Classical Studies
Oedipus the King
Intermediate 1 and 2
3810
August 1998
HIGHER STILL
Classical Studies
Oedipus the King
Intermediate 1 and 2
Support Materials
CONTENTS
Introduction
1.
Background Notes
2.
Commentary
3.
Notes on Plot and Characters
4.
Social Issues
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INTRODUCTION
These student support materials for Classical Studies were developed as part of the Higher Still
Development Programme in response to needs identified at needs analysis meetings and national
seminars.
Advice on learning and teaching may be found in Achievement for All, (SOEID 1996) and in the
Classical Studies Subject Guide.
This support package provides student notes, questions and activities to support the teaching of
Oedipus the King as part of the Intermediate 1 & 2 Classical Drama unit. The background notes
provide information on Greek drama and drama festivals, the theatre and actors, and on the Oedipus
legend itself. These are followed by commentaries on and questions about the main sections of the
play. Notes on plot and characters are accompanied by activities for students to undertake. The final
section on the social issues raised in the play also has suggested activities/group discussion questions
included. The main social issues covered are: men and gods; kings, justice and government; exposure
of children; and social attitudes. These activities should help students to understand the customs and
attitudes of Athenian society and to make comparisons with modern society.
The material is designed so that students should be able to use it in a supported self-study mode, if
required. It contains a variety of questions and activities for students to undertake. Some questions
are straightforward and can be answered directly from the text. Other questions demand more
synthesis and evaluation; these questions contribute to the development by students of the core skill
component, Critical Thinking. While students will tackle these questions and activities individually
for the most part, there may be opportunities for some collaborative working and staff will wish to
discuss points raised with individuals, groups and the whole class.
The exact way in which this material is used is, of course, at the discretion of the individual teacher
or lecturer.
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1.
BACKGROUND NOTES
Greek Drama
Drama as we know it began in Greece. The Greeks used to hold festivals at different times in the year
to honour and thank their gods. They worshipped these gods who were important in their everyday
life. Drama began with groups of people called a chorus singing and dancing together at the
festivals. The groups had competitions with each other for prizes.
In time, the Chorus, was joined by an actor who talked to them. Next the playwright Aeschylus put
in a second actor. This meant the two actors could talk to each other and also to the chorus. They
could act too which made real plays possible and the audiences liked it.
Sophocles went further than Aeschylus and brought in a third actor. He wrote over a hundred plays
and was one of the most popular playwrights in fifth century Athens. His plays are still popular
today, despite the fact they were written well over two thousand years ago because he writes about
people and ideas which do not change with time - only the surroundings are altered. The translation
of Oedipus the King you will read can be related to the present as well as the past and you may, like
one of the Greek audience, find out about your own life by looking at the situation in the play.
Sophocles was born around 495/494 BC. In 468 he beat the most popular playwrights of the time in a
competition. Afterwards he was a leading playwright in Athens. He was a skilled musician as well
as playwright. He had been a soldier and was involved in politics. These experiences were very
useful when he wrote his plays.
The Great Dionysia
This was the chief drama festival held in Athens every year in March in honour of the god Dionysus,
god of wine and the theatre. He was worshipped as god of fertility, both of crops and animals.
Women followers called Maenads used to sing and dance ecstatically in his honour. It was a time of
thanksgiving and celebration, rather like Christmas today. On the first day the whole of Athens was
on holiday. There were processions, prayers, singing and dancing in the streets and the city was
filled with a party atmosphere. The next three days were for competitions with three serious plays
called tragedies. These happened each morning and, after a short lunch-break, perhaps a comedy in
the afternoon. The Athenian audience had to sit for up to six hours without a break, watching play
after play. Judging by the great popularity of the festival, they didn't seem to mind this at all! Local
groups also put on the old type of singing and dancing. On the fifth day the judges decided on the
best playwright, actor and chorus and awarded prizes.
The Theatre
Greek theatres were in the open air, built into the slope of a hill with tiered seating, rather like an
outdoor modern theatre. This allowed the audience to get a good view and to hear what the actors
were saying from a distance. This semi-circular structure is good for sound or acoustics.
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A
B
C/D
E
=
=
=
=
Orchestra (circular dancing / performing area)
Stage Building
Parados (entrance ponts for actors )
Altar to the gods
There were special seats at the front for judges, priests and important visitors. Most of the play went
on in the orchestra and the stage building, a kind of scenery, usually the whole front of a palace.
Behind this were dressing rooms and storage rooms etc.
Actors
Greek actors were all male and so women’s parts were played by men. This idea is not so ridiculous
as it seems as Greek actors wore masks like the one below.
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Wearing a mask made it easier for the audience to see the actor’s face from a distance and recognise
which character he was playing. Some masks even magnified the actor’s voice, making it louder so
that even those at the back of the theatre could hear easily what was going on. Also an actor only had
to change his mask and costume and he could play another part. In the plays of Sophocles there were
never more than three actors on stage at one time and so it was possible to employ a small group of
actors in addition to the Chorus. This cut down on the cost of wages.
The Chorus in a Greek play did two things. As well as being characters in the play they stand aside
and comment on what is happening to the audience. They do this by reciting, singing and dancing.
It is through the Chorus that the playwright makes us think about what the play is really about and
any lessons we should learn from it.
Greek Actors
The Oedipus Legend
The Greek audience, unlike a modern one, knew the plot of the play before they came to see it. This
is because dramatists chose to write plays based on popular legends and stories passed down from
father to son. A Greek audience, therefore, would be fascinated not by what was happening but by
how the playwright showed the story to them. So that you will feel like one of the Greek audience,
here are some details of the legend of Oedipus.
The story so far . . .
