Oedipus Themes

Question 1

1️⃣FATE
1) Where?
2) Quote?
3) Sophocles…
4) Effect? + au?

Answer 1

MOIRA
Fate is inescapable
1) - Stage directions
- ‘Tell tale limp’
- Sophocles alerts to this theme B4 play even starts
- Physical symbol = Laius and Jocasta failed attempt to evade prophecy on Mount Kithairon (most of au = aware of story)

Question 2

2️⃣ FREE WILL 🤬
1) Where?
2) Scholar
3) Technique
4) Quote?
5) Sophocles
6) Effect? ⚡️

Answer 2

AG = Within fate there is freedom of action
1️⃣
1) Prologue, Oedipus’ proclamation
2) Knox - Oedipus is not a puppet
3) ‘curse… myself’ ‘the murderer’ ‘strike me’ ➕ 3 ❎… Apollo = ‘drive him out’
4) Dramatic Irony
5) ❌
6) Fate to fulfil both prophecies but his actual demise = ❌

                        2️⃣

1) Episode 3
2) ❌
3) Dramatic irony
4) ‘It’s all chance, chance rules our lives’
5) 5th Century Athens oracles sceptical —> Soph = religious ✝️ ➕ au = tragically aware
6) Jocastas attempt to exercise free will unaware that the prophecy has already long been fulfilled
- “Believe in prophecy, don’t underestimate the will of the Gods”

Question 3

SIGHT/BLINDNESS
The Paradox of Blindness 👑♾️
1) Where? 💢
2) Quote?🗿🦆
3) Point? 4️⃣ O vs T 🙏
4) Sophocles? 👩‍🦯👈🏽

Answer 3

Tiresias = blind ✅ see, Oedipus (great king known for his insight) could see ✅ blind

1) Oedipus and Tiresias’ Agon

2) “eyes blind as stone” “schemer” “quack”

3) • Oedipus quickly jumps to a conclusion that T = [QUOTES]
• Refuses to accept truth (alétheia) that he = the curse
• T = ✅✅ see truth clearly ➕ foreshadows future events of O
• T understands reality | O refuses to accept it

4) Highlights the limitations of human perception —> Os desperation for a truth he can accept is what blinds him

Question 4

HOW does Sophocles show the theme of sight and blindness?

IGNORANCE
DIVINE POWER 🏹🏛️
UNDERSTANDING 👁️

Answer 4

1) Ignorance Characters go from blind —> refusing to see —> to wishing they never had

2) Power ❌ Character wants to 👁️ = misjudge of Apollos power

3) UNDERSTANDING - Once they learn truth = clear visison

Question 5

WHAT are the 3️⃣ key points to sight and blindness in Oedipus?

Answer 5

1) The paradox of blindness
2) Human ignorance

Question 6

SIGHT AND BLINDNESS (family…) 👁️
Jocastas choice to remain figuratively blind (willful ignorance)

1) Where?
2) Quote?
3) Sophocles
4) Effect? 🥊

Answer 6

1) Episode 3
2) “my suffering is enough” “empty nonsense”
3) Jocasta tries to prevent Oedipus anagnorisis ➕ spare him from truth
- Uses ignorance as a defence Mechanism from socially condemning/sinful act [incest]
- Ultimately fails

Question 7

2️⃣ FAMILY 👨‍👩‍👦
1) Where?
2) Scholar 🥫
3) Technique
4) Quote?
5) Sophocles
6) Effect? 🍺

Answer 7

Oedipus’ identity- Play = becomes about Oedipus finding ‘truth of his birth’ rather than murder of Lauis

1) Episode 1 - Oedipus and Tiresias agon
2) ❌
3) ❌
4) “wait… who is my father?” in middle of Agon 💢 [philoi]
5) ❌
6) - Quickly moves off topic
- Fragility/uncertainty (still) in familiar identity after confrontation w/t drunk
- His identity 🟰 =/more imo than his own ‘children’/plague

AND
1) Episode 4
2) Garvie ‘The shepherd is ever questioned about the killing of L for which = originally summoned”
3) ❌
4) “You won’t answer his question about the boy” “talk with pain”
5) ❌
6) - Oedipus = completely bent on discovering parentage
- Ignorantly believes = at worse ‘common birth’
- Becomes violent + tyrannical (even with old man who saved him)