Oedipus The King
Or, Mummy? Daddy?
The Great Dionysia
• Oedipus Rex was entered by Sophocles at
the Great Dionysia around 431 BCE, a
religious and cultural festival that had
competitions for tragedies and comedies,
where it came…
• ….second.
• Euphorion, Aeschylus’ son, won.
• He did, however, win in around 442 BCE
with another play you know:
Antigone
Background & Context…
• What, from the opening lines from 1 – 57,
is happening in Thebes?
• In what condition are the people? Find
three pieces of evidence.
Fate and self-determinism
• Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus the King:
– was deeply concerned with fate, destiny and
self-determinism (compare to Miller);
– explores the concept of hubris frequently…
Hubris?
• The pride that comes before a fall.
• This is a central issue in the play….
Who is so proud?
• Oedipus…
• His pride is immense – why?
• Give three reasons that you know of
from the previous ppt and, after reading
lines 1 – 57, the opening speech of the
priest from lines 14 – 57.
Why is this important?
• Because this is crucial in determining
Oedipus’s status as a tragic hero.
• Now, write down all the things that
you believe constitute a tragic hero from
your earlier studies…
The tragic flaw
• Or Hamartia, is the key aspect of a
tragic hero, according to the Greeks.
• What is Oedipus’ tragic flaw?
Creon
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Read from lines 87 – 150.
Write: where has Creon come from?
Note: what is his news?
Note: in what ways is Thebes “polluted”?
Does this connect to any other plays you
have studied? If so, how?
Oedipus’ initial reaction to
Creon’s news
• Note: what does Oedipus say regarding
the death of Laius and his own position?
• Note: what does this inform us of Oedipus’
character?
The Chorus
• We are familiar with the general role of the
chorus from Antigone;
• Now read from lines 151 – 212.
• Write: what is their specific purpose here?
Oedipus’ curse
• Read from lines 213 – 275,
• Note down: make a list of points that
Oedipus makes regarding his past, how he
will treat those who aid him, and what will
ensue if and when the murderer of Laius is
found…
Seeing and blindness
• Sight is another central theme in Oedipus
• What do you think sight represents?
• