Oedipus Rex can be viewed as a classic Greek tragic drama because it contains many aspects that are typical of Greek tragedy. It involves a protagonist who undergoes an extremely unfortunate downfall. It is created thorough the use if hubris and hamartia, which leads to Oedipus' downfall, catharsis, which is created in the audience when Oedipus is revealed the truth, dramatic irony with irony between what the audience knows and what the characters say, and symbolism, which foreshadows his doom.

Hubris is the arrogance and excessive self-pride and self-confidence in a character. In Greek tragedies, it leads the heroes to ignore warnings from the gods and invite catastrophe. Hubris plays a large part in both Oedipus' and Laius' character. Through their hubris, they believe that they can circumvent what the god Apollo has prophesised. Laius sends his son, that was destined to kill him, to death and Oedipus...