Exodus is pretty dramatic, and Oedipus seems to address a variety of issues. Look over the scene and determine how Aristotle determined that Oedipus is a hero, despite his flaw, mistake, and downfall. Use several examples to show what, if anything, he has learned.
Even though Oedipus made a mistake and had a downfall, he is always trying to help people. He exiled himself to make sure that the plague would be lifted from Thebes, to make sure that the people would be safe again. He also learns to be humble in this story. The mistake isn't really his fault to begin with, as it was going to come true as soon as he had been born.
ReplyDeleteOedipus is a hero in Aristotle's point of view because Oedipus unlike Iocaste did not take the easy way out. He did stab out his eye balls so he could not see his children but the greatest punishment he wanted for himself was to be exiled away from Thebes so it could be relieved from the deadly plague. Oedipus changes a lot. He learns that unfortunately it will do not good to just kill himself and he accepts the fact that he is going to have to deal with the truth everyday when he wakes up and therefore he is a hero for that. " Death will not ever come through sickness or in any natural way: I have been preserved For some unthinkable fate. But let that be"(77).
ReplyDeleteI think that Aristotle believed Oedipus to be a hero because Oedipus decided to face the truth. Throughout the story he only chose to believe in what is true and even though the truth ultimately brought him down in the end, he decided to stand through it. An example of a character that did not do this is Iocaste. She killed herself so that she would not have to face the truth and live with it for the rest of her life. Oedipus decided that killing himself was too cowardly and that he must face the full punishment of being exiled and living knowing what he had done.
ReplyDeleteOedipus is a hero for multiple reasons. Although he was arrogant to think he could stop the prophecy, he stood by his original decision and tried to do the right thing. He tried not to marry his mother and kill his father, yet this was the path that the god had already chosen for him. He learns that he can’t avoid fate and the plans the gods have made; he can simply live his life, know the truth, and continue to try to do the right thing. A second reason that he is a hero is that he didn’t try and take “the easy way out” by killing himself like Iocaste or by stop searching for the truth. He accepts his punishment and will have to face his dark past for the rest of his life. As we wrote about before, discovering the truth can be the most difficult option yet Oedipus continued to seek it. Another reason he is a hero is by self-exiling himself in order to save Thebes from the plague. “Self-exiled, in order that the curse which he himself pronounced may depart from the house”(70). Finally, he blinds himself because he can’t bear to face his loved-ones when he is so ashamed of what he has done and he has so much self-loathing. Oedipus stayed true to his beliefs and learned that you cannot escape fate. Good fortune can change even if you think that you have done nothing wrong. “Presume on his good fortune until he find life, at his death, a memory without pain”(81).
ReplyDeleteEven if someone makes a mistake, they shouldn't be considered a bad person. He made two mistakes by killing his own father and marrying his mother. He didn't mean for those things to happen. He wouldn't have killed Laïos if he knew Laïos was his father.
ReplyDeleteHe also did some good things as well. He exiled himself even though he was king. He could have had servants and been ruler of Thebes but he decided to leave Thebes for them. If he had stayed, the plague would have never been lifted and the citizens would have suffered.
Aristotle determined Oedipus as a hero aside from his flaw, mistake, and downfall by making Oedipus live with the truth. "Do not counsel me any more. This punishment That I have laid upon myself is just. If I had eyes, I do not know how I could bear the sight Of my father, when I came to the house of Death, Or my mother: for I have sinned against them both So vilely that I could not make my peace By strangling my own life" (73). Unlike his wife/mother Iocaste, Oedipus knew he had to receive the punishment for his actions, but he faced it blind... "For the King ripped from her gown the golden brooches That were her ornament, and raised them, and plunged them down Straight into his own eyeballs, crying, "No more, No more shall you look on the misery about me, The horrors of my own doing! Too long you have known The faces of those whom I should have never seen, Too long been blind to those for whom I was searching!" (69).
ReplyDeleteOedipus is still a very important hero, despite his flaw. He is a hero for lifting the plague off the people, and taking over Thebes. Saving the people of Thebes may be a bit arrogant, but he still did it. He also exiles himself, which is somewhat arrogant, but also good because it is the right thing to do in this circumstance. He also killed Laïos in self defense, not knowing it was his father. If the fight never happened and he knew who he was he never would have killed him. He also is okay with doing something wrong. Oedipus states, "Death will not ever come through sickness or in any natural way: I have been preserved For some unthinkable fate. But let that be"(77). He kind of is like, the gods will punish me, but I am not perfect, so it is okay.
ReplyDeleteIn Aristotle's point of view, Oedipus is a hero because he lives with the terrifying truth presented before him. Oedipus has learned about the consequences behind his actions. From killing his father he had spun himself into a web of destruction that he would never be able to get out of. He also learns that killing himself is not good enough for his predicament. He feels as if his wrong doings were so extreme that he does not deserve the satisfaction of death. He feels as if he needs to suffer and this is what makes him a hero. Understanding that sometimes the hard choice is the right one. In Exodus Oedipus speaks of his current state as the following, "Death will not ever come through sickness or in any natural way: I have been preserved For some unthinkable fate. But let that be"(77). In the end even a hero must fall.
ReplyDeleteWhat defines a hero? The definition of hero is a person admired for courage and noble qualities. When we first meet Oedipus he is an honorable king and a respected man throughout the land.Although his major flaw is not apparent at first, it is later shown that Oedipus is arrogant, and overconfident in his control and direction of his fate. We are shown the demise of Oedipus as his life and all he has known collapses around him. This puts Oedipus in the position of being the victim, Unfavored by the gods and leader in his own destruction. Although Oedipus might have been at fault to his own devastation he does make noble sacrifices once he is aware of the truth. "Death will not ever come through sickness or in any natural way: I have been preserved For some unthinkable fate. But let that be"(77)Oedipus is exiling himself to save Thebes from the plague. This can be considered selfless, but in truth Oedipus was the source of the problem in the first place. Even if Oedipus was the source of the problem, he met his punishment fearfully. Unlike Iocaste, who quickly ended her suffering Oedipus sentenced himself to a life of pain and loneliness. I believe that Oedipus is in fact a hero, but as far as heros go he's not that great of a hero.
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ReplyDeleteAristotle is an old philosopher in the Golden Age, and developed a definition of a tragic hero; based on Oedipus. First, the character starts off in a position of power; second, the character has a flaw that leads to a mistake and downfall; last, the character learns from his mistakes and changes.Oedipus might have made mistakes and suffered a downfall, but he is always trying to help others. He exiled himself from Thebes to help lift Thebes from a second Plague and help the people. Overall, Oedipus learned to live with the truth; which, as we learned sometimes CANNOT be easy to do. This also made Oedipus a hero because he did what was best for his people, and did not go the "easy way out". He did what a true hero does, the hard way. In the end the hard work paid off, and Oedipus changed significantly throughout the play.
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