Laius, king of Thebes, is told by Apollo (god of predicting the future) that his baby son will grow up
to kill him. To avoid this happening, he pins his son’s ankles together and gives him to a shepherd to
leave on a mountainside to die. This will seem very cruel to a modern reader but leaving babies to die
was quite common in ancient Greece, especially if the baby was a girl or if the baby was disabled in
any way. The Theban shepherd feels sorry for the baby and decides to give him to a Corinthian
shepherd, who is on his way there. The Corinthian shepherd gives the baby to the king (Polybus) and
queen (Merope) who have no children and who bring him up as their own son. They call him
Oedipus or ‘swollen foot’ (in Greek) because of the injury to his ankles caused by being pinned
together. When Oedipus is a young man he hears rumours which lead him to go and ask Apollo for
information about his parents. When he is told by the priestess that he his destined to kill his father
and marry his mother, he leaves Corinth immediately so that he cannot - even accidentally - harm the
people he thinks are his real parents. On his travels he comes to a crossroads and there meets an old
man and some servants. The old man whips Oedipus and tells him to get out of the way; there is a
fight and Oedipus angrily kills the old man and all but one of the servants he has with him. He then
makes his way to Thebes which is terrified because of a monstrous Sphinx (a beast with the head of a
woman). She has set a riddle and refuses to leave until someone solves it. Oedipus manages to solve
it and the people are so grateful they make him king. He marries queen Jocasta, the widow of king
Laius who was murdered by bandits on the road, and he becomes a new father for her children. He is
an intelligent and caring ruler who puts his people first. He is widely respected and Thebes seems to
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be doing well until one day a mysterious disease destroys cattle, making crops die, causing pregnant
women to have babies born dead, spreading a fatal infectious disease all over the city. The people are
in a panic and turn to the gods and to Oedipus.
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2.
COMMENTARY
Scene 1: Oedipus, Priest, Citizens of Thebes
Oedipus asks the citizens why they come to him begging for help. A priest explains that a disastrous
disease is spreading over the city destroying crops and cattle as well as people. Oedipus has sent
Creon to ask advice from Apollo and he returns as they speak. He tells them that Thebes is being
‘polluted’ (made dirty) by a sinful act because the person who killed king Laius, is still in the city.
Until he is found and punished Thebes will continue to suffer.
Cadmus was the person who built Thebes. The Greek audience would know the story and, by
mentioning his name so early on, Sophocles tells them that the play is in Thebes and the main story
concerns the royal descendants of Cadmus; the audience would know that Oedipus was, in fact, the
son of Laius and so everyone is very tense as they wait to see how and when Oedipus himself will find
out the truth.
The royal family is as follows:
First King
Cadmus
Second King
Polydorus (son)
Third King
Labdacus (son)
Fourth King
Laius (son)
Oedipus seems to be a caring king, genuinely concerned for his people. He talks to them as though
they were his own children and promises to do everything in his power to find the killer of Laius.
The dramatic tension increases for the audience who know that he himself is the man he is seeking.
This play is full of dramatic irony and it is important you appreciate what this term means.
Dramatic irony happens when the audience know details which the actor does not know; the actor
speaks and his words have two meanings - a simple meaning and a more complicated one known to
the audience and not the speaker. For example, Oedipus says that in taking revenge for Laius’ death
he is acting in his own interests; he means that he is acting in his own interests because the same
killer may turn on him. The double meaning is that the audience know that he is acting in his own
interests because he is, in fact, the killer.
The Sphinx was a creature which had the body of an animal and face of a woman. It terrorised the
city and gave the people of Thebes a riddle, promising that it would not leave until it was solved. The
riddle was: What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon and three in the
evening?
Oedipus had solved it by guessing that it meant a man: who crawls on all fours when he is a baby,
walks on two legs when he is a young man, and uses a stick as a third leg when he is old. The people
of Thebes were so grateful to him for freeing them from the Sphinx they made him the king.
Ismenus is the name of a river near the temple of Apollo.
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Creon is the brother of Jocasta, Oedipus’ wife. He has gone to the oracle of Apollo to ask for help.
This temple to Apollo at Delphi was famous in the ancient world and many people went there to find
out what would happen to them in the future, as Apollo was god of prophecy (predicting the future).
We can see from this scene how important is was for the Greeks to have the gods on their side and
religion was important in everyday life with prayer and sacrifice. They feared and respected the gods
and felt they controlled the forces of nature. They thought it wrong to compare a person to a god as
this would make the god seek revenge for a human who was arrogant enough to think that he was on
the same level as a god. This is why the priest is careful to tell Oedipus that they think he is a very
wise man but not on a par with a god. If a person did directly compare himself to a god this was an
act of hubris (extreme arrogance) and resulted eventually in his being punished.
The eye witness to the murder of Laius is introduced in this scene. He will play a key role later on
but for now all we are told is that he said robbers killed Laius.
Questions
1.
Who was Cadmus and why is he mentioned so early in the play?
2.
What opinion do you get of Oedipus from what he says and does in this scene?
3.
Describe in your own words the disaster which has struck the city.
4.
The priest says that although Oedipus is an excellent man he is not equal to a god. Explain why
he adds that Oedipus is not equal to a god.
5.
Give two reasons why the priest wants Oedipus to help the people.
6.
What has Oedipus done about the situation so far?
7.
Explain what Creon says is the reason for this disaster.
8.
Why had the people not held a public inquiry into Laius’ death at the time?
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First Choral Ode
The chorus of old men of Thebes express the feelings of the people and try to encourage the gods to
help the city against this death-bringing disaster.
1.
The Chorus begin by saying how frightened the people are in this situation. They want the gods
to help them by telling them what they should do.
2.
They ask three gods to act together: Athene as she is known for wisdom (also goddess of war);
Artemis, goddess of the moon and hunting, as she has a statue in the market place of Thebes;
Apollo who is god of hunting and healing as well as prophecy.
3.
They describe the effect of the destruction on the people and the grief it is causing.
4.
They call the destruction Ares ‘god of death’ and they want the other gods to drive this god
away.
5.
The three gods should fight, assisted by Bacchus who is said to have given Thebes its name
(‘Bacchea’ was another name for Thebes) and the followers of Bacchus, frenzied women called
Maenads who used to dance and behave savagely under the influence of worship and wine.
Questions
1.
What are the main feeling of the Chorus when they begin?
2.
To which gods do they appeal particularly and why?
3.
The chorus say it is like a battle. What are the two sides?
