1) The document summarizes the plot of the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It describes how the city of Thebes is suffering from a plague and the people seek out Oedipus for help. 2) Oedipus sends Creon to the Oracle who says the plague will not lift until the murderer of the former king Laius is found and punished. 3) When questioned, the blind prophet Teiresias reveals that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Oedipus refuses to believe this until more details emerge that match his own past.
This lecture examines the myth of Oedipus and its interpretation. It begins with a summary of Oedipus's story, including his birth, exposure as an infant, rescue and upbringing unaware of his true identity. As a young man, he kills his father Laios and solves the riddle of the Sphinx, unwittingly marrying his mother Jocasta. The lecture then analyzes Freud and Lévi-Strauss's interpretations before considering alternative views of the myth focusing on fate vs free will or as a critique of rationalism and the Sophists. It concludes by discussing difficulties separating the myth from Sophocles' play and suggestions about the original significance of incest being added to underline the horror
The document provides background information on Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It summarizes the play's plot, including that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. It also discusses key characters like Oedipus, Jocasta, and Teiresias, as well as themes of fate, free will, and dramatic irony given the audience knows the outcome.
The document provides background information on Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex. It discusses key themes in the play like governance, societal values, fate, and man's relationship with the gods in ancient Greek society. Oedipus struggles against his fate foretold by the gods to kill his father and marry his mother, exemplifying Greeks' belief that humans were bound by fate. The play examines ideas around kingship, family, and the supremacy of oracles in Greek culture. It achieved classic status due to its profound examination of these themes and tragic elements that still resonate with audiences today.
The document summarizes several major themes in Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex:
1) Light and darkness are central themes that represent both literal sight and metaphorical insight. While Oedipus remains blind to his origins, the blind prophet Teiresias has foresight.
2) Sight and blindness operate both literally and metaphorically, as Teiresias can see the future despite being blind, and Oedipus blinds himself upon discovering the truth.
3) The play explores origins and family relationships, as Oedipus discovers his true parents and that he committed incest with his mother and is both father and brother to his children.
4) A central inconsistency is who
Theme of appearance and reality in Oedipus RexUmmara Zulfiqar
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles explores the theme of appearance versus reality. Oedipus believes himself to be the son of Polybus and Merope and ruler of Thebes, unaware that in reality he has killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta. Throughout the play, Oedipus clings to appearances over realities that threaten his sense of self. When the truth is revealed, it shatters Oedipus' world and leads to his downfall, demonstrating how one can be blinded by appearances.
1) The story of Oedipus Rex tells the tragic tale of King Oedipus of Thebes who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother.
2) As an infant, Oedipus is abandoned by his parents to die but is rescued and raised in Corinth unaware of his true parentage.
3) As an adult, he solves the riddle of the Sphinx and becomes king of Thebes by marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, unaware she is actually his mother.
The document provides background information on the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It discusses that Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright from Athens in the 5th century BC. It also notes that the play is part of Sophocles' trilogy known as the Theban Plays. The document then discusses the theme of fate in the play, citing a quote where the character Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is blind to his own wretched fate and does not know who his true parents are, despite having sight. It is revealed later that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.
This lecture examines the myth of Oedipus and its interpretation. It begins with a summary of Oedipus's story, including his birth, exposure as an infant, rescue and upbringing unaware of his true identity. As a young man, he kills his father Laios and solves the riddle of the Sphinx, unwittingly marrying his mother Jocasta. The lecture then analyzes Freud and Lévi-Strauss's interpretations before considering alternative views of the myth focusing on fate vs free will or as a critique of rationalism and the Sophists. It concludes by discussing difficulties separating the myth from Sophocles' play and suggestions about the original significance of incest being added to underline the horror
The document provides background information on Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It summarizes the play's plot, including that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. It also discusses key characters like Oedipus, Jocasta, and Teiresias, as well as themes of fate, free will, and dramatic irony given the audience knows the outcome.
The document provides background information on Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Rex. It discusses key themes in the play like governance, societal values, fate, and man's relationship with the gods in ancient Greek society. Oedipus struggles against his fate foretold by the gods to kill his father and marry his mother, exemplifying Greeks' belief that humans were bound by fate. The play examines ideas around kingship, family, and the supremacy of oracles in Greek culture. It achieved classic status due to its profound examination of these themes and tragic elements that still resonate with audiences today.
The document summarizes several major themes in Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex:
1) Light and darkness are central themes that represent both literal sight and metaphorical insight. While Oedipus remains blind to his origins, the blind prophet Teiresias has foresight.
2) Sight and blindness operate both literally and metaphorically, as Teiresias can see the future despite being blind, and Oedipus blinds himself upon discovering the truth.
3) The play explores origins and family relationships, as Oedipus discovers his true parents and that he committed incest with his mother and is both father and brother to his children.
