Episode 2

Question 1

Creon has heard of the accusation,

Answer 1

I’ve no desire to linger out this life my reputation in ruins
Nothing worse than being branded a traitor in the city, a traitor to all of you (has no motive)

Question 2

What does he question the leader

Answer 2

converses with the leader about the nature of the accusations, was his glance steady, his mind right?

Question 3

Oedipus is angry that

Answer 3

Angry that Creon has the gall to show hisface before the palace gates

Question 4

Oedipus accuses CReon

Answer 4

Plotting to kill me, kill the king (Oedipus is the king killer)
I see it all, scheming to steal my crown and power

Question 5

Oedipus thinks he’s solved it all,

though he is the fool in reality

Answer 5

You thought I’d never detect your plot
You are the fool, lacking numbers and powerful friends, you need riches and armies (exactly, he just wants to beat his argument but doesn’t realise how ridiculous he sounds)

Question 6

Oedipus questions Creon

Answer 6

Stichomythia (good questioning
Oedipus says he induced him to fetch the prophet, Oedipus says that when the murder was first investigated how come he wasn’t accused by the seer then.

Question 7

Creon’s response to why Oedipus wasn’t first accused by the seer, wise

Answer 7

Creon says “I don’t know. And when I don’t, I keep quiet”

Question 8

“If you and the seer had never put heads together we would never heard about my killing Laius”

Creon’s dramatic irony, because he knows Oedipus wont listen to reason

Answer 8

Well you know best (dramatic irony) he’s being sarcastic

Question 9

Creon on ruling equally

Answer 9

Jocasta rules with you with equal power (Oedipus says yes) and I rule with you, all three of us are equal.

Question 10

Oedipus says that’s the point (about them ruling equally), you betray a kinsman.
Creon’s response

Long speech

Answer 10

Not at all if you see things calmly, rationally.
Who would rather rule and live in anxiety than sleep peacefully with the same authority.
I don’t yearn for kingship, not with a kings power in my hands
No one with any self control would (Oedipus does)
If I wore the crown there would be many painful duties to perform

How could kingship please me more than influence and power
All men sing my praises.
Those who request your favours curry mine
I am their best hope.
Why would I give up that and borrow trouble
A man of sense would never resort to treason, I have no lust for conspiracy.
Got to Delphi for proof
Don’t convict me on unverified surmise
“reject a friend,ma kinsman? I would as soon tear out…priceless life itself”
(doesn’t believe this in Antigone)

Question 11

Leader’s response to Creon’a long speech

Answer 11

Says it is good advice to anyone who wishes to avoid disaster.
Those who jump to conclusions may go wrong

Question 12

Why has Oeidpus been so quick to accuse, whyt wont he listen to the Leader of Creon’s reason

Answer 12

When my enemy moves quickly I must move quickly too, I cannot relax my guard (hasn’t listened to anything)

Question 13

The nature of ruling, Oedipus cares more about ruling himself than ruling justly

Answer 13

Creon asks if he wants him banished, Oedipus says no I want you dead
C: what if your wholly wrong
O: No matter- I must rule
C: not if you rule unjustly
O: hear him, Thebes, my city!

Question 14

Jocasta, Chorus and Creon are unable to convince Creon’s unbending mind

Answer 14

C: Oedipus is bent on death or banishment for me
O: I caught him in the act of plotting (no he didn’t)
C: let me die and be dammed if I’ve done any of the wrong you charge me with
J: “believe it”, honour the oath he swears to heaven
Chorus: “believe it” be sensible, give way, I beg you

Question 15

Chorus’ reason

Answer 15

he’s your friend and Kin under oath. Branded on the strength of hearsay only. Don’t cast him out

Question 16

If Creon isn’t banished then Oedipus thinks he must be

Answer 16

Oedipus: If that’s what you want then you want me dead or banished (not at all, They must still find proof that Oedipus was the murderer or it’s just hearsay too as the chorus show their respect of justice)

Question 17

Chorus don’t want to banish Oedipus

Answer 17

Never, swears by the sun
Let me be stripped of the gods, of loved ones and die by inches if that ever crossed my mind
Says that they’re argument is piled on top of the old griefs, his sick heart which dies as the land dies

Question 18

Oedipus asks them to choose between him and CReon

Answer 18

Then let him go (asking them to chose between them)

I pity you, not him, your words move me.

