ADD ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE HELPFUL
ADD ANYONE THAT I MISSED
Oedipus the King and Antigone test--Wednesday, January 30
Is there no multiple Choice ???
Format: 2-3 short answer questions, quote analysis (identify speaker, context,
significance, 3 from OTK and 3 from Antigone), and one essay question
Know the following information from your background notes (given in class)
● Elements of a tragedy
a. Anthropomorphic gods/supernatural forces
b. A belief in humanity’s fundamental goodness
c. Even when the character does something awful (or the worst thing
imaginable), the audience can still sympathise or feel Pathos
d. Dramatic irony
e. A tragic hero
● Traits of a tragic hero (be able to identify 5 of them)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Suffer more than he deserves
Be doomed from the start, but has no responsibility or flaw
Be noble in nature but imperfect
Have discovered his fate by his own actions and not by things happening to him
Understand his doom, and his role in causing it
Have a weakness, usually pride
Be forced to make a very serious decision
Evoke sympathy from the audience
● Issues faced by Athens when OTK was written
a. Tensions with foreign countries, i.e. Persia
b. Tensions with rival city states, especially Sparta
i.
Sparta conquered Athens after Oedipus Rex was written (this’ll be
relevant for the Oedipus at Colonus)
c. Ongoing debate about the merits of democracy v.s. one-man, authoritarian
leadership
d. Religion v.s. Science: the “old” view of the world v.s. The new (extremely
important)
e. Athens gets conquered
● Know the prophecies in OTK
a. He will become blind
b. Jocasta went to tiresias and he predicted that he will marry his mother and
kill his father
Reminder: annotations due tomorrow!
Quotes to review:
1. “You are the curse, the corruption of the land!” - Tiresias to Oedipus
(Fagles 401) - Oedipus The King
Context:
Tiresias is telling Oedipus that he is the reason that Thebes is suffering.
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● This foreshadows the kingdom finding out that Oedipus is the one that killed
Laius and therefore brought the disease and famine on Thebes.
● This marks the beginning of Oedipus’ downfall, ending with his wife dying,
gouging his own eyes out, and going into exile.
● Tiresias is an authority on divine matters, so a declaration that Oedipus is the
reason for suffering could weaken the faith Thebans have in him
2. “Drive the corruption from the land, don’t harbor it any longer, pass all cure,
don’t nurse it in your soul‒root it out!” (Fagles 109-111)
Context:This is Creon speaking about what Apollo said about the famine and what is
causing it in Thebes
Significance:
● Oedipus asks Creon what Apollo said about what is causing the famine in
Thebes
● This is the start of Oedipus trying to find the man, or corruption, in the land which
leads him on a wild goose chase
● Apollo describes the corruption in the land to be the main contributor to the
troubles in Thebes.
3. “But the body of Polynices, who miserably--/ why, a city-wide proclamation,
rumor has it,/ forbids anyone to bury him, even mourn him./He’s to be left unwept,
unburied, a lovely treasure/ for birds that scan the field and feast to their heart’s
content.”
Context:
● Antigone speaking of the injustice not being able to bury her brother’s body to
Ismene
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● Land of the law vs moral law
○ Antigone wants to give her brother a proper burial, but it is illegal.
● Shows Creon’s firm decision has been made, and this brings out Antigone’s
rebellious personality.
● Shows family values of Antigone, and she wants to show respect for the dead.
4. Quote --Antigone:
“O tomb, my bridal-bed---my house, my prison
Cut in the hollow rock, my everlasting watch!
I’ll soon be there, soon embrace my own,
The great growing family of our dead
Persephone has received among her ghosts”
Lines 978-982
Context:
● Antigone has just been taken away by the guards
● She is to be abandoned in a tomb and left to die
● She is realizing that her fate is sealed, so she accepts her death
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● Imagery of death
○ “family of our dead” (981)
○ “among her ghosts” (982)
● Foreshadowing of Antigone’s death
● It’s a turning point in Antigone because she was originally characterized as a
strong powerful woman, but she appears to have lost her power and hope at the
sight of her death
5. Quote: “He drew his sword--his father rushed out running as Haemon lunged
and missed!--and then, doomed, desperate with himself, suddenly leaning his full
weight on the blade, he buried it in his body, halfway to the hilt.” (Antigone Lines
1360-1364) Speaker: Messenger
Context: The Messenger is delivering the news that Haemon killed himself to the Leader
after failing to kill his father when Antigone committed suicide.
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● Tells the readers of Haemon’s suicide
● Creon is driven into depression after feeling that Haemon’s death is his fault\
● Drives Eurydice to commit suicide.
● Shows the importance of the symbol of prophecy because Tiresias predicted that
something would hurt Creon
6. Quote: I will, I will. And you I command you I beg you the woman inside, bury
her as you see fit it’s the only decent thing to give your own last rites. (1583-1586)
Context: Oedipus asks Creon to bury Jocata who has just died. Oedipus believes at this
time he is either going to be killed or exiled.
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● Theme of respect for families
● Makes the character of oedipus look heroic and unselfish
● References directly to sophocles play antigone
7. Quote: “Revealed at last, brother and father both
To the children he embraces, to his mother
Son and husband both-he sowed the loins
His father sowed, he spilled his father’s blood!”
(Fagles 520-523)
Speaker: Tiresias
Context:
- Oedipus and Tiresias just had an argument. After Oedipus leaves, Tiresias says
this behind his back.
Significance:
- This means that Tiresias knows about Oedipus killing his father and marrying his
mother, and that the prophecy is true.
- It foreshadows Oedipus and everyone finding out about the truth of the prophecy
- It reveals the secret of Oedipus’ lineage.
8. “Oh no no, I think I’ve just called down a dreadful curse upon myself -- I simply
didn’t know!”
OTK Lines: 819-821
Speaker; Oedipus
Context:
Jocasta tells Oedipus the story of Laius death as told by the surviving witness
and describes what Laius looked like. Oedipus reacts with fear realizing that he might
actually of been the one who killed laius which would complete his prophecy cursing
him. Laius is distressed because he feels he was cursed and simply did not know.
Significance (minimum of three bullet points):
● This is when Oedipus realizes that he may not be who he says he is and his
pride breaks
● Creates climax of story because Oedipus gets curious and searches for truth out
of stubborness
● Gives reader pity for Oedipus because he feels cursed and did not know what he
was doing