Oedipus the King According to Term Paper

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In Oedipus this may be defined as the powerlessness of human beings against preordained fate. Diction refers to the expression of meaning through words. Stylistic elements of tragedy for example may include a character's use of metaphor. Oedipus does this very eloquently throughout the play and particularly during the climax, at the end of which he blinds himself. He uses this act as a self-punishment for his foolishness, which in itself might be construed a kind of blindness, throughout the play. Through his blind pursuit of a truth he could not fully fathom, Oedipus arrives at the tragedy that he helped fate to bring over him.

Aristotle's fifth important element of tragedy is song, or melody. In Sophocles' play, this occurs in the form of the chorus. The chorus forms part of the events in the play. It serves not only as a narrator of events, but also as a type of character that interacts with the events and other characters. As such, the chorus contributes to the important unity of the plot.

The final element of tragedy is spectacle, which, according to Aristotle, is the least important component of the tragedy. The reason for this is that Aristotle saw the creation of spectacular effects as a largely mechanical rather than an artistic function. Elements of plot and language are far more important in terms of literature than the visual effects of the play. As such then, these effects were best performed offstage. This includes grisly scenes such as the reading of entrails for the purpose of prophesy and Oedipus' act of blinding himself.

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This is perhaps the most significant difference between Aristotle's ideal of the tragic play and the modern movie audience's taste for an ever increasing spectacle of blood. Aristotle favored subtlety in presentation in order to let the higher arts convey the art of the drama.

Another reason for such subtlety is to allow the audience to fully experience the force of catharsis. Catharsis relates to the emotions of pity and fear, and the ultimate purging of emotion brought about by these feelings. In the case of Oedipus, the audience is moved to pity, fear and shock as a result of Oedipus' extreme action. Oedipus is pitied, because he has fallen from great power to a lifetime of powerlessness. He has attained the status almost of a beggar. This element is then the result of interconnection between all the other elements of the play. According to Aristotle's definition then, an overload of sensory shock would detract from the mental shock of Oedipus' fall.

According to Aristotle's definition, it can be estimated that Oedipus the King is indeed a "perfect" tragedy in terms of form, style and language. Oedipus' shocking act at the end makes it suitable not only for audiences during Ancient Greek times, but also for those of today. In this, Sophocles' work is timeless, although Aristotle would probably not agree with the various ways in which modern special effects artists may portray Oedipus' final act of sacrifice......

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