What would be the best way to state the tragic dilemma in Oedipus the King?
Refer to Aristotle, who used that play in his Poetics as the outstanding example of tragedy. Show how Oedipus fits Aristotle’s definitiyion of the tragic hero so well and in fact the whole play has the features he said tragedy should have. Or simply focus on this: At the beginning of the play, Oedipus is a man who has everything (point out how and what), and at the end not only has he lost it all, but even the memories of what he had, which in most cases might be comforting, in his case are tainted by the knowledge of what he unintentionally did to acquire those supposed blessings.