4) A central inconsistency is who
Theme of appearance and reality in Oedipus RexUmmara Zulfiqar
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles explores the theme of appearance versus reality. Oedipus believes himself to be the son of Polybus and Merope and ruler of Thebes, unaware that in reality he has killed his father Laius and married his mother Jocasta. Throughout the play, Oedipus clings to appearances over realities that threaten his sense of self. When the truth is revealed, it shatters Oedipus' world and leads to his downfall, demonstrating how one can be blinded by appearances.
1) The story of Oedipus Rex tells the tragic tale of King Oedipus of Thebes who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother.
2) As an infant, Oedipus is abandoned by his parents to die but is rescued and raised in Corinth unaware of his true parentage.
3) As an adult, he solves the riddle of the Sphinx and becomes king of Thebes by marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, unaware she is actually his mother.
The document provides background information on the play Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It discusses that Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright from Athens in the 5th century BC. It also notes that the play is part of Sophocles' trilogy known as the Theban Plays. The document then discusses the theme of fate in the play, citing a quote where the character Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is blind to his own wretched fate and does not know who his true parents are, despite having sight. It is revealed later that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.
This presentation discusses the themes of fate versus free will in Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It notes that some characters like King Laius and Oedipus try to control their fate, while prophecies and the oracle suggest fate has already been determined. It explores the irony that Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx but cannot understand the oracle's prophecy about himself. In the end, it questions whether Oedipus' downfall was due to fate or his own free will and actions.
Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex tells the story of King Oedipus of Thebes who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. When a plague strikes Thebes, Oedipus vows to find the cause and discovers that he has unwittingly committed patricide and incest. His wife and mother Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus blinds himself before going into exile, leaving Creon as the new king.
The document provides background information on Greek drama and the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It discusses that Sophocles was a Greek playwright born in 496 BC near Athens who wrote around 113 plays, of which only 7 survive. It then covers the origins of Greek drama stemming from religious festivals honoring Dionysus, the development of theatre infrastructure, and key characteristics of Greek plays like being performed outdoors and involving masks and a chorus. The document concludes by outlining some of the main characters in Oedipus Rex like Oedipus, Jocasta, and Creon, as well as important plot elements involving prophecies by the Oracle at Delphi and the Sphinx.
The document provides background information on the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It summarizes the main plot points, including that Oedipus searches for his father's murderer unaware that he himself fulfilled a prophecy by killing his father Laius and marrying his mother Jocasta. It also discusses the characters of Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polyneices. Additional context is given around prophecies, Apollo and the Oracle at Delphi, and characteristics of a tragic hero according to Aristotle like hamartia and dramatic irony.
Oedipus was born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes but was abandoned as an infant after an oracle prophesied he would kill his father and marry his mother. He was rescued and raised in Corinth by King Polybus and Queen Merope. As a young man, Oedipus consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told the same prophecy. To avoid fulfilling it, he left Corinth. On the road to Thebes, he got into an argument and killed an older man at a crossroads, not knowing it was his birth father Laius. He then solved the riddle of the Sphinx, saving Thebes and becoming their king, marrying the widowed queen J
Plot of Oedipus Rex is best tragic plot according to Aristotlefatimanoor212
Oedipus Rex fulfills Aristotle's definition of a tragedy. It has a complex plot with reversal, recognition, and change of fortune that leads to catharsis. The plot follows Aristotle's rules of unity of action, time, and space. Oedipus is a tragic hero with a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. His investigation into the murder of Laius results in the discovery that he unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. This discovery drives him to blind himself and leave the city in misery.
The document provides background information on the characters and plot of the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It summarizes that Oedipus becomes king by solving the riddle of the Sphinx but is blind to the truth about his past, having unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. When a plague strikes Thebes, Oedipus seeks to uncover the murderer of the previous king and eventually discovers through prophecies and witnesses that he himself is the killer he seeks. Upon this revelation, Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus blinds himself in horror and grief over his unwitting acts of patricide and incest.
The document discusses the role of gods in Oedipus Rex. It explains that the ancient Greeks believed in many gods who ruled over different domains and could punish humans for exceeding their limits. Specifically, Apollo was associated with prophecy and ordered the Thebans to kill or exile the polluted man. The chorus represents the community's view that religion is failing since prophecies are not being fulfilled. Ultimately, the document argues that Sophocles intended to show how the gods' plan and mechanisms caused the tragic events in the play to unfold despite humans' free will.
analysis of antigone and oedipus rex with respect to poeticsSamrah Tayyab
Here, Jocasta shows her caring and sensitive nature by trying to calm Oedipus down and get him to think more rationally rather than act rashly in anger. She plays the role of the voice of reason and tries to resolve conflicts peacefully.
The document discusses several key motifs in Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Some of the major motifs discussed include incest, which indirectly causes all the deaths in the play; sight and blindness, with Oedipus going from clear-sighted to literally blind; and graves/tombs, with Oedipus unable to be buried in Thebes due to his crimes. The blind prophet Tiresias is also a motif, seeing the truth that Oedipus cannot.
