They say that pride is harmless and can benefit an individual; however, pride is one of

the most destructive factors of a person. Pride is generally thought of as a good thing, despite

its negatives. The outcomes and end result that come from too much pride is very detrimental.

Pride or hubris is used in all types of stories for either of its reasons. Greek culture tends to

display this feature a lot more than other cultures in their plays. Their culture, ideals, and

societal views allow for these types of plays to be done more often. Sophocles utilizes hubris

and conflict within Oedipus Rex to demonstrate that pride is the foundation of downfall.

Hubris is an excessive amount of pride or self-confidence. Sophocles uses this device

when Oedipus says, “the tyrant is a child of pride who drinks from his great sickening cup

recklessness and vanity, until from his high crest he plummets to the dust of hope” (Sophocles

46). Oedipus himself is on top of everything as he saved the land and is now king, and within

this period Oedipus starts his downfall. The play starts to develop the idea that hubris leads to

tyranny and no one is more destined to fail than the overly confident. Oedipus starts to show his

true egotistical self here by the words he chooses. This is just the beginning of the end for

Oedipus because this behavior is what eventually leads to his downfall. Oedipus displays more

of excessive pride by saying, “tell me in God’s name: am I a coward, a fool, that you should

dream you could accomplish this? A Fool who could not see your slippery game?” (Sophocles

28). Oedipus finds it amusing that Creon even thought he could take him off the throne. Oedipus

believes he is so powerful that no one could take him down. The reader later finds out that

Creon was not attempting to take the throne from Oedipus and this makes Oedipus seem even

more prideful. Oedipus believed that he was so powerful that Creon wanted his place because

he is just that amazing. Oedipus accusing everyone of wanting his throne is what begins the

process of his ultimate collapse. In the same conversation Creon continues the display of this

behavior by saying, “I have never longed for the king’s power, only his rights” (Sophocles 31).
Creon is acting like he does not even need the king’s power as he is already powerful himself.

His sister is the queen and his brother in law is the king. He acts overconfident and why would

he need the throne is he is already great and powerful. Two overly prideful people can lead to

internal conflicts as well as external conflicts that creates tension and progresses the plot

forward.

The different types of conflict in the story can lead to collapse if the reason behind it is

pride. In the play, Tereisas, a prophet, accuses Oedipus of being the killer of Laios, the former

king. Oedipus is outraged and says, “now twice you have spat out infamy” (Sophocles 20). This

is a clear character conflict between Oedipus and Tereisas. Oedipus thinks he should not have

to take this slander when he is the king and he saved the city from the Sphynx all by himself. On

the other hand, Tereisas is a well established prophet and he believes that he does not have

anything to prove. Oedipus acting out of rage and thinking that he is too good from these

accusations is exactly what starts his downfall and collapse. Within the book, a messenger says

“the greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves” (Sophocles 67). This displays an internal

conflict and shows how pride is something that the reader lets them self have and when they

have too much of it they are causing their own downfall. These characters express excessive

confidence and this leads to their collapse at the end. Internal conflict or conflict in general is the

result of pride in one way or another and through this the characters create their own downfall

and collapse.

A characters downfall is created through excessive pride or conflict. Both of these

examples are illustrated in ​Oedipus Rex ​by Sophocles. Hubris is a behavior that illudes to

negative consequences and conflict is the outcome of pride and when there is too much of it.

Oedipus Rex is an important read for all kinds of people because it relates to the modern world
today and how we tend to let confidence overtake us, which will still lead to people’s collapse

today.