Oedipus Rex: Tragic Hero

            
             In the tragedy, Oedipus Rex, Sophocles presented Oedipus as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a kind of sacrificial victim. He experiences a fall because he has a certain character flaw, or tragic flaw, and he suffers so that the audience may learn from that suffering without having to experience the pain themselves. Oedipus" tragic flaw led to his downfall and suffering. This flaw had an important and intriguing effect on the story.
             As the play progressed, a zealous desire to know the truth in its entirety proved to be Oedipus" tragic flaw. In the beginning of the play, Oedipus illustrated this flaw when he sent Creon to fetch the prophet, Tiresias. Oedipus then inquired of him as to who the murderer of Laius had been. When Tiresias refused to provide him with a straight answer, he became angered and demanded to know the truth. Tiresias finally answered him, but Oedipus could not fathom that what had been said was, in fact, the truth. This pattern continued as Oedipus began suspecting what Tiresias had said was actually true. He then asked Jocasta's advice on the situation. Jocasta was his wife and, unbeknownst to him, his mother. She told Oedipus that she did not believe the prophet and for him to simply let it pass. He could not settle for this. He sent for the man that said he witnessed the murder so that he could know the truth. Oedipus threatened the witness who was then forced to reveal to him what happened. This need for knowledge was a flaw for Oedipus, but it not only affected him. It affected those around him also. .
             Oedipus" need for knowledge led to his downfall and caused a great deal of suffering. He pushed the issue to the maximum. Jocasta, Creon, Tiresias and even the chorus who had supported Oedipus in the beginning warned him against seeking further knowledge. They, aside from the chorus, knew that there was nothing good that could come from his proceedings. Still, Oedipus continued.