Question no.

Explain Oedipus Rex as tragic hero;

Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a play by Sophocles that tells the story of
Oedipus, a tragic hero who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and
marry his mother. The play is considered one of the greatest examples of Greek tragedy and
is often studied in literature and theater classes.

As a tragic hero, Oedipus possesses several characteristics that make him a compelling and
complex character. Some of these characteristics include:

Hubris:

Oedipus is full of pride and self-confidence, which leads him to make rash decisions and
underestimate the power of fate.

Good intentions: Oedipus is a well-intentioned character who is driven by a desire to do what

Tragic flaw:

Oedipus's tragic flaw is his inability to see the truth and accept responsibility for his actions.
He is blind to the fact that he has fulfilled the prophecy and instead blames others for his
misfortune.

Suffering:

Oedipus experiences a great deal of suffering throughout the play, as he is forced to

Growth:

Despite his suffering, Oedipus ultimately grows as a character and learns important lessons
about humility, self-awareness, and the limits of human knowledge.

Overall, Oedipus's story is a tragic one, as he is unable to escape the fate that has been
ordained for him. However, it is his journey and the lessons he learns along the way that
make him a tragic hero and make the play so enduring.

Question no.2

Explain role of fate and free will in Oedipus Rex

One of the main themes of the play is the tension between fate and free will, and how the
two forces interact with each other. At the beginning of the play, Oedipus is told by the
Oracle at Delphi that he is doomed to kill his father and marry his mother, but he does not
believe that this fate is inevitable. He believes that he has the power to choose his own path
and avoid fulfilling the prophecy.

As the play progresses, however, it becomes clear that Oedipus's choices are not entirely his
own. He is influenced by the words and actions of others, including his parents, the Oracle,
and the people of Thebes, and these influences shape the course of his life. For example,
Oedipus's parents, Laius and Jocasta, abandon him as an infant in an attempt to prevent the
prophecy from being fulfilled, but their actions ultimately contribute to its realization.

At the same time, Oedipus's actions also have an impact on the events of the play. He is
stubborn and prideful, and his desire to solve the mystery of the plague and find the killer of
Laius drives him to investigate and uncover the truth about his past. In this sense, Oedipus
has some level of free will, as he is able to make choices and take actions that contribute to
the fulfillment of the prophecy.

Ultimately, the play suggests that fate and free will are intertwined and that it is impossible to
fully separate the two. Oedipus's story demonstrates that even though he has the power to
make choices, he is still bound by the forces of fate and cannot escape his destiny. At the
same time, Oedipus's choices and actions play a role in determining the course of his life,
and it is these choices that make him a tragic hero.

Question no.3

Describe role of chorus in Oedipus Rex:

In Oedipus Rex, the chorus is a group of Theban elders who provide commentary on the
events of the play and serve as a link between the characters and the audience. The chorus
is intended to represent the voice of the community and serves several important functions
within the play.

One of the main roles of the chorus is to provide emotional and moral support to Oedipus,
the tragic hero. As Oedipus struggles to understand the prophecy that he will kill his father
and marry his mother, the chorus serves as a sounding board, expressing their own fears
and doubts and offering words of encouragement. The chorus is also a source of comfort
and support for Jocasta, Oedipus's mother and wife, as she grapples with the revelations
about her own past.
The chorus also serves as a way for Sophocles, the playwright, to convey the feelings and
opinions of the community to the audience. Through the chorus, the audience is able to see
how the events of the play are affecting the people of Thebes and how they are reacting to
the revelations about Oedipus's past. The chorus is particularly important in this regard, as
they provide a contrast to the main characters and offer a different perspective on the events
of the play.

In addition to these roles, the chorus also performs a number of songs and choral odes
throughout the play. These songs often provide insight into the characters and the events of
the play, and they can be used to foreshadow future events or to reflect on events that have
already occurred. For example, in one of the choral odes, the chorus reflects on the nature
of human suffering and the role of the gods in determining the fates of mortals. This helps to
deepen the themes of the play and adds another layer of complexity to the story.

Overall, the chorus plays a significant role in Oedipus Rex, providing emotional support to
the main characters and serving as a conduit between the characters and the audience. The
chorus helps to enrich the themes of the play and adds depth and complexity to the story.

Question no.4

Explain Oedipus Rex as classical tragrdy?

Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a play by Sophocles that is considered
one of the greatest examples of classical tragedy. In a classical tragedy, the protagonist, or
main character, is a hero who possesses good intentions and noble qualities, but who is
ultimately brought down by a tragic flaw or error in judgment.

In the case of Oedipus Rex, the main character, Oedipus, is a tragic hero who is full of pride
and self-confidence. He is a well-intentioned character who is driven by a desire to do what
is right and protect his people. However, he is also stubborn and unwilling to listen to the
advice of others, which leads him to make rash decisions and underestimate the power of
fate.

Oedipus's tragic flaw is his inability to see the truth and accept responsibility for his actions.
He is blind to the fact that he has fulfilled the prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother,
and instead blames others for his misfortune. This flaw ultimately leads to his downfall, as he
is unable to escape the fate that has been ordained for him.

In addition to the tragic hero, other elements of classical tragedy are also present in Oedipus
Rex. The play includes a chorus of Theban elders who provide commentary on the events of
the play and serve as a link between the characters and the audience. The chorus helps to
enrich the themes of the play and adds depth and complexity to the story.
The play also includes a number of dramatic elements, such as foreshadowing, irony, and
heightened language, which contribute to the overall tragic atmosphere of the play. For
example, the play is full of irony, as Oedipus's actions and decisions are often the opposite
of what he intends. This irony serves to heighten the tragic nature of the play and adds to the
sense of inevitability that surrounds Oedipus's fate.

Overall, Oedipus Rex is a classical tragedy in which the main character, Oedipus, is a tragic
hero who is brought down by his own flaws and the forces of fate. The play's use of
elements such as the chorus, dramatic irony, and heightened language contribute to its
tragic atmosphere and make it a timeless and enduring work of literature.

Question no.5

Explain Tragic irony/ tragic flaw/ hamartia in Oedipus Rex

Tragic irony, tragic flaw, and hamartia are all literary devices that are commonly found in
classical tragedies, such as Oedipus Rex. These devices serve to deepen the themes of the
play and contribute to the tragic atmosphere.

Tragic irony is a form of irony that occurs when the audience knows something that the
characters in the play do not. In Oedipus Rex, the audience is aware that Oedipus has
fulfilled the prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother, while Oedipus is unaware of this
fact. This creates a sense of irony, as Oedipus's actions and decisions are often the opposite
of what he intends. For example, Oedipus is determined to find the killer of Laius, his father,
and bring him to justice, but he is unaware that he is the killer himself.

Tragic irony is used throughout the play to heighten the tragic nature of the story and to
underscore the sense of inevitability that surrounds Oedipus's fate. For example, the chorus
sings a song in which they reflect on the nature of human suffering and the role of the gods
in determining the fates of mortals. This song serves to foreshadow the suffering that
Oedipus will experience and to underscore the idea that his fate is predetermined by the
gods.

Tragic flaw, also known as hamartia, is a character trait or error in judgment that ultimately
leads to the downfall of the tragic hero. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus's tragic flaw is his inability
to see the truth and accept responsibility for his actions. He is stubborn and prideful, and his
desire to solve the mystery of the plague and find the killer of Laius leads him to investigate
and uncover the truth about his past. However, he is blind to the fact that he has fulfilled the
prophecy and instead blames others for his misfortune. This tragic flaw ultimately leads to
his downfall, as he is unable to escape the fate that has been ordained for him.

Oedipus's tragic flaw is rooted in his pride and self-confidence. He is convinced that he is the
savior of Thebes and that he has the power to solve any problem that arises. This pride
leads him to underestimate the power of fate and to believe that he can control his own
destiny. However, as the play progresses, it becomes clear that Oedipus is not as
all-knowing or all-powerful as he believes, and his tragic flaw ultimately leads to his downfall.

Overall, tragic irony, tragic flaw, and hamartia are important literary devices that contribute to
the tragic atmosphere of Oedipus Rex and deepen the themes of the play. These devices
serve to heighten the sense of inevitability that surrounds Oedipus's fate and make the play
a timeless and enduring work of literature. The use of these devices helps to create a
complex and compelling character in Oedipus, who is a tragic hero who possesses good
intentions and noble qualities, but who is ultimately brought down by his own flaws and the
forces of fate

By
NOORAIN FATIMA