Oedipus

Question 1

What is happening in Thebes at the beginning of the story?

Answer 1

The Sphinx causing famine, deadly pestilence, and no childbearing.

Question 2

According to Creon, why does Thebes suffer?

Answer 2

Thebes suffers because of the Sphinx

Question 3

What penalties does Oedipus decree on the guilty party?

Answer 3

He is going to banish them

Question 4

What does Teiresias know?

Answer 4

He knows who the killer is

Question 5

What seems to embrace as one of Oedipus’ character flaws?

Answer 5

He is quick to anger

Question 6

Where/why might the prophet Teiresias be wrong?

Answer 6

He is not predictable because he is blind

Question 7

In his speech to Oedipus, what is important to Creon?

Answer 7

Oedipus being a strong leader

Question 8

How does Jocasta soothe both men’s anger?

Answer 8

She separated them and convinced them to work together

Question 9

What “evidence” does Jocasta “unknowingly” reveal in her conversation with Oedipus?

Answer 9

I Jocasta reveals that there was more than one killer because she use the word “they, “and she also tells where Laius was killed at

Question 10

What “evidence” does Oedipus “unknowingly” reveal in his speech?

Answer 10

Oedipus unknowingly reveals that he was at the same place when Laius was killed

Question 11

What seemingly “good news” does the messenger bring?

Answer 11

That oedipus’ father, Polybus, is dead.

Question 12

What tragic newsflash does the messenger give about Oedipus’ parents?

Answer 12

That Polybus is not his father

Question 13

At what point does Oedipus clue into the horrible tragedy that has unfolded before his eyes? How does he react?

Answer 13

Oedipus knows when the shepherd tells where the child came from; he reacts by being upset, and maybe even with some denial now at first.

Question 14

After the Chorus, what is man’s pattern? What do they mean?

Answer 14

Man’s pattern is the will to know everything, or the desire to have knowledge; they mean that man strives to have more knowledge

Question 15

What tragedy does the Official report? Explain the gruesome details.

Answer 15

Jocasta hangs herself. Oedipus takes hard down and stabbed his eyes out with the broches that he took off her robe.

Question 16

What is Oedipus’ emotional and physical condition?

Answer 16

Oedipus distraught (not stable) and blind

Question 17

What central question does the Chorus ask Oedipus about his actions?

Answer 17

Who, or what, made you stab your eyes out?

Question 18

What is Oedipus’ response (reasoning)?

Answer 18

Apollo “spoke” to him and persuaded him to blind himself so he could not see the damage he had caused

Question 19

Whom does oedipus curse?

Answer 19

The man that saved him from the field in which he would have been destined to die(the shepherd)

Question 20

What does oedipus ask Creon to for him? Jocasta? His children?

Answer 20

To ban him from Thebes and take care of his daughters – his sons will be fine

Question 21

What is ironic about Oedipus saying he is a stranger to the story?

Answer 21

This story is actually about him

Question 22

What is the purpose of the chorus?

Answer 22

The course near rights what happens and then recaps what has happened

Question 23

What special request does Oedipus ask of Creon concerning his children

Answer 23

To take care of his daughters, but that his sons will be OK

Question 24

Discuss the meaning of powerlessness as it applies to Oedipus

Answer 24

The meaning of powerlessness pertaining to Oedipus is his inability to change his faith – Oedipus tried again and again to prevent the Prophecy from coming true, but I did anyways

Question 25

What is his blindness symbolic of at the ending

Answer 25

Oedipus is blindness is symbolic of him not realizing that faith that the gods place on him, which was to kill his father and Marry his mother

Question 26

At the end of the story he is less powerful because he is black, or is he more powerful because of his knowledge

Answer 26

At the end of the story, Oedipus is more powerful because of his knowledge; even though he has lost his physical side, he now has the knowledge of who he is and where he came from, allowing him to make sound decisions and assumptions without spinning his wheels trying to find an answer that was right in front of him the whole time (search is trying to find the killer of Laius)

Question 27

Which Oedipus is more powerful

Answer 27

The Oedipus at the end of the story is more powerful, due to his ability to see the truth