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Scene 2: Oedipus, Chorus, Teiresias
Oedipus announces that he is looking for information about the killer of Laius. He promises that if
the killer owns up he will only send him away but if he does not, he and anyone trying to protect him,
will be driven out of the city. He will not be allowed to have anything to do with anyone; he will be
driven out publicly with no friends or means of support. The Chorus advises Oedipus to listen to the
words of Teiresias, a respected prophet, and Oedipus greets him with courtesy, asking for any
information he can give him. When Teiresias seems reluctant to tell what he knows, Oedipus angrily
accuses him of having something to do with the murder himself. This makes Teiresias openly accuse
Oedipus. Shocked and enraged, Oedipus goes on to accuse Creon of the murder, accusing him of
plotting with Teiresias and trying to steal his throne. Teiresias seems to Oedipus and to the Chorus
to be speaking in riddles when he talks of a son who is also a husband and a father who is also a
brother.
Oedipus’ speeches in this scene are full of dramatic irony; he describes himself as an outsider to
Thebes (the audience know he was born there) and says he will fight to find Laius’ killer as if he were
doing this for his real father (the audience know he is his real father).
The idea of the relationship of men and religion/gods is continued here with purification being
necessary. The fact that the murderer had not been punished was seen as polluting or putting a
stain/curse on the city. The only way to clean the city is to find the murderer. People today would
think this act was more of a legal than a religious one. This shows how much the Greeks linked the
actions of the gods with the actions of people and relied on the gods for making sure evil was
punished. Here, Oedipus shows respect for the gods when he points out that a human being cannot
force a god to give him information.
Teiresias, the blind prophet, is a highly respected character, who knows what the gods want and can
predict what will happen to people. From the entry of Teiresias, Sophocles continually talks about
seeing and being blind in this play; Teiresias, though physically blind, can see the truth; Oedipus
though physically able to see, is blind to the truth; later on, when Oedipus finds out the truth he
chooses to blind himself physically. The speeches here are examples of dramatic irony as the
audience know what he will do from the beginning of the play.
Oedipus thinks that because Teiresias does not want to tell him bad news he is guilty and accuses him
of having a hand in the murder. When Teiresias points out he has no real motive for killing Laius,
Oedipus jumps to the conclusion that Creon had put him up to it because he was jealous of Oedipus
and wanted to steal his throne. He thinks that this was why Creon had asked to go and consult
Apollo personally. Oedipus loses his temper and insults Teiresias and we see another side of his
character. He seems arrogant and cruel, assuming that he is right and he refuses to listen to others.
He only stops for a moment when Teiresias mentions his parents. This seems to strike a chord with
him (which he explains later on to Jocasta) and he hesitates, asking Teiresias to tell him more about
his parents. However, he cannot understand what Teiresias means and the Chorus are unclear too, so
Teiresias leaves, with Oedipus convinced that he and Creon are plotting together to get rid of him by
making up this accusation.
Questions
1.
What will happen to the killer of Laius if he confesses quickly?
2.
What will happen to him, or anyone shielding him, if he does not come forward of his own
accord?
3.
Give an example of dramatic irony from this scene, explaining why it is dramatic irony.
4.
Who do the Chorus advise Oedipus to consult and why?
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5.
On the arrival of Teiresias, would you describe Oedipus’ tone as:
(a) flattering
(b) rude
(c) indifferent?
Give a reason for your answer.
6.
Why does Oedipus’ tone towards the prophet change in the course of their conversation?
7.
Of what does Oedipus accuse Teiresias?
8.
How does Teiresias react to this accusation?
9.
Does Oedipus seem to you to behave in the way any ordinary person would in his situation? Give
reasons for your answer.
10. Oedipus’ suspicion now spreads. Who does he accuse next and what motive does he think this
person has for trying to say that he (Oedipus) is the murderer?
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Second Choral Ode
The Chorus thinks about what Teiresias has said and say they are still loyal to Oedipus as he has
saved the city of Thebes from the Sphinx.
1.
They say that there is an unknown murderer whom Apollo and the Fates are tracking down. The
Fates were goddesses who were believed to spin out a picture of a person’s life before he was born
and they made sure that the person lived the life which was set out for him.
2.
Parnassus - a mountain where Apollo was worshipped. The voices of the gods go on forever and
the Chorus compare the murderer to a hunted animal being chased by the gods out of hiding.
3.
They feel that this accusation against Oedipus is bad news and they do not know whether to
believe it. They know of no argument between the royal family of Thebes and that of Corinth
(they think that Oedipus’ natural father is Polybus king of Corinth) and so there would be no
motive for this killing.
4.
They say they believe in the gods but realise that human prophets sometimes cannot be trusted.
They finally say that they refuse to think that Oedipus could be guilty as he saved the city from
the Sphinx.
Questions
1.
Here, as elsewhere, the Chorus are part of the action of the play but they stand back as if they are
commenting about events. Write down two lists of:
(a) what the Chorus do as actors in the play
(b) what the Chorus do as observers.
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Scene Three: Creon, Chorus, Oedipus, Jocasta
Creon has heard that he has been accused by Oedipus of plotting against the king and cannot believe
Oedipus would think he was capable of this. Oedipus enters and angrily accuses him of treason.
Creon tries to reason with Oedipus, pointing out that he has no motive for doing this. He asks for
time to prove his innocence and he is supported by the Chorus who urge Oedipus not to jump to
conclusions. Jocasta, who has heard the argument, enters and asks both of them to behave
reasonably; she urges Oedipus to believe Creon when he says he is not guilty. When Creon leaves
Oedipus tells her of Teiresias’ accusation. She tells him not to trust fortune-tellers and - to reassure
him - she explains that she and Laius had been told by a fortune teller that Laius would be killed by
his own son, when in fact robbers had killed him. Her account of the murder and the place where it
happened reminds Oedipus’ of something in the past and he asks for more details. As she describes
the situation, he begins to realise he may have been the killer of Laius. He decides to send for the
one surviving eye-witness to put their minds at rest. He tells Jocasta that when he was a young man
an oracle had told him that he would kill his father and marry his mother and - to avoid any chance
of this - he had left Corinth in case, even accidentally, the oracle came true. He had come to a place
where three roads meet and killed an old man and some of his companions; he fears the old man
might be Laius. The scene ends with a mood of alarm and anticipation.
Creon’s surprise shows that he and Oedipus were friends since he is obviously upset that Oedipus
should think he would be capable of doing this.
Oedipus behaves even more irrationally here than in the scene with Teiresias. He throws question
after question at Creon, accusing him without waiting for an answer. Unlike Creon, he appears to the
Chorus (and the audience) to be acting in a very unreasonable way; Creon asks to be given a chance
to explain himself and Oedipus sends him away him, saying that he is a smooth talker and he will
still refuse to believe he is innocent.
Creon is very persuasive; he points out that he has no motive for plotting against Oedipus. He already
has a third of the wealth of the city with no responsibility and would not want to take on the stress of
being a ruler. He has all the advantages of power at the moment without the trouble.
The Chorus make it clear that they are on the side of reason and cannot approve of anyone who acts
in a fit of temper.
There is much dramatic irony in Jocasta’s speeches; it is because she wishes to comfort Oedipus that
she tells him the story of Laius’ murder, when in fact it has the opposite effect of throwing him into
more panic, as he realises he might be the murderer. This leads him to tell her about the oracle of
Apollo which brought him to Thebes from Corinth. An oracle was a prediction given to people about
their future. Greeks often visited the shrine of Apollo at Delphi where a priestess, who was meant to
chew laurel leaves and breathe in herbal fumes, was said to be possessed by Apollo - a bit like a
medium today. People asked questions about their future and gave a present or some money and the
priestess would go into a trance and give them an answer, often in the form of a riddle, or a message
difficult to understand at the time but which became clear later - in the case of Oedipus, too late!
We can see from the way Jocasta tells Oedipus about the leaving of her baby son to die on the
mountainside, that this practice was relatively common in the ancient world and that people did not
seem to think of it as shocking at all. People would expose babies either because they looked weak or
deformed in some way or because they were a girl (girls were more expensive to keep and would not
be able to support the parents in later life as girls did not go out to work to earn money) or because
they simply did not want the baby. In the case of Laius and Jocasta, they would have had two motives
for exposing Oedipus: they thought he might kill his father in later life and he was cursed by the
gods. Any one of these would have been reason enough.
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Questions
1.
How does Creon feel about Oedipus’ angry accusation?
2.
Do you think Oedipus gives Creon a fair chance to put his case? Explain why you think as you
do?
3.
Why do you think Oedipus abruptly asks Creon how long ago it was since Laius disappeared?
4.
Say briefly what Creon says about having no motive and what he feels Oedipus is doing to their
friendship by acting on suspicion. Does this speech convince you? Give reasons for your answer.
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Third Choral Ode
The Chorus asks people to be honest and obedient to the gods. Leaders who do not think about the
needs of their people end up by being rejected. What point is there in believing in the gods if evil
people are not punished for their wrongdoing?
1.
The Chorus wish for simple honesty and fairness. Men should obey the laws of the gods which
last forever.
2.
A king who arrogantly does what he likes, without thinking about his people, ends up hated and
rejected, whereas a considerate king is highly respected.
3.
Someone who does not regard honesty as important, is like someone who steals from the temples
of the gods. Those who see him getting away with it see no point in behaving honestly
themselves.
4.
What is the point of showing respect for the gods if some men disobey the rules made by the
gods? This makes the gods into a laughing stock. They end by asking Zeus to use his power to
help them.
The Greeks believed that moral laws were, if anything, more important then legal ones as they were
made by the gods and the sign of a just and honest person. Without this they felt that both the
individual and society would be damaged.
They point out that arrogance or hubris (acting in a self-centred way with no respect for others/gods)
is always unpopular and leads to disaster. We cannot help thinking of Oedipus’ behaviour in the
preceding scene as he arrogantly refused to listen to reason.
They see the person who is not honest or moral as a robber of the temples of the gods. The Greeks
were very respectful of temples and superstitious about the bad luck which would befall anyone doing
something like this. This comparison shows it is a very serious fault.
Delphi (sacred to Apollo) and Olympia (sacred to Zeus) were important shrines to the gods and
people made special journeys there to show their respect. The Chorus feel that people will think they
are wasting their time being respectful to the gods if those who have committed crimes like murder
get away without being punished.
It is important to note that the Chorus are not accusing Oedipus of anything here. They are thinking
about what has happened in the previous scene so that the audience can think about them and come to
their own conclusions.
Question
If you were one of the audience listening to this Choral Ode to what extent would you agree with what
the Chorus say here and how much of it makes you think of the events of the preceding scene?
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Scene Four: Jocasta, Corinthina, Oedipus, Chorus
Jocasta makes offerings to Apollo to help get rid of the curse on the city. A messenger from Corinth
comes to tell Oedipus that Polybus is dead and he is now king of the whole area between Thebes and
Corinth. At first Oedipus thinks this is proof that the oracles of the gods are wrong as he did not kill
his father as they said he would. The Corinthian messenger asks if the oracle of the god has been
keeping him away from Corinth. When he hears it has, he tells Oedipus news which he thinks will
reassure him ie that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents and that he himself had given him
to them as a baby. A Theban shepherd, had given the baby to him, the same servant of Laius who
was the only eye-witness to his death at the crossroads. Jocasta slowly realises the truth and begs
Oedipus not to pursue the matter any further. He ignores her, thinking that she is worried that he
will be found to be of humble birth, and asks that the Theban shepherd be brought to him at once.
Jocasta, who in the previous scene had said she did not believe in oracles now prays to Apollo (god of
oracles) for help. This could mean she is anxious or suspicious about Laius’ death, and there is a
mood of desperation.
Note the deliberate pun when the Chorus call Jocasta both the wife of Oedipus and mother of his
children. In performance they only needed to hesitate a little after the word mother and the audience
could not fail to see the irony here, and feel a sense of panic as if all will be revealed.
The Corinthian messenger makes it clear he only wants to do good for Oedipus and admits that this is
because he hopes to be rewarded. This short conversation brings some light relief for the audience
from the tension of the previous scene.
Oedipus receives the news gladly and assumes it proves that oracles are false. He and Jocasta are
clearly happy and relieved, as they feel that Oedipus is now safe. Jocasta says that this proves that
chance is what rules peoples’ lives, and in saying this she is showing disrespect for the gods. This
pride, or hubris, certainly comes before a fall as the scene continues.