Sophocles was a 5th century BC Greek playwright born in Colonus near Athens. He is considered one of the most influential writers of ancient Greece. His play Oedipus the King is generally seen as his most representative work. In the play, Oedipus fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, unwittingly committing both acts in his attempt to avoid the prophecy. The majority of the story takes place before the start of the play, setting up Oedipus' tragic fate that he cannot escape despite his efforts. The play focuses on Oedipus' interior life and psychology, seen as a modern approach for the time. Oedipus the
Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex tells the tragic story of King Oedipus of Thebes. When a plague strikes the city, Oedipus vows to find the murderer of the previous king, Laius. Through his investigation to uncover the truth, Oedipus discovers that he unknowingly fulfilled an ominous prophecy: he killed his own father and married his mother. Overcome with grief and guilt, Jocasta commits suicide while Oedipus blinds himself and leaves Thebes in exile.
Oedipus Rex tells the story of Oedipus, who was destined from birth to kill his father and marry his mother. As a young man, Oedipus leaves his home in Corinth after learning of this prophecy. He kills his biological father, King Laius, in a dispute. Oedipus then solves the riddle of the Sphinx, becoming the new king of Thebes and marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, unaware they are mother and son. The truth is eventually revealed, bringing devastation, as Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus blinds himself before going into exile.
The document provides an analysis of the similarities and differences between the biblical story of King David from 2 Samuel and the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Both stories involve a king committing murder and a prophet confronting the king about his sin. However, Oedipus believes his actions were predestined by fate while David accepts responsibility. Additionally, the document analyzes character flaws that contribute to the downfall of Oedipus, his mother Jocasta, and others in the story.
Oedipus Rex is full of dramatic irony as the audience knows from the beginning that Oedipus will unwittingly kill his father and marry his mother, yet the characters in the story are unaware of this fate. There are also examples of verbal and cosmic irony, such as when Oedipus curses the murderer of Laius without realizing he is speaking of himself, or when his fate is depicted as the cruel work of the gods rather than by his own actions. Dramatic irony pervades the entire story as Oedipus remains ignorant of the prophecy that the audience knows will come true.
The document provides background information on Greek tragedies and Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It discusses that Greek tragedies often told the story of a flawed protagonist who faced difficult choices and conflicts both internally and externally. If the protagonist's struggles ended in defeat or death, it was considered a tragedy. It also summarizes that Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright who lived during Athens' Golden Age and produced over 120 plays, of which seven survive today including Oedipus the King. Considered one of Sophocles' greatest works, the play tells the tragic story of King Oedipus and his downfall after unknowingly killing his father and marrying his mother.
Sophocles and an introduction to oedipus rexSpunky01
Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright known for tragedies like Oedipus Rex. The play is based on the myth of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. It uses irony and symbolism to explore themes of fate, truth, and human limits. The chorus comments on the action and themes. Oedipus' downfall shows how pride can be dangerous and the gods' will cannot be defied.
Characterization Of Oedipus Rex - Presentation Slides - By Rehan ButtRehan Butt
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles tells the story of Oedipus, ruler of Thebes. An oracle predicts that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother. As an infant, Oedipus is given to a shepherd and adopted by Polybus and Merope. As an adult, Oedipus leaves Corinth after learning he is not their biological son. On the road to Thebes, he kills a man at a crossroads who is actually his biological father, King Laius. Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx and becomes ruler of Thebes, marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, who is actually his mother. When a plague
This is a through analysis on the various levels of ironies embedded in Sophocle's great canon, "Oedipus Rex". The analyses traces various instances of ironies in the play.
The document provides a summary of the plot of the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It discusses that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Despite his efforts to escape this fate, he ultimately kills his biological father in a dispute and marries his mother, the Queen of Thebes, thereby bringing a curse upon his family.
Sophocles wrote more than 120 plays, but only seven complete tragedies survive. Of the rest, only some titles and fragments remain. Sophocles’ repute as a playwright rests on the seven surviving plays: Ajax, Antigone, Electra, Oedipus the King, The Trachinae, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Oedipus Rex generally regarded as Sophocles’ masterpiece, presents the myth of Oedipus, the man fated to kill his father and marry his mother.
This presentation discusses the themes of fate versus free will in Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It notes that some characters like King Laius and Oedipus try to control their fate, while prophecies and the oracle suggest fate has already been determined. It explores the irony that Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx but cannot understand the oracle's prophecy about himself. In the end, it questions whether Oedipus' downfall was due to fate or his own free will and actions.
Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex tells the story of King Oedipus of Thebes who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. When a plague strikes Thebes, Oedipus vows to find the cause and discovers that he has unwittingly committed patricide and incest. His wife and mother Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus blinds himself before going into exile, leaving Creon as the new king.
The document provides background information on Greek drama and the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It discusses that Sophocles was a Greek playwright born in 496 BC near Athens who wrote around 113 plays, of which only 7 survive. It then covers the origins of Greek drama stemming from religious festivals honoring Dionysus, the development of theatre infrastructure, and key characteristics of Greek plays like being performed outdoors and involving masks and a chorus. The document concludes by outlining some of the main characters in Oedipus Rex like Oedipus, Jocasta, and Creon, as well as important plot elements involving prophecies by the Oracle at Delphi and the Sphinx.
The document provides background information on the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It summarizes the main plot points, including that Oedipus searches for his father's murderer unaware that he himself fulfilled a prophecy by killing his father Laius and marrying his mother Jocasta. It also discusses the characters of Antigone, Ismene, Eteocles, and Polyneices. Additional context is given around prophecies, Apollo and the Oracle at Delphi, and characteristics of a tragic hero according to Aristotle like hamartia and dramatic irony.
Oedipus was born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes but was abandoned as an infant after an oracle prophesied he would kill his father and marry his mother. He was rescued and raised in Corinth by King Polybus and Queen Merope. As a young man, Oedipus consulted the oracle at Delphi and was told the same prophecy. To avoid fulfilling it, he left Corinth. On the road to Thebes, he got into an argument and killed an older man at a crossroads, not knowing it was his birth father Laius. He then solved the riddle of the Sphinx, saving Thebes and becoming their king, marrying the widowed queen J
Plot of Oedipus Rex is best tragic plot according to Aristotlefatimanoor212
Oedipus Rex fulfills Aristotle's definition of a tragedy. It has a complex plot with reversal, recognition, and change of fortune that leads to catharsis. The plot follows Aristotle's rules of unity of action, time, and space. Oedipus is a tragic hero with a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. His investigation into the murder of Laius results in the discovery that he unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. This discovery drives him to blind himself and leave the city in misery.
The document provides background information on the characters and plot of the Greek tragedy Oedipus the King by Sophocles. It summarizes that Oedipus becomes king by solving the riddle of the Sphinx but is blind to the truth about his past, having unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. When a plague strikes Thebes, Oedipus seeks to uncover the murderer of the previous king and eventually discovers through prophecies and witnesses that he himself is the killer he seeks. Upon this revelation, Jocasta commits suicide and Oedipus blinds himself in horror and grief over his unwitting acts of patricide and incest.
The document discusses the role of gods in Oedipus Rex. It explains that the ancient Greeks believed in many gods who ruled over different domains and could punish humans for exceeding their limits. Specifically, Apollo was associated with prophecy and ordered the Thebans to kill or exile the polluted man. The chorus represents the community's view that religion is failing since prophecies are not being fulfilled. Ultimately, the document argues that Sophocles intended to show how the gods' plan and mechanisms caused the tragic events in the play to unfold despite humans' free will.
analysis of antigone and oedipus rex with respect to poeticsSamrah Tayyab
Here, Jocasta shows her caring and sensitive nature by trying to calm Oedipus down and get him to think more rationally rather than act rashly in anger. She plays the role of the voice of reason and tries to resolve conflicts peacefully.
The document discusses several key motifs in Oedipus the King by Sophocles. Some of the major motifs discussed include incest, which indirectly causes all the deaths in the play; sight and blindness, with Oedipus going from clear-sighted to literally blind; and graves/tombs, with Oedipus unable to be buried in Thebes due to his crimes. The blind prophet Tiresias is also a motif, seeing the truth that Oedipus cannot.
Sophocles was a 5th century BC Greek playwright born in Colonus near Athens. He is considered one of the most influential writers of ancient Greece. His play Oedipus the King is generally seen as his most representative work. In the play, Oedipus fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, unwittingly committing both acts in his attempt to avoid the prophecy. The majority of the story takes place before the start of the play, setting up Oedipus' tragic fate that he cannot escape despite his efforts. The play focuses on Oedipus' interior life and psychology, seen as a modern approach for the time. Oedipus the
Sophocles' play Oedipus Rex tells the tragic story of King Oedipus of Thebes. When a plague strikes the city, Oedipus vows to find the murderer of the previous king, Laius. Through his investigation to uncover the truth, Oedipus discovers that he unknowingly fulfilled an ominous prophecy: he killed his own father and married his mother. Overcome with grief and guilt, Jocasta commits suicide while Oedipus blinds himself and leaves Thebes in exile.
Oedipus Rex tells the story of Oedipus, who was destined from birth to kill his father and marry his mother. As a young man, Oedipus leaves his home in Corinth after learning of this prophecy. He kills his biological father, King Laius, in a dispute. Oedipus then solves the riddle of the Sphinx, becoming the new king of Thebes and marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, unaware they are mother and son. The truth is eventually revealed, bringing devastation, as Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus blinds himself before going into exile.
The document provides an analysis of the similarities and differences between the biblical story of King David from 2 Samuel and the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Both stories involve a king committing murder and a prophet confronting the king about his sin. However, Oedipus believes his actions were predestined by fate while David accepts responsibility. Additionally, the document analyzes character flaws that contribute to the downfall of Oedipus, his mother Jocasta, and others in the story.
Oedipus Rex is full of dramatic irony as the audience knows from the beginning that Oedipus will unwittingly kill his father and marry his mother, yet the characters in the story are unaware of this fate. There are also examples of verbal and cosmic irony, such as when Oedipus curses the murderer of Laius without realizing he is speaking of himself, or when his fate is depicted as the cruel work of the gods rather than by his own actions. Dramatic irony pervades the entire story as Oedipus remains ignorant of the prophecy that the audience knows will come true.
