The Tragedy of Oedipus Rex

Aristotle, "the last man to know everything," had insights into the art of writing tragedies. He wrote out a list of characteristics that a play must have to be considered a tragedy. The story of Oedipus Rex has all of those characteristics and would be considered by Aristorle himself to be a tragedy. The first of Aristotle's requirements said, "The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. He has a greatness about him." Oedipus, …

…saddened by his death. Oedipus Rex is a play about a king who is punished for actions that occurred in his past. Aristotle, "the last man to know everything," had insights to the art of writing tragedies. He wrote out a list of characteristics that a play must have to be considered a tragedy. The story of Oedipus Rex has all of those characteristics and would be considered by Aristotle himself to be a tragedy.