I am Abomination - Revised

Written: February 12th, 2015; revised March 1st, 2015.

Prompt: In what ways does Sophocles' Oedipus the King represent the perfect tragedy, as understood by Aristotle?

While perfection cannot be tragic, tragedies can be perfect. Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is the perfect tragedy. In it, he outlines the events surrounding and befalling the great king of Thebes, Oedipus. Oedipus the King exemplifies at least three features of Aristotle’s perfect tragedy: plot, characterization, and diction.

The work under consideration follows the plot of a perfect tragedy. The story’s definite beginning, middle, and end are prime examples. In begins with the proclamation that “Thebes is dying” (Sophocles 31.160). This truth serves as the cause of the events to follow. The climax occurs when Oedipus finally comes to understand that he is “cursed in…birth, cursed in married, cursed in the lives [he] cut down” (1309-1310.232). The resolution is the death of Jocasta and the maiming of Oedipus. With death and blindness, the price of Oedipus’ despicable actions has in some sense been paid. Moreover, there is a “unity of action” throughout the work. That is to say, the events that form the plot follow one another necessarily. Primarily, multiple prophecies augment the plot and prove that everything that occurs is fated to do so. Secondly, the suffering and ultimate death of Oedipus’ four children (the last event) springs from Oedipus’ unknowingly murdering King Laius (the first event). Years after the murder, Oedipus calls down curses upon the one who took the king’s life. Concerning that person, he cries out to the gods to “shrivel their women [and] kill their sons” (173.309). Because he himself is the one who killed Laius, he inadvertently curses his children with death and destruction. In short, there is a necessary connection between the (chronologically) first and last event of the story. Further, the plot of Oedipus the King is complex, involving both peripeteia (a reversal of intention) and anagnorisis (a move from ignorance to knowledge). It has peripeteia because Oedipus, so intent on “bring[ing] to light” (150.167) the events surrounding his birth, eventually shrouds his own life in darkness by gouging out his eyes. Intent on finding light, he finds only darkness. It has anagnorisis because Oedipus went from ignorance to knowledge about his personal identity, as will be argued below.

Just as Oedipus the King has the perfect tragic plot, so too does it have the perfect tragic characters. For example, Oedipus, the protagonist, is powerful and prosperous. Indeed, the people cry out to him, saying, “[K]ing, we bend to you, your power” (49-50.161), treating him with the respect owed to the gods alone. Moreover, Oedipus has a deep weakness within himself, or hamartia. When hearing that no one could find the murderer of King Laius, he replies that “[he’ll] bring it all to light [himself]” (149-150.167). As he falls further and further into the tragedy of his past, he “must know it all” (1169-1170.222). When those who “want the best” (1170-1171.223) for him tell him to stop his quest before it is too late, he denies them. Oedipus’ flaw, then, is a lust for knowledge he should not have. Finally, Oedipus passes from ignorance to knowledge concerning who he is. As the story opens, he proclaims himself to the people: “[T]he world knows my fame: I am Oedipus” (7-9.159). He speaks with pride and self-exultation. But after the events of the story unfold, he is forced to speak up again. Softly, quietly, he asks, “What grief can crown this grief? It’s mine alone, my destiny – I am Oedipus.” (1495-1496.242).There is parallelism between these two proclamations. He has always known that he is Oedipus, but only after fate breaks his heart does he know who Oedipus is. Oedipus is “abomination – heart and soul” (910.206). In short, the move from ignorance to knowledge is one of damning self-realization.

But characterization goes hand-in-hand with metaphorical description. The metaphorical elements or diction of Oedipus the King enrich the narrative and give the story the necessary stylistic elements of the perfect tragedy. For instance, Oedipus “with [his] precious eyes” are metaphorically “blind to the corruption” (471.183) of his life. This is another reference to his hamartia. Further, when he finally does see the light of his life, “[w]hat rock…won’t scream back in echo?” (481.183). Even the Earth cannot contain its horror when it learns of Oedipus’ hellish corruption. Finally, concerning Oedipus, “dark wings [beat] around him shrieking doom” (548.186), an obvious reference to the Furies. The cause of his suffering is not pride, blindness, or even past mistakes. However unjust it may seem, the true cause of Oedipus’ tribulations is simply the arbitrary will of Fates and Furies.

In short, diction, characters, and plot model Aristotle’s perfect tragedy. In light of this, the lesson of Oedipus the King is clear. Life is absurd, lacking all significance and meaning. No matter what you do, the choices you make, or the people you know, your fate is yours and yours alone. Nothing done matters. Nothing done changes what must come to pass. If you are fated to kill your father and marry your mother, throw open the gates of despair, because there is absolutely nothing you can do to change your terrible destiny. It is not fair, that is true. But life was not meant to be fair.