The document provides background information on Greek tragedies and Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It discusses that Greek tragedies often told the story of a flawed protagonist who faced difficult choices and conflicts both internally and externally. If the protagonist's struggles ended in defeat or death, it was considered a tragedy. It also summarizes that Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright who lived during Athens' Golden Age and produced over 120 plays, of which seven survive today including Oedipus the King. Considered one of Sophocles' greatest works, the play tells the tragic story of King Oedipus and his downfall after unknowingly killing his father and marrying his mother.
Sophocles and an introduction to oedipus rexSpunky01
Sophocles was a famous Greek playwright known for tragedies like Oedipus Rex. The play is based on the myth of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. It uses irony and symbolism to explore themes of fate, truth, and human limits. The chorus comments on the action and themes. Oedipus' downfall shows how pride can be dangerous and the gods' will cannot be defied.
Characterization Of Oedipus Rex - Presentation Slides - By Rehan ButtRehan Butt
Oedipus Rex by Sophocles tells the story of Oedipus, ruler of Thebes. An oracle predicts that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother. As an infant, Oedipus is given to a shepherd and adopted by Polybus and Merope. As an adult, Oedipus leaves Corinth after learning he is not their biological son. On the road to Thebes, he kills a man at a crossroads who is actually his biological father, King Laius. Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx and becomes ruler of Thebes, marrying the widowed queen Jocasta, who is actually his mother. When a plague
This is a through analysis on the various levels of ironies embedded in Sophocle's great canon, "Oedipus Rex". The analyses traces various instances of ironies in the play.
The document provides a summary of the plot of the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. It discusses that Oedipus unwittingly fulfills a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Despite his efforts to escape this fate, he ultimately kills his biological father in a dispute and marries his mother, the Queen of Thebes, thereby bringing a curse upon his family.
Sophocles wrote more than 120 plays, but only seven complete tragedies survive. Of the rest, only some titles and fragments remain. Sophocles’ repute as a playwright rests on the seven surviving plays: Ajax, Antigone, Electra, Oedipus the King, The Trachinae, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. Oedipus Rex generally regarded as Sophocles’ masterpiece, presents the myth of Oedipus, the man fated to kill his father and marry his mother.
The document discusses Oedipus from Sophocles' play Oedipus the King as an archetypal tragic hero. It notes that the play opens with a plague threatening Thebes, which Oedipus vows to address as king. Oedipus exhibits hubris or pride, which contributes to his downfall. As his situation worsens through the play, Oedipus undergoes character changes that depict the tragic hero archetype outlined in Aristotle's definition.
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English Lesson 6 timeline- 1. There needs to be 5 present scene.docxSALU18
English Lesson 6 timeline-
1. There needs to be 5 "present scenes" and 5 "past scenes" for a total of 10 slides.
2. At the end of the powerpoint, have a bibliography that credits where you got the photos from and provide all the separate links of all the photos you used in the powerpoint (tedious I know, but the teacher wants to show that you credit your work properly)
3. The slides need to be in order in terms of what events happen first in the story and etc. :) Please pay attention to this factor!
Piper Pugh + Mrs. Shafer + AP Literature and Composition + 23 May 2015
Everything that could go wrong in Thebes has, and the way to rid
themselves of the curse, the murderer of Laius must be punished.
This picture is of the Priest of Zeus, the priest
which praises Oedipus and asks for his help in re-
storing order in Thebes.
As people are centered around the altar and the
priest, Oedipus enters and asks the priest to
“explain [his] mood and purport.” He explains
that “the God of Plague/ Hath swooped upon
[their] city,” that everything that could go wrong
has. He asks Oedipus to solve this, chanting,
“Upraise, O chief of men, upraise our State!”
Just as Oedipus says that he had Creon to “inquire
of Pythian Phoebus at his Delphic shrine,” Creon
arrives, looking “joyous,” according to the king.
Creon explains that they must look for the man
who killed the previous king, Laius, and he says
that the only clue that they have is that a band of
thieves attacked and murdered him while he was
abroad. Creon tells Oedipus that “the god’s com-
mand is plain: Punish his takers-off, whoe’er they
be.”
Oedipus, despite some initial apprehension,
agrees to help “avenge this wrong.”
Oedipus demands that if anyone knows anything
they speak up, as he says “Thebans, if any knows
the man by whom Laius, son of Labdacus, was
slain, I summon him to make clean shrift to me.”
He also threatens that if someone knows some-
thing and does not say anything, he will face the
“worst penalty.”
The chorus suggests to Oedipus that he should
speak with the prophet lord Teiresias, explaining
that “he of all men best might guide a searcher of
this matter to the light.”
Having already been sent for, Teiresias arrives.
After a series of protests, a prophet reveals that the killer of Laius
is King Oedipus.
In the picture, the prophet Teiresias is
shown as he appears in many adapta-
tions of the play. The white cloth placed
over his eyes is used to indicate his
blindness.