The Corinthian shepherd, again wanting to please Oedipus, and to earn a large reward gladly tells
him that he need not worry about marrying his mother as Merope is not his real mother. He was
found as a baby and he tells him that his ankles are still swollen-looking because they were pinned
together.
All this time Jocasta is listening and realises that Oedipus, the baby, is her son. This is why she begs
him not to try to find out more as she knows what effect it will have on him. When she fails to
persuade him to listen she leaves fully intending to kill herself, as she cannot live with her shame.
Oedipus does not know why she is leaving and thinks she is ashamed of having married someone who
may be from a poor family. This makes it clear that even now he cannot see to the truth. The
audience will be feeling sorry for him, knowing that he cannot remain ignorant for much longer. The
whole scene is very tense.
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The Theban shepherd and the man who escaped when Laius was killed turn out to be the same man.
Oedipus’ speech at the end of the scene is full of irony and suggestions for the audience to pick up.
He talks of Jocasta, then talks about his mother, explaining that he means that Fate is his mother but
it is obvious to the audience he is referring to Jocasta. He talks of being determined to get to the truth
of who he is and the audience knows this knowledge, far from bringing relief, will bring misery.
Questions
1.
Explain in your own words the message brought from Corinth about Polybus.
2.
How do Oedipus and Jocasta react to the news? Do you think this reaction shows hubris?
Explain and use the text in your answer.
3.
The messenger fills in some unknown details about his family and tells him that a Theban
shepherd gave him to him as a baby. What effect will this news have on Jocasta and why?
4.
In what way does this scene show us
(a) that the exposure of children was accepted by the Greeks?
(b) that the Greeks were worried about social class?
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Fourth Choral Ode (Oedipus remains on the stage with the Chorus)
The truth will soon be revealed about Oedipus’ birth. They wonder if he really was found on Mount
Cithaeron or whether he is the son of a god or goddess.
1. If a human can predict the future, I think that we will know within a day if Oedipus is that baby
found on Mount Cithaeron. We will thank the god Apollo for this news.
2. Maybe an Olympian goddess was his mother, or the god Pan who made love to a woodland
goddess; or is he the son of Apollo; did Hermes make love to a nymph on Mount Cyllene? Is he
son of Dionysus and a mountain nymph conceived on Mount Helicon?
The mood of these two verses is light-hearted. This is to relieve some of the tension of the previous
scene and to give the audience a break to prepare for the tension of the next scene.
The Chorus do not want to commit hubris by saying that a human being has the powers of a god to
predict the future and so they are careful in their wording to avoid angering the gods.
They will thank the god Apollo as he is the god of predicting the future.
They then wonder if another god could have been his father on another mountain:
• Pan - god of nature and the countryside;
• Hermes - messenger god, born on Mount Cyllene;
• Dionysus - god of wine and fertility (both human and in the soil) worshipped in Boetia where
Mount Helicon is situated. Worshippers of Dionysus, called Maenads, used to go up to the
mountains at night to dance, drink wine, take part in wild rituals. The Chorus talk about the god
Dionysus seducing these women while taking part in his rituals.
Question
In what way does the Chorus in this short episode act differently from other scenes? Suggest a reason
for this?
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Scene Five: Oedipus, Chorus, Cornthian, Shepherd
The shepherd who had given the baby to the Corinthian and who was the only remaining eye-witness
enters. Oedipus and the Corinthian question him about the baby. At first he tries to avoid answering
but they force him to tell them that the baby was the son of Laius and he had given the baby to him to
save its life. Oedipus now knows the truth; he has killed his father and married his mother. He goes
into the palace and the two shepherds leave.
Oedipus wants to be sure that the shepherd is the correct person and he asks the Corinthian to prove
his identity. He behaves here intelligently and genuinely desires to find the truth. Sophocles wants to
make it clear to the audience that Oedipus had not deliberately been deceiving anyone, but that he
himself is as much in the dark as the people.
We can see that it is Oedipus’ own pride and determination which bring about his downfall as he
forces the shepherd to speak by threats.
The shepherd does not want to tell Oedipus the truth because he knows what effect it will have on
him and he thinks it might lead Oedipus to order that he be killed. He did not expose the child out of
pity - another example of a person wanting to do something good but which turns out to be the
opposite.
Oedipus does not feel it necessary to ask him about the killing of Laius, even though this is why he
first sent for him, because it is now clear to everyone that he is guilty.
We are left to work out that the man had lied about robbers killing Laius because he would then see
the killer of Laius on the throne. To save his own life he went away from Thebes so that Oedipus
would not recognise him. He will not have realised that Oedipus is the baby until now and this is why
he remarks that Oedipus was cursed by the gods from the time he was born.
Questions
1.
What impression do you have of Oedipus by the way he speaks to the shepherd? Refer to the
scene in your answer.
2.
What final two details does the shepherd tell Oedipus?
3.
Why does Oedipus refer to light at the end of this scene? To what earlier theme does this return?
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Fifth Choral Ode
The Chorus say that what has happened to Oedipus shows that good fortune does not last. He
seemed to be one of the most fortunate men alive. Was there no way this could have been discovered
earlier? Now the time has come for you to pay the price for your wrongdoing.
1.
Happiness and good fortune are only temporary. We learn this from what happened to Oedipus.
2.
He aimed and shot down his prey, ridding Thebes of the Sphinx and making the city proud to be
ruled by him.
3.
Now he is suffering just the opposite of good fortune. He has to suffer more than a human being
can endure. It is amazing that a secret could have been kept; the powers of nature should have
given some hint when he married his mother.
4.
Time can see everything and has now tracked you down and will make sure you are punished.
We wish you had never come to Thebes, you who were our saviour and now the cause of this
destruction.
This Ode is serious and emotional. The Chorus point out the lesson to be learned from Oedipus'
situation; happiness cannot be relied upon and can suddenly disappear.
Oedipus has experienced more than his share of good fortune, his great success has now become great
suffering.
The Chorus feel both pity and disgust for Oedipus: pity that nature itself could not somehow have
warned him when he was going to marry Jocasta; disgust at the idea of the son marrying his mother.
