Oedipus Rex as a Greek tragedy
According to Aristotle, a tragedy should arouse in the spectators the feeling of pity and fear chiefly for the hero’s tragic fate and terror at the sight of the dreadful suffering that befalls the characters. Particularly the hero. By arousing these feelings of pity and terror a tragedy wins at the catharsis or purification of these and similar other emotions. According to the homeopathic system of medicine. Like cures like that is a sick person is given does of a medicine. Which is given to a healthy man. Would make him sick. Similarly, a tragedy by arousing pity and terror cures us of these very feelings which always exist in our hearts. A tragedy, therefore, affords emotional relief and the spectators rise at the end with a feeling of pleasure. This according to Aristotle is the aesthetic function of tragedy. The catharsis of pity and fear and similar other emotions does not mean that men are purges of their emotions. It means that the emotions refuse to a healthy and balanced proportion. It is also to be noted that pity and fear are not the only emotions believed by Aristotle to find a healthy relief in tragedy.
“Oedipus Rex” is a Greek tragedy and this type of tragedy is quite different from the Shakespearean tragedy. Tragedy provides by means of pity and fear and other emotions, not only relief but also exercise and nourishment for the emotional side of human nature. Nor is that all. Tragedy also satisfies in certain ways our love of beauty and of truth to life and truth about life. Experience and more experience is a natural human craving. It may teach us to live more wisely but that is not its function. Its function is to widen the boundaries of our experience of life. Tragedy shows us the external contradiction between human weakness and human courage. Human stupidity and human greatness. Human frailty and human strength. In short, tragedy arouses a multitude of feelings in us. At the same time, the beauty of the writer’s style and imagination arouses also an artistic emotion.
There is no doubt that pity and fear are the dominating feelings produced by the play. Oedipus Rex as a Greek tragedy. Though a number of subsidiary feelings are also produced and there is no doubt that. The very prologue produces in us the feeling of pity and fear. Pity for the suffering population of Thebes and fear of future misfortunes which might befall the people Oedipus gives expression to his feelings of sympathy when he tells the priest that his heart is burdened by the collective suffering to all the people. The entry-song of the chorus which follows the prologue. The chorus says, “ with fear my heart is a river. Fear of what shall be told. Fear is upon us.” The chorus makes another reference. “the city reeks of the death in her streets”. The feeling of terror and pity are already aroused in our heart.
Oedipus’s propagation of his resolve to track down the murderer of Laius brings some relief. But the curse that Oedipus utters upon the unknown criminal. The scene in which Oedipus clashes with Teiresias further contributes to the feelings of pity and terror. The reaction of the chorus to the terrible utterance of Teiresias intensifies the horror.
The feelings of terror are considerably less in the scene or Creon, however, is soon withdrawn. The tension in the pity now diminishes to some extent but it begins to recover with Oedipus's suspicion on hearing from Jocasta that Leaius was killed at a spot where three roads met. The drawn now continues at a comparatively low key till first Jocasta and then Oedipus find themselves confronted with the episode of the discovery of true facts with Oedipus lamenting his sinful acts In having killed his father and married his mother.
In the Greek tragedy. The song of the chorus immediately following the discovery arouses our deepest sympathy at Oedipus sad fate. The conversion of the chorus with Oedipus who is now building is also extremely moving. Oedipus describes himself as the “shedder of father’s blood”. Husband of mother godless and child of shame begetter of brother-sons.” The scene of Oedipus meeting with his daughter is also very touching. His daughters lament Oedipus will have to wander homeless and, husbandless. He appeals to Creon in moving words to look after them.
As we leave the theatre or as we complete our reading of the play at home. Our hearts are heavy with sorrow and grief. We are hardly in a position to speak a word on account of the intensity of the feelings. Mainly of pity and fear. But the feelings of relief exhilaration and pleasure have also been arousing in us. The sin of Oedipus was committed unknowingly. Oedipus is essential an innocent man and this is a tragedy.
Thus, ‘oedipus Rex ‘ as a Greek tragedy and this type of tragedy is different from the Aristotelian tragedy or Shakespearean tragedy.
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