Aristotle, Classic Technique, and Greek Drama - Research Paper Example

? Research Paper: How Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies or refutes Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Division Sophocles is a name that is synonymous with Greek tragedies and classic Greek Literature. His works have been regaled, translated and re-enacted by many. When on the topic of Greek literature, classic drama and literary criticism the name that automatically comes to mind is that of Aristotle who set the rules of Greek drama, tragedy and literature and defined the style of Greek drama that we know of and learn about today. According to Aristotle the principal character and the characterization has more importance than the story or the play itself. Aristotle has used the works of Sophocles’ as examples in illustrating his views on great drama and tragedies in Greek literature. He regarded Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” as one of the most extraordinary examples of a classic Greek tragedy and has used the play as the basis for his criticism on Greek tragedy in his work “Poetics” released in 5th century BC. We will use the guidelines based on the above-mentioned book and as translated and explained by F.L. Lucas, F. L. in his publication Tragedy: Serious Drama in Relation to Aristotle's “Poetics” released in 1957 and compare it with the story of Oedipus as written by Sophocles and examine if Oedipus falls under the category of Aristotle’s image of a classic Greek tragic hero. We will ascertain this with reference to other popular works on this topic and draw out own personal conclusion. Aristotle had a few simple rules, which he said described a Greek tragedy. Sophocles’ Oedipus falls very much within the rules outlined by Aristotle. He said that a classic drama format should have a “Beginning” which explains the story of the main hero to the audience without giving away the total plot. The “Middle” portion of the story mentions a series of events in the life of the hero, which connects the beginning to the “Ending” which is a discovery of the truth that the story starts with. The classical tragic hero, according to Sophocles is a man who held an exalted position among the people; one who was righteous and kind, a man torn between good and evil in his own character and one who is not without faults. These qualities put together endeared the man to his people in the story and made him a man whom the audience could identify with. Aristotle (Lucas. 1957) defines these in the following words. 1. Hamartia: an injury committed by circumstance rather than by intent. 2. Anagnorisis: A moment when a great secret or truth is unfolded. 3. Peripeteia : A moment in the play when the complete mood changes where the crux of the story is exposed. In this essay we will examine how Sophocles’ Oedipus falls into Aristotle’s theory of what classifies Classic Greek drama and how Oedipus can be classified as the classic tragic hero. Let us look at “Oedipus the King” based on the three section in the story. Beginning of the Story The beginning of the story of Oedipus is a bit unclear to the audience. It is difficult to ascertain whether the story begins at the Laius hearing the prophecy of the Oracle or the birth of Oedipus and his abandonment. The Prophesy is undoubtedly the main point in the story. It is what leads the story from “Anagnorisis” (Lucas 1957), A moment when a great secret or truth is unfolded to “Peripeteia” (Lucas 1957), the final unfolding of the secret adding to the drama and pathos in the life of the Tragic hero. The story could be considered to begin at the shame and curse on Laius, which passes on to the next generation. Oedipus the hero of the play is doomed from the time of birth itself. His birth father Laius, fearing his death in the hands of his own son (according to the prophesy) orders Oedipus to be killed as an infant. But the queen mother, Jocasta unable to kill the baby orders a servant to do so. The servant however does not kill the baby himself but leaves the infant to his own death in the mountains. It can be argued that the story of Oedipus starts at this point although the background is important in understanding the beginning of the story. The important rule of Aristotle’s tragic hero is already established in the beginning. Oedipus is born the heir to the throne of Thebes and also gets adopted as the prince of Corinth. Middle of the Story The middle of the story takes complete form when Oedipus becomes the king of Thebes by vanquishing the conniving evil songstress, the Sphinx and freeing the people of Thebes from her clutches. His nobility and exalted position in the eyes of the people of Thebes is established at this point. However the background of this