The audience too would have felt disgust at this picture. They show their disgust at the end by saying
that they wish they had never seen Oedipus. This may seem to a modern reader to be cruel, but it is
human to wish not to be connected with crime, especially one so incestuous. People often think being
involved makes them guilty too. The Chorus also could wish they had never seen Oedipus because
they are suffering with him and know how much he is suffering.
The idea that Time sees everything reminds us of the scene with Teiresias when Teiresias says
Oedipus is blind now but later he will see. As Oedipus leaves he says that everything is now in the
light of day. This underlines the fact that people are not able to see the truth about themselves or the
world in which they live. This is one of the main issues in this play.
Question
The Chorus here act both as characters in the play and observers, pointing out what we can learn
from the events of the play. Give examples from the Ode of what they do as actors and observers.
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Scene Six: Messenger, Oedipus, Chorus, Creon
An attendant enters and says that Jocasta has committed suicide and vividly describes Oedipus
stabbing out his eyes. The Chorus moan in pity for Oedipus as he staggers in, obviously in great
pain. He talks of his crimes and wishes he had never been saved at birth. Creon enters and is kind
to Oedipus. He will give Jocasta a proper funeral and he has sent for the children, Antigone and
Ismene, Oedipus’ daughters. The girls enter crying and Oedipus tells them he wishes better fortune
for them than he has had. He worries that people will reject them because they are affected by the
sins he has committed. He asks Creon to look after them and to send him away out of Thebes. Creon
says that this decision cannot be made by him but by Apollo, and if Apollo does not object, Oedipus
will leave the city. Oedipus goes into the palace, suddenly begging to take his children. Creon does
not allow this and they go inside. The Chorus ask that we think about Oedipus’ situation and learn
that human beings cannot be regarded as happy until they have died happy.
In Greek tragedy murders almost always happened off-stage and were reported by a messenger. The
corpse was then wheeled out at the end either on a revolving stage or on a low wheeled platform
pushed through the central opening of the stage (no more than ten feet by six feet) called an
ekkuklema.
The messenger speech is usually, as here, full of vivid details to emphasise the horror of the scene and
can seem to be exaggerated to a modern reader. The description of Oedipus repeatedly stabbing out
his eyes with Jocasta’s brooches is particularly horrifying and would make the audience gasp.
Jocasta kills herself because she has sinned by marrying her own son, who murdered her husband.
The ideas of seeing and being blind, light and darkness, day and night, come to a climax with the
stabbing out of the eyes. Now that Oedipus is blind he can see the truth for the first time.
The messenger speech also serves to build up suspense for the entry of Oedipus. This is continued by
the Chorus who show their horror by gasping/exclaiming at details of Oedipus’ appearance. They tell
Oedipus he must suffer a double pain, the pain of his physical wounds and the pain of his guilt. They
feel Oedipus might be better to have killed himself than to live as he is. Oedipus explains that if he
had died he would have been face to face with Laius and Jocasta in the Underworld. The Greeks
believed that your soul passed into the underworld at death; Oedipus’ soul would meet up with the
soul of the father he had murdered and the mother he had married.
Oedipus now takes the punishment he had ordered for the killer of Laius - banishment; to allow
Thebes to recover from destruction. The rest of this speech shows the pity of his situation and how he
had committed wrong acts without knowing it.
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Oedipus expects Creon to be as angry with him as he had been to Creon when he accused him of
treason. Creon however is kind and understanding but firm and determined to obey the orders of the
gods. He reminds the Thebans that the person who pollutes the city must be seen only by his family
and he must be ignored. When Oedipus asks to be sent away, he refuses to do so without permission
from Apollo. Creon here is behaving in exactly the opposite way from Oedipus in scene three; he is
being reasonable and giving respect to the gods, showing Oedipus the correct way to behave.
Oedipus, once proud and arrogant, now has to beg with Creon for favours. His words and appearance
are meant to stir up the pity of the audience as he asks to be allowed to be with his children for the
last time, but this pity becomes unpleasant as he calls himself both their brother and father.
We see how prejudiced the Greeks were as he explains how his children will be rejected by others and
left on their own. No one will want to marry his daughters because they will regard the whole family
as having a share in Oedipus’ shame. This sort of attitude can exist today in small rural communities
where grudges are held for years and families are outcasts because of something one of their ancestors
did.
Oedipus begs his children to live quietly, and in this way they will be better than their father - he
knows he is a man who has done very wrong things and does not want this for his children. This idea
of behaving with moderation occurs again and again in Greek drama. We feel pity for his pain at
being separated from his children as he is led inside the palace.
The Chorus have the last word and point out the moral of the play to the audience. The idea of
considering no human being happy until you look at the whole of his life was again a common theme
in Greek literature. Similar ideas are held today; people comment that we can never tell what is
round the corner. When someone famous is involved in a scandal or accident people say that wealth
or fame does not keep you safe or happy.
Questions
1.
Describe the death of Jocasta.
2.
What did Oedipus do when he found her body?
3.
How do people feel towards Oedipus in this scene? Use the text in your answer.
4.
Why doesn’t Oedipus kill himself?
5.
Why do the Chorus back away from Oedipus on a couple of occasions?
6.
Why doesn't Creon allow Oedipus to leave at once?
7.
How does Creon behave towards Oedipus? How is his behaviour in this scene different from
Oedipus’ behaviour in scene 3?
8.
What reasons does Oedipus give for going to Cithaeron?
9.
Explain the final message/moral of the play.
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3.
NOTES ON PLOT AND CHARACTERS
The Plot
Sophocles creates suspense in this play by having his audience ‘in’ on what will happen. They want
events not to happen, and are helpless to stop what must happen. The end of the play has been
described as a time bomb waiting to explode and shows the way Sophocles uses the play to create
tension and suspense all the way through.
