Themes

Question 0

Fate

Answer 0

Character determined by social status?, the inescapabability of fate, the absence of the gods

Question 1

Justice

Answer 1

The absence of divine justice, Human blindness to justice, social injustice

Question 2

Family

Answer 2

Social conventions divide families; the impact of unnatural family relationships, conflict between young and old, role of women

Question 3

Madness

Answer 3

Insight and reason arise from madness, human madness mirrors breakdown of society, bloodlust as madness

Question 4

Natural order

Answer 4

Divesting power topples social order, attempts to subvert natural order, natural order a man made concept

Question 5

Nature

Answer 5

Reveals artificiality of power, violence in nature, unnatural family ties

Question 6

Blindness and sight

Answer 6

Blinded by power, literal blindness (metaphorical sight), we never gain insight

Question 7

Violence and suffering

Answer 7

Violence in nature, violence reflects breakdown of justice, suffering is ultimately meaningless

Question 8

Oedipus - justice

Answer 8

Oedipus destroyed in spite of good character (divine justice), Oedipus compassion as a king (social justice), Human blindness to justice (Oedipus conscious of justice whole way through!)

Question 9

Oedipus - nature

Answer 9

Oedipus power taken away by force of nature (power), Oedipus blinding seems unnatural (violence), Oedipus children (unnatural family)

Question 10

Oedipus - madness

Answer 10

Oedipus blindness effectively madness, The insanity of the gods, Oedipus blinding (bloodlust)

Question 11

Oedipus - blindness

Answer 11

Oedipus power blinds him… (Power; but contrast with wilful blindness?) , Teiresias (literal vs metaphorical sight), Oedipus blinds himself (we never attain insight )

Question 12

Oedipus - fate and fortune

Answer 12

Oedipus violence an attempt to control fate (social status), Jocasta (women), Oedipus virtuous character doesn’t save him from his fate (gods absent), Oedipus fate is inescapable (fate can’t be escaped)

Question 13

Oedipus - violence

Answer 13

References to Kithairon (violence in nature), Oedipus blinding himself - attempt to gain justice (violence and justice), the gods cruelty, references to nothing (Violence meaningless)