In the play Oedipus the King we identify the classic tragic hero. The character Oedipus Rex plays the role of the tragic hero perfectly. He shows the three main characteristics being talented and of noble birth, possessing a tragic flaw that causes the downfall and pain of everyone, and the recognition of responsibility.
Oedipus’s first characteristic of being a tragic hero is being talented and of noble birth. Oedipus was talented because during his journey to runaway form his curse, the oracle foresaw for him. He stumbled upon the Riddle of the Sphinx in Thebes; Oedipus solved the riddle and was rewarded to be king and was given the old kings wife. (“You freed us from the Sphinx; you came to Thebes and cut us loose from the bloody tribute we had paid that harsh, brutal singer.” Line 44) As Oedipus was being rewarded for his talents no one knew that Oedipus was already of noble birth and was the true heir to this kingship. Only the blind prophet of Thebes Tiresias knew......

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Title: Oedipus The Tragic Hero
Approximate Word Count: 746
Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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