Scenes 2 & 3 of Oedipus Rex: “Treasure Hunt” & Response Exercise Scene 2 1. The Choragus is always “the voice of reason,” but he also serves three dramatic purposes. Identify them, and find an example for each. 2. The exchange between Creon and Oedipus in Scene 2 unfolds like a courtroom drama. What has Creon been “charged” with and what is his defense (the answers are in in more than one place). What has Oedipus been “charged” with and what is his defense? 3. Pretend you are Choragus. Whose argument is more persuasive – Creon’s or Oedipus’s? Explain your choice. 4. Write a one-­‐paragraph character analysis of Creon. What one word would Creon use to describe himself? How does Creon contrast with Oedipus? Support your answer with textual evidence! 5. Stichomythia, translated as “line talking,” is a traditional dramatic technique in Greek theater used during moments of tension. This technique manifests itself in three ways: a. QUESTION and ANSWER b. THESIS and COUNTERTHESIS c. ARGUMENT and REFUTATION FIND AN EXAMPLE OF EACH KIND OF STICHOMYTHIA LISTED ABOVE! 6. To whom does Oedipus yield or show compassion in Scene 2? What does this “yielding” suggest about Oedipus’s priorities? 7. “Standing in the crossroads” is a phrase that traditionally means a person is confronted with two or more difficult choices and the choice made will significantly impact his/her life. But in Ancient Greece, crossroads also had religious significance because such places were associated with Hecate and the Underworld. Additionally, crossroads often were depicted as a place where the immortals of the Underworld would decide the fate of a mortal, such as whether to send him/her to Elysium or Tartarus. With this notion of judgment and with the knowledge that Oedipus speaks of killing a man where THREE roads meet, what significance might Oedipus’s crossroads hold? Scene 3 1. Using textual evidence from both scenes 2 and 3, write a one-­‐paragraph character analysis of Jocaste. In what ways does she act like a mother to Oedipus? In what ways does she act like a wife? Is one role more dominant than the other?