Firstly, he does this by allowing Oedipus to find out small clues which he pieces together as the play
proceeds. The trail begins when Jocasta mentions that Laius was killed at a place where three roads
meet. This leads Oedipus to ask for more details about Laius’ death. The mention of this place stirs
up a memory for him of killing a man at such place after leaving Corinth when the oracle told him he
was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. This makes him send for the Theban shepherd,
the surviving eye-witness. Tension mounts as the Corinthian shepherd comes in and tells Oedipus
that Polybus is dead. Oedipus, though upset, is relieved that the oracle he heard cannot now come
true but still is worried about marrying his mother. The Corinthian tells him not to worry as he
knows that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents. As Oedipus and Jocasta feel relief, tension
mounts for the audience who know that the Corinthian messenger will tell him that the Theban
shepherd they have sent for is the same man who gave baby Oedipus to the Corinthian. The
audience, like Jocasta in scene five wish that Oedipus does not find out the truth. Suspense is brought
to a climax in scene six when the shepherd tells him that Laius and Jocasta are his real parents.
Sophocles creates an interesting plot in this play because the criminal detects himself. In scene one
Oedipus describes what he will do to the murderer and then in scene six carries out his threat on
himself.
Sophocles writes the play so that we see Oedipus, not just as a tragic person in his own right, but as
an example of what can happen to all of us. Other characters in the play, like Oedipus, do things for
admirable motives which cause disaster. Jocasta tells him about the murder of Laius to put his mind
at rest about fortune-tellers - this makes him realise that he might have killed Laius and leads to her
own death.
The Corinthian shepherd gladly tells Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents to put
his mind at rest - this makes the Theban shepherd tell him Laius and Jocasta are his real parents.
The Corinthian shepherd, who had hoped for a reward of money is rewarded by knowing he caused
great pain.
The Theban shepherd, who feels sorry for Oedipus and lets him live, is punished because he was the
eye-witness to the death of Laius and also sees the killer become king; this means he has to go away
in case the killer recognises him. His reward for kindness, therefore, is banishment.
These minor tragedies are all part of the major one and show Sophocles’ message that life can be
cruel, even to innocent people, but that things do not happen just by chance - there is a pattern
worked out in advance by the gods which human beings cannot change, whatever their motives.
Characters
Oedipus
Heroes in tragedy sometimes have qualities we admire and a fault or flaw which makes them act in a
way which leads to disaster. In Greek tragedy the fate of the hero is linked to a system beyond the
control of one person and may even (as with Oedipus) be decided before he is born. Oedipus possesses
both admirable qualities and human flaws.
Good Qualities
• He is a concerned king who earned the respect of his people.
• He saves Thebes from the Sphinx by his intelligence.
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• He shows courage and honesty when he finds out he is the killer by punishing himself and
accepting responsibility. A weaker man might have tried to cover up his guilt.
Find a quote from the play which shows each one of these points.
Flaws
• He is quick tempered and unreasonable towards Creon and Teiresias (and Laius).
• He shows arrogance/hubris in putting his decisions above the law of the gods when he tells Creon
that as king he will decide and what he says must be obeyed as if it were law.
Find a quote from the play which shows each one of these points.
Things Beyond Oedipus’ Control
• Fate/the gods have marked him out for disaster, even before he was born.
• However much he tries to do the right thing, it will make no difference.
Find a quote from the play which shows each of these points.
Jocasta
Like Oedipus, she is a victim of a plan of the gods which treats her badly. She is a character who
commands the respect of her people and Oedipus trusts her. She is sensitive and thoughtful towards
Oedipus and she tries to keep the horrible truth about his parents from him even when she knows
herself.
Find a quote from the play showing her as being:
• respected by the people
• a person whom Oedipus trusts
• trying to save Oedipus from more pain.
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If she has a flaw, it is to believe that things in life happen by chance. This can be clearly seen by the
contrast between what she says in scene three about fortune-tellers and what she does in scene four: in
scene three she tells Oedipus she has proof that Apollo’s oracles are false and tells him the story of
the baby and Laius’ death. On hearing Oedipus’ account of killing someone where three roads meet
she is obviously upset, though trying to hide it from Oedipus. At the beginning of scene four she
enters carrying incense and garlands of flowers (offerings to the gods) and calls on Apollo to purify
the city.
When she discovers the truth she, like Oedipus, punishes herself by taking her own life.
Creon
Creon is a moderate man who knows the power of the gods. He behaves in ways which show what
the Greeks thought right for a civilised ruler. The Chorus point this out on several occasions.
Find two quotes where the Chorus praise something Creon has said or done. Explain why they
admire him.
• Creon shows respect to Oedipus even when he is accused of treason.
• He tries to use reason rather than letting his temper take over.
• He puts the law of the gods before that of men and feels they should be consulted regularly. He
thinks it is wrong for men to think they can act on their own, without asking the gods.
• He is generous to Oedipus and his family, even after Oedipus has treated him so badly.
Find a quote form the play to support each of the above statements about Creon.
Teiresias
Like the shepherds, Teiresias comes to Thebes to try to help. He keeps the truth from Oedipus
because he knows it will only hurt him. He is there also so that we can see for the first time other
sides of Oedipus’ character which we haven’t seen yet, i.e. his temper and his arrogance. Teiresias is
also a link between the world of the gods and the world of men. His sadness makes us see the fact
that human destiny is fixed beforehand and there is nothing even he can do to change it.
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Activities
1. How important are the following characters to the play as a whole?
• Teiresias;
• Cornithian Shepherd;
• Theban Shepherd;
• Messenger.
Describe what each character does in the play. In what way do you think they make the lesson of
the play clearer to you?
2. What do the following characters think about fate and the gods?
• Oedipus;
• Jocasta;
• Creon.
3 Do you agree with the Chorus that Oedipus is a man whose happiness has been followed by
unhappiness?
Are any of the characters in this play happy? Give reasons for your answers and use the text in
your answer.
4 Does Oedipus deserve his sufferings? Give reasons for your answer and use the text in your
answer.
5 Oedipus has a quick temper and is very sure of himself. Do you think these
• cause him to treat others unfairly?
• add to the horror of his downfall?
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4.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Plays tell us about the time when they were written. Attitudes towards the gods, kings, justice,
children and parents can all be seen in Oedipus the King.
1. Men and gods
Religion was important in the everyday life of the Greeks. They would worship publicly, visiting
temples to the gods and privately in their own homes, making daily offerings in small shrines in order
to please and thank the gods.
