In Sophocles' play, Oedipus the King, Oedipus fits perfectly with Aristotle's meaning of a tragic hero who is a man of honorable importance. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with extraordinary superiority and immensity in himself. A ruined man pursues a greater cause or principle. Oedipus conveys many errors. In the play Oedipus the King, things had really taken a turn from good to evil. Using the meaning defined by Aristotle it will be shown that Oedipus is a prime example of a tragic hero. Nobility, tragic flaw, and hardship are all characteristics that Aristotle described as what truly defines a tragic hero. These are also four characteristics that Oedipus demonstrates his well-being as a catastrophic hero. Oedipus' nobility and resources are responsible for his early strategic success as a tragic hero. The nature of Oedipus' noble position as the son of a king earns him the veneration of not only the people of Thebes, but also the public. The audience must respect a tragic hero as someone superior and in greater control beneath himself. In line 13 of the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus states, “tell me and never doubt me that I will help you in every way I can.” By saying this he means that no matter what it takes, he is willing to sacrifice anything for his people, the individuals of Thebes. A royal courage is something he had and he held it high above his head, so high above his head that he made a sacrifice to escape his own city. Oedipus was exiled from the city to extinguish the plague, so the citizens of Thebes would no longer do harm. He had taken matters into his own affairs. Oedipus felt like a problem and things would only have gone well if he had been the one to leave. By accomplishing this great feat, Oedipus demonstrates that he is far from being selfish and closer to a leader. His… middle of paper… something bad he was told he would do and ended up doing whatever. Tragedy does not always mean death. It's just something good gone bad. Oedipus is perfect for the statement. He is a hero because he saves his hometown from the sphinx and becomes king. He is tragic because he unintentionally kills his father and marries (and has children) his mother. Oedipus realizes that if he had not successfully avoided the oracle to save himself. At a certain point the tragic heroes realize their flaws and learn to deal with the situation as Oedipus had done. Oedipus was unhappy because he was a good person with some bad habits and used to making bad decisions. The tragic hero of a tragedy is a necessary element to arouse public shame and fear to complete the emotional purge. Sophocles' character, Oedipus the King, is a proven explanation of a tragic hero.