Discuss the connections of Greek Tragedy as can be gathred from Sophocheles's Oedipus Rex..

Answer:- 

Aristotle, in poetics laid down 'Catharsis' has been variously defined as purification, and purgation - but word which perhaps best appropriates this medical term in its literary and asthetic content is 'refinement'. The viewer of the tragic fate of a 'hero' is refind though proper Channelization of the emotions of 'pily' and 'fear'. This is brought about by the cummulative identification, fear of the fate of the hero and finally a pity or sympathy for his fate when the mess fortune finally befalls him. Aristotle also isolate certain other characteristics of a tragic hero that optimizes this sensation, namely the character should be of a middling kind neither too good nor too bad but more inclined towards good than bad, should ideally be of a royal personage for than the misfortune for many, and finally the tragedy should be caused by some flaw in the hero's character, which is no greater application of these premises than Shophocles's Oedipus. In the begining, Oedipus comes across as a well meaning, Virtuous and dynamic king. He is a noble, since the audience, particularly the Greek audience of his time, was aware of the fact that he is the son of Laius and Jocasta. He himself, however, belives himself to be the son of Polybus and Merope, the king and queen of Corinth. This too, is a mark of nobility. He kills the Sphinix and as a gift get reign over the city and kingdom of Thebes. With absolute dominion, he earns what is rightfully his. His nobility is both an acqured and an attained one. 

                             Yet , all this success his lived by a sense of anxiety and fear, since the audience is piqned by what happens to him, knowing full well the turn of events he is destined for. He can not change what fate has decreed for him - that he will be his father's killer and mother's bed fellow/partner. In fact, when the play begins, he has already committed these sin inadvertently. Thus, lack of self-knowledge is a flow that Oedipus has. But that isa common human trait, and not strong, enough as a hamartia. What causes Oedipus's downfall in his hubris, In the course of his enquiry, Oedipus is time and again warned by Tiresias, the crowd and Jocasta to stop delving deep into the misteries of the past, as that only bring misery. Ultimately he realizes that, he is the killer of his father and the husband of his mother, though whom he sired children. The fear of the audience proves to be true. 

     After this realisation, Oedipus blinds himself with the brooch of Jocasta's dress. As a blind and cursed man, he loves all civil rights. Oedipus has no escape though death as Jocasta has. Unlike many tragedies like Orester, Clytemnestra and Oedipus Rex does not end in death. He roams the neighbourhood of Thebes a blind snd restitute. This is where the pity of the audience completely sides with him. His fall is complete. 

Thus, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex can be said to be the quintessential tragic, hero. It also show how ''life's little ironies'' prevent one to gain thay eternal knowledge. Ironically chance makes him the king of Thebes and chance save him fron the grasp of the 'icy fingers' of death and again chance instigates him to blinf himself. On this note, we can say that Oedipus stands out as a perfect example of the combination of human suffering and human happiness. At the very end of the play Sophocles uses his Chorus as the represesentive of the humanity in general as they philosophize :

        '' Count no man happy until he dies, free of all pain ''