In his classic work, "Poetics", Aristotle describes the
elements of a
tragedy. One of the most important elements is the
tragic hero. The major characteristic of the tragic hero is a fatal
flaw that results in their demise. Other common elements of a tragedy include the use of
irony, the inclusion of an anagnorisis, and the catharsis that the audience experiences. These elements of the tragedy are all observed in "Oedipus Rex". Each of these elements are described in this paper.