Sophocles was a great writer of tragedies who wrote Oedipus the King modeling Aristotle's theory of a tragic play. The idea of a protagonist specified by five characteristics- character of renowned, tragic flaw, renewal, self-knowledge, unjust punishment. Oedipus, as the play's protagonist, presents an imitation of these, specifically in two of the five sub themes which are hamartia, or tragic flaw, and unjust punishment. .
The definition of hamartia can be described as any tragic flaw, and an example of this in the play is Oedipus" pride, or hubris. During the opening sequence, the chorus calls upon the aid of the gods and goddesses but Oedipus calls out, "You pray to the gods? Let me answer your prayers," (p. 171). This statement shows the pride and arrogance Oedipus reveals by raising his power above that of the immortal deities. He makes promises that made him appear noble and wise in order to draw people to follow him. Also, Oedipus is so prideful that he is blind to the fact that he was indeed the killer of his father. He called for punishment on the man who killed Laius, the king and Oedipus" estranged father, when it was his hand that slain the king. No matter the signs nor how well the pieces fell into place, Oedipus wanted not to believe he was the murderer himself. Pride corrupted Oedipus, blinding him to see his own fault, and was therefore his greatest tragic flaw. .
With every hamartia there is a punishment, and especially in tragedies, an unjust punishment. Oedipus calls out, "let that man drag out his life in agony, step by painful step- I curse myself as well if by any chance he proves to be an intimate of our house, here at my hearth, with my full knowledge, may the curse I just called down strike me," (p. 172). Truly, Oedipus was cursed when his wife and mother hanged herself and he cut out his eyes, sending himself into blind exile. Because Oedipus was indeed the man whom the curse was bestowed upon, he suffered a harsh punishment for his actions.
