The play written by Sophocles portrays Oedipus as a tragic hero in Greek mythology. Can Oedipus really be described as a tragic hero, or did the passion of his own desires set his fate upon him? We learn that Oedipus fulfilled a prophecy that said he would kill his father, and thereby bring disaster on his city and family. Essentially, the Oedipus complex according to the World English Dictionary, states that a group of emotions (usually unconscious) involving the desire of a child (especially a male child) to hold sexually the parent of the opposite sex while excluding the parent of the same sex. In simple wording, a young boy who has feelings for his mother’s attributes, and shows cold emotions to his father, because his father has his mother’s attention, which the young boy wishes. Within the play Oedipus kills his father unbeknown to him, and marries his mother. In my opinion this suggests that even though Oedipus was unaware of his actions, his fate still directed him towards wanting his mother, Jocasta and disregarding/ killing his father, Laius. Therefore, causing him not to be a tragic hero, but a man who had an unfortunate destiny awaiting him.
"Oedipus complex." Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 15 Apr. 2014. Dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/oedipus complex