cannot be ignored. Oedipus leaves Corinth fearing the same prophesy that Laius did. According to the Prophesy as told by the Oracle to Oedipus. He is destined to kill his own father and mate with his own mother and bear her sons. Fearing for the life of his parents he runs way from Corinth. The audience however at this point are able to connect the second prophesy to the first one mentioned to Laius but the mystery in Oedipus life continues and he sets out of Corinth still in doubt about his parentage. The middle of the story is where the audience get an idea of the extreme tragic fate of Oedipus lead by circumstance and his own doing. Aristotle describes this as “Hamartia” (Lucas 1957), where the hero commits injury by accident and without intent. Oedipus kills Laius in an act of retaliation when encountering his entourage on the road to Thebes. The audience can at this point see that one part of the prophecy has come true. Here we also see Oedipus as a proud man and acting with a hint of arrogance. He of course did not know who Laius really was, but fights his men as they block his way and kills Laius as well as show of superiority. We can see Aristotle’s classic hero at this point also. Oedipus, despite his noble status is not without faults. The classic hero is still seen here as a regular man despite his exalted status in the eyes of the people. He was human in his faults and therefore easy to identify with. Soon after this incident we again see him in the status of a hero as he saves the people of Thebes from the evil Sphinx. He is named the king of Thebes for his valour and marries his on mother Jocasta, the queen. The second part of the prophecy unfolds at this point to the audience. It can be argued the play falls under Aristotle’s rules of classic Greek drama, which calls for a “Unity of Place” (Bellinger, 1927. pp 61-67) where the entire story takes places within the same location. We cannot however ignore the fact that the crux of the story the “Peripeteia” occurs very close to Thebes. Oedipus kills Laius on the road to Thebes, therefore bringing the story back to the location where it started. The End of the Story The end of the story is the classic unfolding of the entire truth of Oedipus life. It follows the classic tradition of Aristotle’s third golden rule, “Unity of Time” (Bellinger, 1927. pp 61-67). The entire last scene where the secret of Oedipus life unfolds to all the characters in the play takes place in the course of one day. Oedipus finds out the truth about his parentage and the prophecy that he and his birth parents have feared all their lives. Oedipus shows characteristics of a stubborn man during the investigation but the audience is able to empathize with him even at that point. They know that Oedipus’ killing of Laius was an act of self-defence and not intentional. Again he is Aristotle's classic tragic hero, whose life is a series of terrible circumstances. The suicide of Jocasta and Oedipus’ banishing himself as a punishment for the killing of Laius, the king of Thebes adds to the extreme tragedy in the life of Oedipus. He has committed a great crime in the eyes of the people and God and also to his own family. He gorges his eyes out as a part of his punishment. This exemplifies the quintessential tragic hero according to Aristotle. He is noble, righteous and fair in his judgement. He gives himself the same punishment that would have been meted out to any one who had murdered a king. Conclusion Oedipus’ story had the beginning, middle and end that Aristotle classified as the makings of a great tragedy. His story starts with him not realizing who he is and his lineage. The middle of the story is when Oedipus starts to be the king of Thebes by defeating the conniving songstress the Sphinx and his life unfolds and takes on a different role. We do not lose track of the fact that he is still searching for the truth of his life and the last scene connects him and the story to the beginning. From the above examination it is right to conclude that not only does Sophocles’ “Oedipus the King” fall under Aristotle’s rule of a Classic Greek tragedy, the character and life of Oedipus in the play makes him Aristotle’s classic Greek tragic hero. References Lucas, F. L. Tragedy. (1957). Serious Drama in Relation to Aristotle's “Poetics”. New York. Collier. Sophocles (trans. R. Fagles). (1984). The Theban Plays. Penguin Books, 1984 Dr. Larry A. Brown. Aristotle on Greek Tragedy. Jan 5, 2005. Feb 28. 2012. http://larryavisbrown.homestead.com/aristotle_tragedy.html Martha Fletcher Bellinger. (1927) Aristotle, Classic Technique, and Greek Drama. A Short History of Drama. New York. Henry Holt and Company. Pp. 61-67. Smith, Helaine (2005). Masterpieces of Classic Greek Drama. Greenwood. p. 1. Read More