Oedipus Rex Part 2

Question 1

What seems to be Creon’s greatest concern in the opening lines of Part 2 (lines 1-11; lines 573-583)?

Answer 1

Creon’s greatest concern is with being accused of being a traitor and his reputation is on the line.

Question 2

What does Creon infer about Oedipus in lines 18-19 (590-591)

Answer 2

Creon infers that Oedipus’s mind was not in the right place when he accused him of being a traitor.

Question 3

Summarize Oedipus’s speech in lines 23-24 (594-606).

Answer 3

Oedipus accuses Creon to his face and says they are not equal. He also says Creon needs riches and armies to take him down, but he does not have any of that.

Question 4

What wisdom does the Leader of the Chorus provide on page 181 (80)? Your answer should cover all three of the Leader’s responses.

Answer 4

The Leader says anger could have caused Oedipus to accuse Creon. He also says he does not know if Oedipus’s words had purpose. He does not judge those in power.

Question 5

Explain how Creon’s lines (43-44;614-616) echo something he has already said.

Answer 5

He’s just repeating that he believes that Oedipus has lost his mind and gone crazy.

Question 6

To what question is Oedipus responding in lines 78-79 (650-651)? Use a quote.
- Explain the importance of this question and Oedipus’s answer.

Answer 6

“And I am the third, all of us are equals?” -Creon (line 77)
- Oedipus answers by saying he is a part of the royal family, this is important because he is admitting that they are equal even though he has referred to himself as greater.

Question 7

How does Creon characterize himself in line 80-81 (652-653)?

Answer 7

He is characterizing himself as being calm and rational.

Question 8

Explain what point Creon is making in lines 81-87 (653-659). “Not if you see things calmly, rationally, as I do. Look at it this way first: who in his right mind would rather rule and live in anxiety than sleep in peace? Particularly if he enjoys the same authority. Not I, I’m not the man to yearn for kingship, not with a king’s power in my hands. Who would?”

Answer 8

Creon is making the point that he would rather enjoy power but not be King, than to actually be King but have all the troubles and responsibilities that come with it.

Question 9

According to Creon himself, what reputation does he have with the people?

Answer 9

He is praised and respected. He claims he is the best hope for the people. ????

Question 10

Remember that an epigram is a proverb or saying that presents truth. Quote an epigram you find between lines 100-101. (668-675).
- explain the epigram.
“Now all men sing my praises, all salute me, now all who request your favors curry mind. I am their best hope: success rests in me. Why give up that, I ask you, and borrow trouble? A man of sense, someone who sees things clearly would never resort to treason. No, I have no lust for conspiracy in me, nor could I ever supper one who does.”

Answer 10

“A man of sense, so someone who sees things clearly would never resort to treason.”

• When things are going wrong, a wise man would not resort to treason first like Oedipus. (Creon is saying because he sees things clearly and rationally that he would never go so low as to cheat.”

Question 11

Quote another epigram from Creon in lines 111-118 (683-690).
-Explain the epigram.
“But don’t convict me on sheer unverified surmise. How wrong is it to take the good for bad, purely at random, or take the bad for good. But reject a friend, a kinsman? I would as soon tear out the life within us, priceless life itself. You’ll learn this well, without fail, in time. Time alone can bring the just man to light- the criminal you can spot in one short day.”

Answer 11

“Time alone can bring the just man to light; the criminal you can spot in one short day.” (lines 689-690)
- The truth comes out with time.

Question 12

What is Oedipus’s answer to Creon’s question in line 128 (699)?

Answer 12

Oedipus wants Creon dead.

Question 13

What is Creon’s opinion of Oedipus in the conversation right before Jocasta’s entrance?

Answer 13

Creon thinks Oedipus is power obsessed, insane, not reasonable, and quick to anger.

Question 14

When Creon asks “What if you’re wholly wrong?” (132) (701), what is Oedipus’s answer?
- What does this answer reveal about Oedipus?

Answer 14

He says “no matter what- I must rule.”

- this shows that he’s obsessed with power and he’s a prideful ruler.

