In the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, how does the character of Oedipus fit the typical hero of a tragedy?

Let's first
consider the primary characteristics of a 'tragic hero,' as defined by Aristotle in
his Poetics. The hero usually possesses excessive pride
(); he undergoes a reversal of fortune (peripeteia);
this reversal of fortune comes about by the hero's agency; the hero usually has a flaw in
judgement (hamartia). The tragic hero is usually a balanced characterone
the audience can relate to and pitywho eventually suffers great misfortune because of some
'tragic' flaw. The tragic hero's outcome is inevitable, as is his tragic flaw, but, importantly,
he is not responsible for possessing the flaw. The hero suffers greatly and often dies, but all
this suffering is not in vain and typically imparts an important lesson. Now let's see how well
'fits these criteria.

Oedipus is a balanced characterhe is caring,
compassionate, and popular among the people, but he is also short-tempered and impulsive. He is
a virtuous man who is not without faults.

His greatest flaws are his
impulsiveness and his pride, and these eventually lead to his downfall.

He
leaves his adoptive parents after hearing ' prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his
motherand then goes on to kill an older man and marry an older woman! Had he been less impulsive
and less sure of himself, he might have acted differently.

However, he did
not knowingly commit patricide and incest; what happened to him was not his
own fault, but borne out of ignorance about his identity. Since he is not wicked, he does not
deserve the fate that he is given.

Once he learns the truth, he undergoes a
reversal of fortune (he was the king of Thebes, happily married) and blinds himself in his
misery and shame; he is then exiled.

The prophecy also makes Oedipus' fate
inevitable, even though he railed against it.

So, as you can see, he
exemplifies quite well Aristotle'sof a tragic hero.