Oedipus the King

Our group’s question is “Is Sophocles’ Oedipus the King a cathartic play, as defined by Aristotle? Why or why not?”

According to Aristotle, “… the purpose of tragedy was to work a cathartic, or purging, effect on the audience, to “arouse pity and terror” so that these negative emotions could be drained from the soul. The tragic heroes were warnings, not models; the spectators were instructed to seek modest lives and not aim too high” (M&P, 63-64).

I believe the p...