The first requirement that Aristotle set forth was the protagonist should be in a position of power and should also have a good character. In Oedipus, the title character is born the prince of Thebes. He is born into royalty, but is abandoned because his father was afraid that the prophecy of his son killing his father and marrying his mother would come true. The King of Corinth then adopts him. Oedipus flees Corinth because he is afraid of fulfilling the prophecy. Oedipus’ character is established by the fact that as soon as he heard the prophecy he left Corinth without going home. He did not want the prophecy to come true. Oedipus ends up in Thebes where he becomes king not because of the bloodline but because he could defeat the Sphinx that plagued the city. When the play opens there is another plague on Thebes. To remove the plague, Apollo commands them to drive out the pollution from the land (107-108). Oedipus then makes a speech to Thebes for everyone to help rid the city of the pollution. Oedipus tells the city that there is a reward for anyone who provides information about the murder of Laius. To those who would withhold information he places this curse, that “the murder would live out his life in misery to miserable doom! If with my knowledge he lives at my hearth I pray that I myself may feel my curse”(268-271). Oedipus has a very strong character and only wants to do what is best for Thebes. In Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is a powerful man in his tribe. Although he was not born into the upper class, he does obtain it through hard work and dedication. Okonkwo is respected for having reached a position of wealth and status, without any support from family. As with Oedipus, Okonkwo only wants what is best for his family and his tribe. He “brought honor to the clan by throwing ‘Amalinze the Cat’” (3). Okonkwo is a well respect man who only wants what is best for the trib...
