclusion that he could indeed be the murderer (Dawe, 2006). Oedipus is attempting to escape the knowledge of his fulfillment of his preordained fate.

While his search for the answer drives him further insane, he feels as if he will never returned to normality until he knows for sure. He escapes the bliss of ignorance out of pure curiosity.  The brink of his insanity represents the knowledge he must gain in order to undergo the tragic hero’s traditional epiphany.  Once Oedipus’ crosses this line and gains this great realization, he finds that it is essentially too little, too late.  Despite the immense remorse he feels internally, his fate as a tragic hero has already been sealed.

           Oedipus realized that his self fulfilled prophecy could have been handed down to his daughters who will have no husbands. Hence he seeks their departure with him to a land where he will not be followed by his dreadful past. "He cries, 'Unbar the doors and let all Thebes Behold the slayer of his sire, his mother's--' That shameful word my lips