The chorus suggests to Oedipus that he should
speak with the prophet lord Teiresias, explaining
that “he of all men best might guide a searcher of
this matter to the light.”
Having already been sent for, Teiresias arrives.
Teiresias is described as being in a “melancholy
mood” by Oedipus and asks if he go home. Oedipus
tells him that any true patriot would not “withhold
the word of prophecy.”
Teiresia ...
The document discusses how Sophocles used mythology in his play Oedipus Rex. Specifically, it discusses how the myths he drew from provided the play with authority, as myths were seen as history during that time period when no formal records were kept. Using established myths allowed Sophocles to explore complex questions of fate, free will, and human nature without having to establish these concepts himself. The myths were already accepted parts of Greek culture that audiences were familiar with.
Prof. OP Budholia and Dr Naveen K Mehta's Compilation of the Study Stuff in the larger benefit and interest of student community .
Greatly acknowledge all the sources......
The document provides an analysis of Sophocles' play Oedipus the King. It discusses how the play explores the concepts of fate versus free will through the tragic story of Oedipus. While Oedipus attempts to use his free will to uncover the murder of King Laius and solve the plague attacking Thebes, he ultimately fulfills the fate predicted for him unwittingly. The play uses irony to show how Oedipus's choices, though made with free will, lead him to fulfill the predetermined fate he was trying to avoid.
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1. OEDIPUS REX
by Sophocles
Before we do anything else, let’s clear up the pronunciation of O-E-D-I-P-U-S.
No literary name is more commonly mispronounced that this one. Americans, in
particular, seem to reverse the first two letters, making oe sound like eo in
leopard and jeopardy: an “eh” sound
The correct pronunciation is a long e, as in Phoenix, foetus, and Phoebe. The
ancient Greek state of Boeotia is pronounced bee-OH-shee-ah, the god of wine
is Oenus, and Oedipus is pronounced EE-deh-pus.
The name means something like “swollen foot” or “swollen leg.” In the play, it
refers to an old wound Oedipus bears. In history, it might have a more
surprising meaning - which we’ll get to after we talk about the play itself.
We’ll also look further into the Riddle of the Sphinx.
The Philosopher Aristotle wrote some notes about the drama for his lectures on
theatre and poetry. He cited “Oedipus Rex” as a perfect tragedy, meeting all
the elements he considered necessary to elicit from the audience a true
catharsis; a kind of cleansing of the soul, an uplifted feeling one may
experience when seeing what happens when a great soul undertakes a daunting
task and sees it through to the end.
Yet, when “Oedipus Rex” was first performed as part of a trilogy - a series of
2. three plays presented in competition - the judges gave it second prize, not
first. (Literary scholars would really like to read the plays that beat it out.)
But few others would argue with Aristotle. From earliest times, “Oedipus Rex”
has been regarded as one of the greatest tragedies ever written. The plot is
engrossing, artfully developed; the characters are fully drawn and believable;
and the problem at its center - Is Oedipus guilty or not? - has given us
something to debate ever since.
Let’s go through the play, scene by scene. There is a prologue, which sets the
scene and states the problem, five scenes, and an exodos, or ending. Between
each scene, a chorus speaks lines, commenting on the action they have just
witnessed or voicing their inner thoughts.
PROLOGUE
The drama begins with the people of Thebes entering, led by a priest. The city
is suffering famine and plague and all are desperate to discover its cause. In
Greek thought, there was no dividing line between natural and moral law. If
the gods were punishing the city, there must be some reason for it; someone
was guilty of some offense.
Oedipus enters and asks why they have come to see him. The priest answers,
telling of the great travail they have endured. They have come to see Oedipus
as the one man most likely to be able to solve the problem. After all, he solved
the riddle of the sphinx and freed them from its oppression, for which they
made him their king. Surely now he can help them once more.
3. Oedipus tells them he has anticipated their visit and has already sent his
brother-in-law, Creon, to Delphi to seek the Oracle's advice. Creon returns as
they are talking and delivers the Oracle's message. The former king, Laios, was
murdered. The plague will not be lifted until that murderer is discovered and
punished. Oedipus questions Creon, learning that Laios was killed while on a
pilgrimage. One of his servants escaped and said that the king and his
attendants were set upon by a band of highwaymen. Oedipus promises to find
and punish the guilty party.
PARADOS
After the stage empties, the chorus makes its entrance for the parados, the
first of six choral interludes. They describe the city's suffering and implore the
gods to send them deliverance.
SCENE I
Oedipus re-enters, answering the chorus, assuring them that he will solve the
problem. He issues several decrees: if anyone knows anything about the crime,
he is to report to the king; no one in the city may offer the guilty party shelter
or aid. He further prays that the gods will consume the murderer in
wretchedness.
Oedipus says he is taking the murdered king's part, as if he were his son, since
4. Laios left no children. He reminds them that he not only occupies Laios' throne,
but that he has married the former king's wife and sired four children with her.
