Oedipus Tragic Flaws

Oedipus was not perfect, but had numerous tragic flaws. He made an error of judgement, combined with fate then brought on a tragedy . Oedipus tragic flaw was tragedy that was destined for downfall. A tragic hero must be an important or influential man who commits a fault, and who must then accept the consequences of his actions. Oedipus learns a lesson from his temper, his tragic flaw, and became an example to the audience of what happens when great men fall from their high social position.

When Teiresias refuses to name the murderer, however, we see the other side of Oedipus, a hot-tempered man who cannot bear to be denied what he wants. He taunts Teiresias with his blindness and makes irrational accusations against both Teiresias and Creon. Later, when the old servant also tries to avoid answering Oedipus' questions, Oedipus threatens him with torture."Oedipus went so far as to accuse him of keeping silence because he himself taken part in the murder"(Hamilton271).Thats when Oedipus tells Jocasta that, on his way to Thebes, he killed a man who struck at him in the road. So it's clear what his tragic flaw is, and his impulsive,violent temper can even be seen as an

In fact, we learn that he has had his excessive pride even as a young man and that it is his pride that leads him to unknowingly kill his own father. We learn that when he was younger he visited the oracle at Delphi and had it prophesied that he would one day kill his own father and sleep with his own mother, "Warned Laius that he would die at the hands of his son.."(Hamilton 268). In his state of anger he headed on the road again far away from his own city. A man and traveling companions were also on the road heading towards Delphi, and when they saw Oedipus, they ran him off the road. Due to his pride and anger, he struck out at the travelers, killing them