Oedipus Flashcards
Opening line of Oedipus, what does he refer to the Thebans as?
“my children”
“huddling at my altar, praying before me”
at the start of Oedipus, the Thebans treat Oedipus as though he is divine, by the end they are disgusted by him
“the fiery god of fever hurls down on the city, his lightning slashing through us - raging plague in all its vengeance”
The priest describes how the plague has been sent by Apollo
“as sick as you are, not one is as sick as I”
Oedipus says the plague is affecting him more than anyone else. This is a good example of dramatic irony and foreshadowing
“banish the man, or pay back blood with blood”
Apollo says they must punish Laius’ killer in his oracle to Creon
“I’ll rid us of this corruption”
“I am the land’s avenger by all rights”
Oedipus resolves to find out who killed Laius and rid Thebes of him
The first choral ode after the parados describes the horrors of the plague, why was this especially poignant to the ancient audience?
If the play was performed at the time we thought, then this would likely make the audience emotional as they were experiencing plague at the time (since 431BC)
“drive him out… he is the plague, the heart of our corruption”
Oedipus describes himself
“I curse myself as well… if by any chance he proved to be an intimate of our house… may the curse I just called down on him strike me!”
Oedipus literally curses himself. He has set the events of the play in motion
“why, our seed might be the same, children born of the same mother might have created blood-bonds between us”
Oedipus speculates on how his marriage to Jocasta relates to Laius and connects them as fellow kings, little does he know that the children share literal blood bonds
“you criticise my temper… unaware of the one you live with”
Teiresias to Oedipus after he begins to shout at him. This could be used to show that Oedipus’ temper is his harmatia
“you are the curse, the corruption of the land!”
Teiresias outright tells Oedipus this, yet it takes a long time for him to actually realise and for it to be proven.
“you and your loved ones live together in infamy”
Teiresias to Oedipus
“you pious fraud”
Oedipus to Teiresias - highlights fear of prophets
“darkness shrouding your eyes that now can see the light!”
Teiresias foreshadows Oedipus’ blinding - and highlights the theme of physical versus spiritual blindness
“you are the scourge of your own flesh and blood”
Teiresias to Oedipus
“never will I convict my king, never in my heart”
end of second choral ode. Changing attitude of the chorus
“who in his right mind would rather rule and live in anxiety than sleep in peace?”
Creon defends himself to Oedipus, this links to the anti-tyranny theme
What is it indicative of that the chorus and Jocasta have to defend Creon from Oedipus?
that justice cannot be performed by a tyrant - since he has a personal interest and won’t be persuaded. Also Oedipus’ temper again
Jocasta against prophets?
“no skill in the world, nothing human can penetrate the future”