The leader of the chorus (choragos) suggests that he might consult the blind
prophet Teiresias who has lived in Thebes since Laios' time. Once again,
Oedipus has anticipated the suggestion and has summoned Teiresias who then
enters, led by a boy.
Oedipus questions Teiresias who refuses to answer. Their exchange grows
heated and Teiresias blurts out that Oedipus himself is the guilty man.
Oedipus, knowing that he is innocent, becomes enraged and shouts that
Teiresias must be part of a conspiracy against the former king and now against
him. Further, he suggests that Creon must be in on the plot, since he urged
Oedipus to listen to Teiresias. Teiresias prepares to leave, and departs with
these words: The damned man, the murderer of Laios,
That man is in Thebes. To your mind he is foreign-born,
But it will soon be shown that he is a Theban… a blind man
Who has his eyes now; a penniless man, who is rich now;
And he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff.
To the children with whom he lives now he will be
Brother and father - the very same; to her
Who bore him, son and husband - the very same.
Who came to his father's bed, wet with his father's blood.
(NOTE: all quotes from the Fitts-Fitzgerald translation)
5. CHORAL ODE I
The chorus is appalled by what it has heard. It can't make sense of the wild
words from both king and prophet, but its faith in Oedipus is unshaken: he is
the man who saved them from the sphinx.
SCENE II
Creon enters, having heard that he has been accused of being complicit in the
murder of Laios and is plotting the overthrow the king. He questions the
chorus: Did Oedipus really say such things? Then Oedipus enters and repeats his
accusations. Creon defends himself, arguing that he has no possible motive for
wanting to depose Oedipus. At this point, Jocaste, Oedipus' wife and Creon's
sister, enters to try to calm the two men down. Creon leaves and choragos asks
the queen to take the king inside as well. Instead she asks him why he is so
angry and he tells her that Teiresias has accused him of being the murderer. To
allay his fears and to prove that prophets are not to be believed, she tells him
of a prophecy sent to Laios after their only son was born:
That his doom would be at the hands of his own son -
His son, born of his flesh and of mine.
Now, you remember the story: Laios was killed
By marauding strangers where three highways meet;
But his child had not been three days in this world
Before the king had pierced the baby's ankles
6. And left him to die on a lonely mountainside.
The mention of a place where three highways meet disturbs Oedipus. He asks
Jocaste for further details and begins to believe that Teiresias may be right
after all. He tells Jocaste of his past: that he is the son of King Polybos and
Queen Merope of Corinth. One day, a drunken man told him that he was not his
father's son. His parents angrily denied the story, but Oedipus went to Delphi to
be reassured.
The god dismissed my question without reply;
He spoke of other things. Some were clear Full of wretchedness, dreadful, unbearable;
As, that I should lie with my own mother, breed
Children from whom all men would turn their eyes;
And that I should be my father's murderer.
At this, Oedipus fled, vowing never to return to Corinth. As he traveled, he
came to a place where three highways converged. An old man in a chariot
came toward him, accompanied by retainers. One of them tried to force
Oedipus off the road. Oedipus hit the man and the charioteer struck at him
with his goad. Furious, Oedipus attacked and killed them all. If the man
Oedipus slew that day proved to be Laios, then Oedipus himself is the man
whom he cursed, the cause of the plague, and must be driven from Thebes. Yet
he cannot go back to Corinth for fear of fulfilling the oracle.
His last remaining chance is to talk to the shepherd who was with Laios when
he was killed. If he maintains that the crime was committed by a group of
7. highwaymen, then the man Oedipus killed was not Laios. Jocaste says she will
send for the man at once and they enter the palace.
CHORAL ODE II
The chorus is shaken by what it has heard. It is also distressed by the manner in
which Jocaste dismisses the pronouncements of the oracle. They remind
themselves to be “reverent in the ways of right” and call on Zeus to witness
that “reverence for the gods has died away.”
SCENE III
Jocaste returns with offerings for Apollo to whom she prays for deliverance. As
she prays, a messenger enters, inquiring where he might find the king. Directed
to Jocaste, he tells her that he is from Corinth with news of the death of King
Polybos and an invitation to Oedipus to return and take the throne.
Jocaste joyfully sends for Oedipus. She tells him that he can now be freed of
the fear of murdering his father. But Oedipus still worries that he may
somehow marry his mother. The messenger tells him that his fears are
groundless because he is not Polybos' natural son. Polybos and Merope had him
as a gift from his hands. Years ago, the messenger was a shepherd on the
slopes of Mount Kithairon. He was given a baby boy, its ankles pierced and
bound, by a shepherd from Thebes. Choragos tells Oedipus that the Theban
shepherd is the very man sent for by Jocaste.
8. At this point, Jocaste sees clearly the terrible truth and begs Oedipus to go no
further in his inquiries. But he will not be deterred; he wants to know once and
for all who he really is. He jokes that his wife's agitation is due to the fear that
he might prove to be the child of a commoner. Jocaste rushes into the palace.
ODE III
The chorus speculates on Mount Kithairon and Oedipus's birth.
