Oedipus: Classical Example of a Tragic Hero Oedipus, the tragic hero of Sophocles’ play of the same name, is a conscientious and compassionate leader unfairly victimized by fate and the gods. When his city of Thebes is beset by plagues, barrenness, and starvation, he, as king, immediately seeks remedies for those problems. In his efforts to solve the mystery behind Thebes’ troubles, he gains the reader’s sympathy. He honestly and sincerely tries to help his city; he is blameless for his ancestors’ sins that cause his misfortune; he unwittingly becomes his own judge, jury and executioner; and finally he feels remorseful for the problems he has ca