Question 19

Creon foretells Oedipus’ destructiveness because of his nature

Answer 19

Unyielding, brutal, you will go to far.
It’s perfect justice: Natures like yours are hardest on themselves
Creon leaves.

Question 20

When the Chorus is questioned by Jocasta

Answer 20

Chorus say “enough, please, enough!”
“the land’s so racked already”
When she questions them what the two men said. “End the trouble here” (they know when to stop)

Question 21

Oedipus blames the cHorus

Answer 21

See what has come of your good intentions now? All because you tried to blunt my anger (blames others)

Question 22

The Chorus repeat that they would never turn their back on OEdipus

Answer 22

I’d be insane to turn my back on you
Praises him for setting them on course, reference to him as a helmsmen, ask him to once again steer them through the storm.

Question 23

Jocasta to Oedipus

Answer 23

Questions Oedipus, tells him he’s so unbending

Question 24

Oedipus respects Jocasta

Answer 24

says he respects her unlike these men here (the chorus, he’s so argumentative, just because they slightly disagreed with him)
Creon schemes against me, says I murdered Laius (but he didn’t).

Question 25

Jocasta’s disbelief in prophecy

Answer 25

A prophet- free yourself of every charge, nothing human can penetrate the future

Question 26

Jocasta tells of her own prophecy story

Answer 26

An oracle came to Laius.
Said his doom would come at the Hands of a son
Laius was killed by strangers, thieves, at a place where three road meet
My son was three days old when his ankles were fastened (whole truth not told) and he was left on a mountain
So did not come to pass, the God will bring to light himself with ease

Question 27

OEdipus is worried about Jocasta’s prophecy story.

Jocasta enlightens him

Answer 27

Oedipus is worried about the three roads meet, questions her.
Jocasta specifies the exact location.
His death was reported no sooner than when you appeared

Question 28

Oedipus knows hes called down a curse on himself

Answer 28

“I simply did not know”

Question 29

Jocasta describes Laius

Answer 29

she has already told him that his build wasn’t far from Oedipus’
Jocasta describes Laius’s escort: 5 in the party, one a herald, a wagon carrying Laius.
She was informed by the lone survivor, she consented to his request to send him away.

Question 30

OEdipus describes his own prophecy

Answer 30

Polybus was my father, king of Corinth
A drunk man at a banquet shouted out that he was not his father’s son
He questioned his parents who were furious

I went to Delphi
Apollo spurned him but said he was fated to couple with his mother and kill his father.
So I kept running till I reached the spot where Laius was killed.

Question 31

Oedipus describes his killing of Laius

Answer 31

They tried to thrust him off the road with brute force
I strike the driver with anger
The old man brought his prod, two prongs sight at my head.
Short work, by God
I killed them all- every mother’s son!

Question 32

Oedipus knows he is the murderer

Answer 32

I am the man, no alien
I brought down all those awful curses on myself
I’ve touched you with the hands that killed your husband cover you with blood.

Question 33

What does Oedipus know he must now do and not do

Answer 33

I am abomination, I must be exiled
Must never see my parents
Or I am doomed to couple with my mother and cut my father down (he’s already so hard on himself as Creon said, when he realises he has already done this it will be terrible)

Question 34

Never wishes to couple with his mother kill his father

Answer 34

Prays to the gods to never see that day, let me vanish without a trace (no greatness) before he sees himself stained with such corruption.

Question 35

Why is he waiting for the shepherd

Answer 35

Oedipus is waiting for the shepherd because he is his last hope; if it was indeed a whole band of thieves.

Question 36

Jocasta remains calm throughout, still thinks his panicking is unnecessary

Answer 36

Impossible The whole city heard it. Besides Apollo was explicit, my son was doomed to kill my husband, he never had a chance to kill his father.