“FATE, KNOWLEDGE, AND HUMAN SUFFERING: A CRITICAL STUDY OF TRAGIC VISION IN SOPHOCLES’ OEDIPUS REX

Abstract

Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex remains one of the most influential tragedies in the history of world literature, offering a profound exploration of fate, knowledge, and human suffering. The play dramatizes the inevitable conflict between human will and divine predestination, presenting Oedipus as a tragic hero whose downfall stems not only from fate but also from his relentless pursuit of truth. This research article examines Oedipus Rex through the lens of Aristotle’s theory of tragedy, psychoanalytic interpretations, and modern existential readings, analyzing how Sophocles crafts a narrative that interrogates the limits of human freedom and responsibility.

By situating the play within the broader tradition of Greek tragedy, the study highlights how Sophocles both adheres to and transcends the conventions of classical drama. While Oedipus fulfills the Aristotelian criteria of a tragic hero—marked by hamartia, hubris, and catharsis—his plight also resonates with contemporary philosophical concerns about knowledge, identity, and destiny. The paper further engages with psychoanalytic readings, particularly Freud’s use of the “Oedipus complex” as a framework for understanding unconscious desire, and considers how modern theorists such as Nietzsche and Camus view Oedipus as emblematic of humanity’s struggle against absurdity and suffering.

Ultimately, this study argues that Oedipus Rex endures as a universal tragedy because it forces audiences to confront the paradoxes of human existence: the desire for knowledge coupled with the inevitability of suffering, and the tension between free will and predetermined fate. By synthesizing classical, psychoanalytic, and existential perspectives, the article underscores the play’s timeless relevance, affirming Sophocles’ vision of tragedy as a mirror of the human condition.