Pity the Man?
Sophocles’ Oedipus at
Colonus 2
Mourn or Rejoice?
“O the misery,
now it is ours, all ours, and not for the moment now
but all our lives, we wail the death
the curse on the blood our blood
our doom born in us by our father . . . .”
(Antigone, Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus p. 382)
―
“But look,
he’s free, he’s ended his life with blessings—
children, end your grief. No one alive
is free and clear of pain”
(Chorus, p. 384)
Agenda
• Opening Discussion
• Oedipus at Colonus as Tragedy: Plot and Theme
• Recap and Update
• Genre, Context, Theme
• Closing Discussion
• “Not to Be Born is Best”?
Opening Discussion
Oedipus at Colonus as Tragedy: Plot and
Theme
OAC as Tragedy…
•
•
Formula, etc.
• Koros
• Hubris
• Atē
• Dikē
Aeschylean progression
• Verbal  visual
• Ambiguous  clear
• Human  divine
•
•
•
Cycle of violence?
Knowledge through
suffering?
Aristotelian patterns
• Character-based motivation
•
•
(ēthos)?
Hamartia?
Complex plot?
•
•
Recognition?
Reversal?
• Pity? Fear? Catharsis?
Oedipal Reversals
Oedipus the King
Oedipus at Colonus
•
•
Reverse rite of passage
1. incorporation
2. transformation
3. separation
Others. . .
• Furies to Eumenides
•
Oedipus
• “Nothing” to “man”
• Fool to sage
• Father to alastōr
• Pariah to hērōs (deified
dead)
Recap and Update
Genre, Context, Theme
Some Plot Variants
Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus
Other…
Prior to action of play, Oedipus, after
big reveal, seeks to be killed. When
calms down, is allowed to live on at
Thebes. Later, Thebes exiles him.
Oedipus remains in Thebes and is
buried there (Soph. Antigone, Homer,
Euripides)
Prior to action of play, Jocasta
(Oedipus’ mother) has Antigone,
Ismene, Eteocles, Polynices by
Oedipus. Hangs self at end of OTK
(OAC prequel).
Jocasta kills self when incest revealed.
Oedipus then remarries and has a
new family (Antigone etc.)
Oedipus goes into self-imposed exile
at end of OTK.
Jocasta lives on with Oedipus at
Thebes (Euripides Phoenician
Women).
Fate, Responsibility … Tragedy?
Oedipus the King
• Apollo to Creon
•
“Pay the killers back, whoever is
responsible”
(p. 164)
• Oedipus
•
“Apollo, friends, Apollo - he
ordained my agonies” (p. 241)
Oedipus at Colonus
• Oedipus
•
•
“I am innocent … blind,
unknowing!” (317)
“Thebes bound me fast to a bride
who was my ruin (atē)” (315)
• Polynices
•
•
“I learn this all too late” (360)
“I must travel down that road,
doomed by fate and the curses of
my father” (368)
Analysis
•
•
•
prologue (pp. 284 ff.)
•
•
Oed, Ant, Citizen
identity, positioning
•
•
•
1st
•
•
•
amoibaion (chorus-character
dialogue)
Chorus, Oed, Ant
supplication
episode A (298)
leader, Oed, Ismene, Ant
Chorus, Oed
Oed’s crimes (?)
1st episode B (318)
•
•
parodos (291)
amoibaion (314)
•
•
•
•
Leader, Theseus, Oed
supplication, negotiation
1st stasimon (326)
•
praise (Colonus, Athens)
2nd episode (328)
•
•
Ant, Oed, Leader, Creon, Theseus
tussle over Oed
•
•
2nd stasimon (348)
•
victory song
3rd episode (350)
•
•
Leader, Oed, Ant, Thes
leave-taking begins
3rd stasimon (358)
•
the human condition
4th episode A (359)
•
•
Ant, Oed, Poly
a father’s curse
amoebic kommos, dialogue (371)
•
•
Chorus, Oed, Ant
portents
4th episode B (373)
•
Thes, Oed
4th stasimon (377)
•
prayers for Oed
Exodos (378)
•
•
•
spoken dialogue, lyric kommos
messenger, leader, Ant, Ismene, Thes
Oed’s demise, lament, consolation
Stage Set, “Colonus Hippius”
South
East
West
skene (stage building)
Equestrian statue
Olive grove
To Underworld
to Thebes
Altar of Athena Hippia,
Poseidon Hippios
to Athens
Source: Wiles Tragedy in Athens
CHORUS p. 348:
“… chariots racing down the wind - the
enemy will be crushed!
…
They honor Athena, reigning queen of
horsemen - honor the Sea-lord,
guardian of our earth…”
Closing Discussion
“Not to Be Born is Best”?
Not to Be Born Is Best?
“Not to be born is best
when all is reckoned in, but once a man has
seen the light
the next best thing, by far, is to go back
back where he came from, quickly as he
can.”
(Chorus, Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus, p. 358)