Quotes Flashcards
“Stone-blind…
stone deaf, sense, eyes, blind as stone.” Oedipus mocks Tiresias in Act one, shows he is quick to anger, weak character.
“you are blind…
to the corruption of your life” Tiresias
“the world knows…
my fame. I am Oedipus.” Oedipus in Prologue.
“You pray to…
the gods? Let me answer your prayers.” Oedipus in Act one, acts as a godlike force for his people, hubris but also shows a level of care for them.
“Parents - who?…
Wait… who is my father?” Oedipus, Act one, shows level of doubt and a moment of vulnerability from him.
“Jocasta, why…
why look for to the prophets hearth the fires of the future?” Oedipus’ sarcastic relief in Act 3.
“Listen to…
you? No more. I must know it all, and see the truth at last.” Oedipus in Act 3, refuses to take note of Jocasta’s pleas
“cursed in my…
birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands.” Oedipus, Act 4, finally understands, repetition of ‘cursed’
“circling…
“eased her…
like a maddened beast”
down in a slow embrace he laid her down”
Messenger’s recounting, Act five.
“But the hand that struck my eyes…
was mine// Mine alone - no one else - I did it all myself!” Oedipus, Act 5, still show self centred tendencies in this moment of agony.
“Don’t take them…
away from me, not now!” Oedipus, Act 5, shows a level of care for his daughters, wants to be with them.
“with your fate, …
unhappy Oedipus, as an example, I do not envy mortals at all.” The Choruses reaction does not immediately go to Oedipus personally, but to humanity as a whole. They therefore provide a universal message on humanity in general.
The chorus as reflective participants
“I cannot see what’s come, what’s still to come… and what could breed a blood feud between Laius’ house and the son of Polybus?” (Act They show slight angst and puzzlement here, and they allow Sophocles to reflect how some may react in this situation.
“Never will I…
convict my king, never in my heart.” Emotive language from the chorus.
“A prophet?…
Well then, free yourself of every charge!” Jocasta shows her own hubris here, beliefs that prophecies cannot be fulfilled, yet dramatic irony is utilised as she goes on to explain the already fulfilled prophecy as untrue. Jocasta’s hamartia.
“if you love your…
own life, call of this search! My suffering is enough.” Jocasta has discovered the truth and continues to push Oedipus away from it, with the good intention to save him, she only prolongs his suffering.
“nothing human…
can penetrate the future.” Jocasta tells Oedipus not to worry about Tiresias, goes against prophets again yet does show a level of respect for the gods.
“It’s all…
chance, chance rules our lives.” Jocasta speaks against the gods will and prophecy again, contextually important as belief in gods was fading in late 5th century BCE, punished for her hubris.
“How could kingship…
please me more than influence, power without qualm?” Creon claims he does not desire more power, ironically foreshadows his rise to power at the end.
“Not if you see things…
calmly, rationally as I do.” Creon contrasts his rational manner with Oedipus’ irrational manner.
“hubris breeds…
the tyrant… I shall never cease to regard the god as my champion.” the chorus, after jocasta and oedipus disregard the prophecy, shows the morality of the play.