At the beginning of the play, when disaster strikes the city, they immediately go to the gods for help.
They burn incense, wear garlands of flowers and visit temples to make offerings so that the gods will
help them. They go to priests to ask them to lead them and to speak on their behalf. Priests then, as
today, were highly respected members of the community and were turned to in times of family crisis.
It is a priest who speaks to Oedipus for the people and explains their feelings to him.
Prophets also could be highly regarded as we can see from Teiresias who is famous for his fortunetelling all over the Greek world. He is treated by the Chorus and by Oedipus as if he were a celebrity
when he first appears. Attitudes to him can be compared to attitudes to a church leader today; we
would not approve of an MP who publicly attacked someone like this any more than the Thebans
approve of Oedipus’ attack on Teiresias. However, there is evidence in the play that some fortunetellers were thought to be cheats, only in it for the money and not to be trusted. The same is said of
fortune-tellers today. In fact, this is the general view in our more cynical society.
The oracle of Apollo is very important in this play. Many Greeks visited the temple of Apollo at
Delphi to ask for advice about their future and believed what they were told. We see such things as
superstition today rather than as part of an accepted religion but the Greeks were a very superstitious
people.
Some Greeks believed that men lived according to a plan worked out by the gods in advance and that
this plan might mean that people could be treated badly no matter how well they behaved or treated
the gods. This seems quite harsh to some people today who believe that people who try to do the right
thing will gain some reward in the next world at least. There is not a hint of this in Oedipus the
King. Oedipus cannot kill himself because he will then find himself in the underworld with the father
he has killed and the mother he married. The Greeks believed that your soul, on death, passed on to
the underworld and looked like your body when you died. Some Greeks believed that you would go to
a different part of the underworld depending on the sort of person you were in life; good people would
go to Elysium; people who were neither good nor bad would go to the Asphodel fields; evil people
went to Tartarus. None of these places, however, could match up to being alive and a Greek would
choose to live rather than go even to Elysium. They didn’t believe in ‘heavenly paradise’. In the play
there is no mention the different areas of the underworld, only that there would be a life after death
and that there you would see people you knew.
Oedipus says that the killer of Laius will not be allowed to take part in religion or sacrifices and he
will be seen to be publicly unclean and shunned by society. This obviously was a serious punishment
and shows how seriously they saw the need for purification from sin. Purification could take the form
of doing something to make up for some evil act or making enough prayers and sacrifices to cleanse
the guilt away. It was rather like the Catholic idea of confession and atonement today.
The idea of the gods and moral justice often appears in this play and the two are put together in
ancient Greek thought. Many issues we would regard as being legal issues for the courts, they would
have seen as being moral issues for the gods. The whole plot of the play shows this; a murderer is
hiding in the city and must be found. Where we would go to the police, the Greeks went to the gods
to help them find the villain, and to their king whom they saw as the head of justice - both moral and
legal.
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Activity/Group Discussion
What impression do you get of what the ordinary Greeks thought about religion? Compare their
attitude with the attitude of ordinary people today. Refer to the play in your answer.
2. Kings, Justice and Government
Oedipus as king of Thebes is the person who passes laws and looks after the people. The people of
Thebes respect him for his intelligence and his authority and the Chorus tell us that he is both
respected and feared.
However, people were worried about kings who abused their power and refused to listen to the advice
of others. They saw this as dangerous. The Chorus say that this sort of ruler is likely to lose his
throne as this sort of behaviour makes him unpopular. They say the same in politics today about
members of the government who seem to be acting on their own, without taking advice or listening to
voters. A Greek king also had to show respect for the gods and work with them to ensure their will is
carried out. Creon knows how important this is, but Oedipus does not. Oedipus commits hubris or
gross arrogance (an offence against the gods) when he tells Creon that a king must rule even if he is
wrong. In doing this, he is acting on his own and putting himself on a par with the gods. This was
not acceptable at all. Today people fear dictators for similar reasons; they know that power is
corrupting and can lead people to behave in extreme ways. It was important for a king in ancient
Greece not to be seen as a dictator. Creon shows the ideal qualities of a king. He is firm but
respectful and kind; he consults the gods and his advisers before taking decisions and he is the leader
of the people, following the law and carrying out the instructions of the gods.
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Activity/Group Discussion
Compare a king like Oedipus to
• a Prime Minister
• the queen
What similarities/differences are there? Refer to the play in your answer.
3. Exposure of Children
Oedipus was ‘exposed’ or left out to die as a child as a result of a prophecy from the gods. The
practice of exposing children was much more common then than it is today. Jocasta was sorry for her
baby son but thought it was the right thing to do in the circumstances. Babies who were weak or
deformed were commonly exposed at birth. There is no explanation of why Oedipus’ ankles were
pinned together; he certainly would not have been able to crawl away at only three days old. Was this
to ensure nobody would rescue him as he had a slight deformity? Nobody knows. We do know that it
was more common to expose girls than boys (for the reasons outlined earlier). Perhaps because death
was much more common amongst children, the death of one or more than one child in a family was
an everyday part of life.
Activity/Group Discussion
What do you think of the Greek practice of exposing children? Is it ever acceptable to get rid of a
child, by whatever means?
4. Social Attitudes
People in Ancient Greece were class-conscious. We see this when Oedipus says that he thinks Jocasta
is ashamed that he might turn out to be from a poor family. They also respected good behaviour.
Oedipus knows that his sin will affect not only himself but his whole family and will make them
outcasts. This means that no one will play with his children for fear of being affected by the shame of
Oedipus; the girls will not find husbands as no one will want to marry them in case they too become
outcasts. They will be publicly humiliated by name-calling and being treated as if they were unclean
all of their lives. People were narrow-minded and did not forgive and innocent people could be
persecuted. Some minority groups today feel that they are treated in a similar way because of their
colour or religion. We are more tolerant towards the family of a criminal than the Greeks were but
social prejudice and ‘double-standards’ still exist today.
Activity/Group Discussion
Do you think it right that a whole family is affected by the actions of one member of it? Can you
think of any examples where people today shun whole families? Just how tolerant are we compared
with the ancient Greeks?
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