Question 15

After Oedipus responds angrily to the Chorus (lines 760-761), the Chorus says that they will never turn their backs on Oedipus, but they bed him to set the city “straight on course,” and they call him “good helmsman.” (lines 765-767). Why do they refer to Oedipus by this name? What are they asking him to do?

Answer 15

A helmsman is someone who steers ships. The chorus call him that because they look at him as a captain of a ship and they want Oedipus to lead them.

Question 16

Why is the following line important? “My god, my god- what have you planned to do to me? (814)

Answer 16

He’s wondering what the gods will do to him because he realized he might have killed Laius.

Question 17

What does Oedipus mean when he says “I have a terrible fear the blind seer can see”? (823)

Answer 17

He is afraid that Tiresias is right about him being the murderer.

Question 18

What does Oedipus say that lets us know that he realizes that he is the murderer of Laius? Use a direct quote for your answer.

Answer 18

“Ai- now I can see it as clear as day.”

Question 19

Explain who the “lone survivor” is that Jocasta refers to in line 832.

Answer 19

The only survivor of Oedipus’s road rage and attack on Laius.

Question 20

Why does Oedipus want to see this “lone survivor”?

Answer 20

He wants to see him to see what he says about what happened. He hopes he will say it was a group of people so that Oedipus will not be blamed.

Question 21

Oedipus explains how he murdered the man and his companions at the “crossroad” in lines 883-898). Summarize his story.

Answer 21

While Oedipus was fleeing Corinth he came to the crossroads where Laius was killed. A carriage came past Oedipus and almost pushed him off the road so he punched the driver. King Laius struck Oedipus on the head with a rod. Then Oedipus knocks Kin Laius out of his seat and kills him with one blow.

Question 22

What is ironic about the following lines? “I am the man/no alien, no citizen welcomes to his house,/law forbids it- not a word to me in public,/driven out of every hearth and home” (902-905)

Answer 22

Oedipus is quoting himself. He is punishing himself with the punishment he ordered before for the murderer, but now he knows it’s about him.

Question 23

When Oedipus hears the messenger’s news, he says, “All those prophecies I feared- Polybus/ packs them off to sleep with him in hell!/ They’re nothing, worthless” (1062-1064). What does he mean with these words, and what character trait is he exhibiting here?

Answer 23

Oedipus is explaining how the prophecies are false because he did not kill Polybus. He is exhibiting ignorance.

Question 24

Quote 3 startling things Jocasta says in her speech (lines 1069-1075). After each quote, explain what she means.

Answer 24

1. “It’s all chance, chance rules our lives.” She is saying there is no plan or order to our lives, only chance.
2. “better to live at random, best we can.” She is explaining how we should have no order to our lives, just live life how we want.
3. “Many a man before you, in his dreams, has shared his mother’s bed.” Jocasta is stating that many men would love to sleep wit their moms.

Question 25

Why, according to Oedipus, can’t he take Jocosta’s advice and “Live… as if there’s no tomorrow” (lines 1077-1078)?

Answer 25

Oedipus is still hesitant because his mother sill lives.

Question 26

What is the messenger’s news for Oedipus in line 1113, and why is Oedipus shocked or scared by this news?

Answer 26

The messenger tells Oedipus that Polybus was not his father. This scares him because he does not know who his father is now and could’ve killed him.

Question 27

Explain the messenger’s role in Oedipus’s life story.

Answer 27

The messenger was given Oedipus as a baby from a shepherd. The messenger then gave Oedipus to Polybus.

Question 28

The “herdsman” that is being sent for has what role in Oedipus’s story?

Answer 28

He gave Oedipus to the messenger as a baby, and he witnessed Oedipus’s road rage.

Question 29

Why does Jocasta run from the room after the messenger reveals who he really is?

Answer 29

She runs because she realizes she is his mother.

Question 30

Why does Oedipus thing Jocasta leaves the room?

Answer 30

He thinks that she thinks he is a slave child and she married him. He thinks that she’s ashamed of him.

Question 31

According to Oedipus, who is his mother if Merope, Queen of Corinth is not?

Answer 31

????
His mother is Jocasta.
A servant girl.