1. The Tragic Hero We are learning: - to describe the conventions of tragedy - to apply the tragic conventions to Oedipus the King Oedipus the King

2. Aristotelian Tragedy in Oedipus the King ARISTOTLE (384-322 BC) Philosopher and academic, wrote prolifically He was writing at least three generations after Sophocles plays were seen. Certainly he had access to the text, but Sophocles did NOT follow Aristotle’s theory of tragedy.

3. Conventions of Greek Tragedy – Technical Terms Greek TermEnglish Explanation hamartia Ignorance of a particular fact or set of facts. In later criticism, this was interpreted as a “tragic flaw” pathos hamartia + actions; tragic acts destructive to life or painful, must be combined with hamartia peripeteia a reversal of action/intent; where someone or something happens where the actual effect is different from the stated or intended effect anagnorisis recognition (of ignorance); the doer of pathos recognises that he/she has been ignorant (suffering from hamartia) catharsis Purification, involving regret, contrition or considerable suffering. Meaning of this word has changed over time. People use it now to mean a sense of emotional outpouring and feeling better after doing so.

4. Aristotelian Tragedy in Oedipus Rex Greek TermBrief Explanation Oedipus the King examples hamartiaignorance tragic acts peripeteia recognition (of ignorance) catharsis

5. Aristotelian Tragedy in Oedipus the King Greek TermEnglish Explanation Oedipus the King examples hamartiaignorance  Oedipus does not know that the person he killed at the crossroads was the King of Thebes, Laius  Oedipus does not know that Laius was his father  Oedipus does not know that Jocasta is his mother  Oedipus does not know that Polybus and Meropé are not his natural parents pathostragic acts  Oedipus kills Laius  Oedipus sleeps with Jocasta and produces 4 children, Antigone, Ismene, Polynices and Eteocles peripeteiaa reversal of action/intent  The messenger tells Oedipus that he is to be King of Corinth – good news; but he ends up revealing that Polybus and Meropé were not the parents of Oedipus  The shepherd is summoned to give evidence about the death of Laius; he ends up revealing that Oedipus was the baby whom he rescued from and gave to the messenger anagnorisisrecognition (of ignorance)  Oedipus finally makes the connection that the man he killed at the crossroads was his own father Laius, and that the woman he has married and slept with (Jocasta) is his own mother. catharsispurification  Oedipus acknowledges to the chorus and audience that he is a hated and revolting creature.  He blinds himself – vigorously and violently…it’s not just the blinding, but how it’s done  He is resigned to his fate and urges Creon to banish him, thus purifying the city of Thebes.