Supporting Roles, Oedipus Flashcards
what imagery does the Priest use to describe Thebes
“men of all ages clinging to your altars”
“embers glow and die”
“fiery god of fever”
“red waves of death”
how does the Priest view Oedipus
“best of men”
“the man of experience”
“we bend to you”
“you know you have the power”
How does the Leader describe Tiresias
“Lord Tiresias sees with the eyes of Lord Apollo”
“we need him”
show that Tiresias is shocked when he meets Oedipus
“how terrible to see the truth”
“just send me home”
“I’d rather not cause pain for you or me”
show that Tiresias is offended and shocked at how volatile Oedipus is
“you criticise my temper”
“build your anger”
“you are the curse the corruption of the land”
“twisted it out of me”
“I pity you, flinging at me the very insults each man will fling at you”
How does Tiresias show the theme of light and darkness
“you mock my blindness…. you’re blind to the corruption of your life”
“you are the scourge of your own flesh and blood”
“darkness shrouding you eyes”
“Blind who now has eyes”
What is the Messengers news
“they want to make your Oedipus king of Corinth”
“death has got him [polybus] in the tomb”
show that the Messenger knows more than Oedipus (dramatic irony)
“What’s there to fear in her?”
“why don’t I rid you of that old worry”
“you don’t know what you’re doing”
“he was no more your father than I am”
Show how the Shepherd is made to look pathetic
"Damn you shut your mouth" "wasting his breath" "don't torture an old man" "I wish to god I'd died that day" "I pitied the baby"
Show that the Messenger creates drama and tension
“what horror you will hear… what a heaving weight of sorrow”
“the queen is dead”
“you will learn what that poor woman suffered”
“we couldn’t watch her agony in the end”
“what came next, what horror we beheld”
“Now in this one day, wailing, madness and doom, death, disgrace, all the griefs in the world that you can name, all are theirs forever”