SCENE IV
The Theban shepherd is brought in and is forced to tell what he knows: that
Oedipus is the son of Laios and Jocaste and that he was given the baby to be
abandoned on Mount Kithairon but, in pity, gave the child to the man from
Corinth. Now Oedipus has learned the full story of his birth and his crimes. He
runs into the palace.
ODE IV
The chorus, in sorrow, mulls the terrible history of the man who saved them
from the sphinx, but who now has been brought low by fate.
EXODOS
A second messenger enters from the palace to tell the chorus what he has
9. witnessed. (It is a convention of Greek tragedy that scenes of violence occur
offstage and are described by a tragic messenger.) He tells how Oedipus ranged
through the palace calling upon the gods; how he found his wife/mother dead,
a suicide by hanging. He takes the brooches from her gown and stabs them into
his eyes, so that he might never again see his family or the scene of his crimes.
The palace door opens and Oedipus enters, blood streaming from his empty eye
sockets. In a dialogue with choragos, he laments his fate. Creon, who has now
assumed leadership of Thebes comes in and tries to get him to move out of
public sight. Oedipus asks to be driven into the exile he deserves, but requests
a final favor: that he be allowed to see his daughters one last time. Creon
brings in Antigone and Ismene who take a tearful farewell of their father. He
laments their fate, knowing that nothing but disgrace and agony await them.
His children are taken away and he is led into exile.
Choragos closes the play:
Men of Thebes: look upon Oedipus:
This is the king who solved the famous riddle,
And towered up, most powerful of men.
No mortal eyes but looked on him with envy
Yet in the end, ruin swept over him.
Let every man in mankind's frailty
Consider his last day. And let none Presume on his good fortune until he find
10. Life, at his death, a memory without pain.
About the Play
There are probably more questions in the text of Oedipus Rex than in any other
Greek tragedy. All of them serve the resolution of two main questions: “Who
killed King Laios?” and, later, “Who is Oedipus?”
Everyone attending the first performance of the play knew the story. What
interested that audience was how the plot unfolded: how Oedipus used his
formidable intellect to bring about his own ruin. It was not the plot alone
which transfixed them, but also Sophocles’ magnificent poetry - which is
largely lost to us in translation.
The tragedy tells us of a deep thinker whose intelligence meant little when
pitted against the will of the gods. It is a disturbing story. The gods foretell
that this particular person will commit the greatest crimes - patricide and
incest. He spends his whole life trying to avoid this fate, only to find that his
efforts meant nothing. It reminds us of the inscription at Delphi: “Know
thyself” - in other words, remember that you're merely human, not divine. Or,
to put in modern parlance: “Your arms are too short to wrestle with God.”
It was Oedipus' cleverness that gained him authority in Thebes. He answered
the Riddle of the Sphinx and, in doing so, delivered the town from its annual
tribute of human sacrifices to the half-woman, half-lion. She stopped all
11. travelers and asked the same question: “What goes upon four legs in the
morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?”
Those unable to answer were killed and devoured. Oedipus gave the correct
answer: “Man: who crawls on all fours in the morning of his life, walks erect in
the noon of manhood, and totters on a cane in the twilight of his existence.”
Defeated, the sphinx threw herself off a cliff and was destroyed. The Thebans
welcomed their savior, making him king in place of the recently-murdered
Laios and gave Oedipus Laios' queen, Jocaste.
This play is a prime example of just how profoundly Sophocles changed the
nature of Greek tragedy. In the earlier plays of the great tragedian, Aeschylus,
there is a kind of formality about the two principal actors, who changed masks
to play different parts. They often don't interact in a natural way. Sophocles
not only added a third actor, making a variety of interactions between the
actors possible, he also created roles for recognizable human beings. His is a
theatre of character.
This emphasis on character changed theatre forever. Prior to Sophocles, the
divine background of the story was most important: the plays taught ethical
and moral lessons. With Sophocles' plays, attention shifts to the human
foreground, where it remains to this day. The divine aspect of Sophocles'
tragedies remains (after all, theatre arose in religious ritual), but his audience
became emotionally involved in the fate of human beings they knew and
understood.
12. It is possible to spend a lifetime on various aspects of Oedipus Rex. It is a
harrowing tale of human will struggling against forces it cannot control or
understand. It gives us a lot to think and talk about. The overarching question
remains: “Was Oedipus guilty?” Dissecting this question can lead to a variety of
interesting topics; e.g. the contrast between modern thinking and the ethics of
ancient Greece, free will versus “fate,” the nature of the divine, and so on.
What do you think?
A historical footnote: Is Greece's Theban king, Oedipus (“swollen foot”), linked
to Egypt's Theban king, the swollen-thighed Anhknaton, the heretic pharaoh
who believed in one god? Several people have linked Anhknaton not only to
Oedipus, but also tied his radical monotheism to Moses.
And finally, you might ask yourself why what happens to an imaginary person
on stage often moves us more deeply than what happens to real human beings.
What is tragedy? How and why does it produce its powerful effect?