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Designing a Tragedy

The purpose of a Greek Tragedy is to bring understanding by provoking emotions that stir the viewers. In Sophocles' “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles examines life in hope of conveying such a message to shape humanities moral center. A moral center shaped by design in clarity and truth. Aristotle appreciated this creativity because it taught ethics and moralities that society could use in true life. In “Oedipus the King,” Oedipus, already famous for solving the riddle of the sphinx, believes he knows everything, but he is wrong. Illumination does not mean much for King Oedipus; however, the drama does give something important to viewers. By seeing Oedipus' error, the viewers could avoid Oedipus' misunderstanding. Also simultaneously, the Greek Tragedy of “Oedipus the King” stirs emotions of the viewers and motivates them to learn from the drama. For these reasons, Aristotle premises that Greek Tragedy is a real treatment for moral matters is true.
In the beginning of the drama “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles arouses the people of Thebes with burning emotions with a plague. In the drama, Sophocles uses of burning emotions induces the full attention the viewers. Sophocles increases the burning emotions even further with the uses of the great King Oedipus. The people of Thebes are calling on their King because he is their “greatest power” and can save them (Sophocles 1365).” Being captivated by all the emotions seen in the drama, the viewers are waiting for Oedipus to act.
The viewers want to know what the great King is going to do. Oedipus takes on the responsibility to fix the problem yet in the following scenes the viewer start to see his pride too. King Oedipus is the smartest guy in Thebes, however, his pride exaggerated his belief to the point that he thinks he makes no errors. Oedipus truly thinks he is better than everyone. “Pitiable children, oh I know, I know that you are sick. And yet, though you are sick, there is not one of you so sick as I (Sophocles 1365).” The viewers see Oedipus giving rhetoric to the people of Thebes. What is Oedipus doing? This is not the kind of action the viewers wanted to see or the kind of help that the people of Thebes need. The viewers are starting to think that Oedipus does not know everything.
The truth is Oedipus does not even know his true origins and is running to his personal Waterloo. In time, Oedipus learns the truth. He killed his real father, married his real mother, and thus becomes the tragic hero. Maybe, Oedipus should have faced his fears (or fate) instead of running from it. Maybe, Oedipus should not have asked so many questions and lived a quite life in Corinth. The truth is Oedipus acted imprudent in all the things that he did. Because of this, Oedipus actions serve to teach the viewers and give meaning to their own lives. By seeing Oedipus pain and fall, the moral lesson is burned into the mind of the audience.
Sophocles shapes audience moral center with burning emotions that causes people to learn from his drama. Sophocles' drama gives something essential to society, by showing error's in life. With this knowledge, audience could avoid misunderstanding and not acted foolish like King Oedipus. For this goal, Aristotle assumption that Greek Tragedy is a cure for moral concerns is accurate.


Work Cited
Sophocles. “Oedipus the King” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed.
Edger V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. 8th ed. Upper Saddle River. Prentice Hall,
2007. 1363-1398