The Perfect Aristotelian Tragedy: Oedipus the King by Sophocles Works cited not included Oedipus the King is an excellent example of Aristotle's theory of tragedy. The work has the perfect Aristotelian tragic plot composed of paripeteia, anagnorisis and catastrophe; it has the perfect tragic character who suffers from happiness to unhappiness due to hamartia (tragic flaw) and the play evokes pity and fear which produces the tragic effect, catharsis (a purge of emotions). Oedipus the King has the necessary ingredients for the plot of a beautiful tragedy, including the peripeteia. According to Aristotle, an ups and downs is necessary for a good plot. Peripeteia is “a reversal in his fortune from happiness to disaster” (Abrams 322). Oedipus' reversal of fortune occurs when he realizes that he is the son of Laius and Jocasta. The messenger goes to Oedipus with the belief that he will free the king from the fear of killing his father as predicted by the Oracle. But by revealing the secret that Oedipus is not who he thinks he is and has been found and given to his father Polybus, the messenger does the opposite. The messenger instead makes Oedipus more fearful and reverses Oedipus' life. The Chorus says, "Thou art my great example, thou, thy life thy destiny, Oedipus, man of misery - I count no man blessed" (1318-20). The Chorus states that his idea of ​​human happiness is now destroyed by Oedipus' reversal of fortune. According to Aristotle, anagnorisis is another important aspect of the plot of a tragedy. Anagnorisis is “the discovery of facts hitherto unknown to the hero” (Abrams 322). In Oedipus the King the anagnorisis came to pieces for Oedipus. It begins when Oedipus recognizes the area, "in a place where thr...... middle of paper ...... and discovers that the truth is almost over at this point. All the tension and mystery is gone. Oedipus reveals the truth and now the feeling of anxiety is replaced by pain and sadness. This release of tension causes an overwhelming emotion, a relief of emotion that marks catharsis. Sophocles' Oedipus the King has the necessary ingredients for a good Aristotelian tragedy the play has the essential parts that form the plot, consisting of peripeteia, anagnorisis and a catastrophe; all necessary for a good tragedy according to the Aristotelian conception. Oedipus is the perfect tragic protagonist, since his happiness turns into misery cause of hamartia (a mistake also evokes pity). and fear in its audience, causing the audience to experience catharsis or a purging of emotions, which is the true test for any tragedy according to Aristotle.