Dictionary.com states that hamartia is “the character flaw that leads to the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy.” Oedipus, in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, embodies the idea of ​​hamartia. Oedipus is initially portrayed as the ideal Athenian hero and the most perfect king, only to then, as the plot thickens, be revealed to have many key character flaws, which still make him something of a "hero", even if tragic, but a hero still. Through the evidence presented by the text and secondary sources, Oedipus' three major character flaws (determination, anger, and arrogance) become known, showing his true transformation from a perfect "all-knowing" king to a blind, but now truly sagacious, man who has finally discovered the truth about himself, the truth of destiny. Sophocles introduces Oedipus in Oedipus the King by showcasing his triumphs and how his triumphs highlight all the characteristics that the kingdom longs for their king to have. Peter Struck argues that "Oedipus's nobility and virtue provide his first key to success as a tragic hero." The text and background of Oedipus Rex support this theory. It is known that any member of the Greek audience watching this play would know that Oedipus is actually the son of Lauis and Jocasta, the original king and queen of Thebes. Therefore it originated from kingship in the simplest form; his own birth parents were real. Furthermore, Oedipus believes he is the son of Polybus and Merope, the king and queen of Corinth. Oedipus acquires a second form of nobility, albeit a false one. Then, Oedipus earns the respect of the kingdom of Thebes when he solves the riddle of the Sphinx. For this reason Creon gives Oedipus dominion over the city of Thebes, also...... middle of paper ......nger and lack of self-control in his conversation with Tiresias. Tiresias, the blind soothsayer, ironically has more knowledge of Oedipus' fate and the true character flaws of Oedipus himself. When Tiresias suggests this, Oedipus acts rashly in a fit of proud rage. By the time Oedipus would have occurred, Oedipus' actions would not have seemed so radical. If he had only represented anger and lack of self-control, his kingdom would still have considered him the perfect king. However, anger and lack of self-control lead to his overall downfall and the transformation of a harmless, hot-tempered king into an angry killer. Arrogance, meaning excessive pride or self-confidence, is the last character flaw presented that helps shows the transformation from perfect king to perfect tragic hero. This kind of excessive pride leads to his overall downfall.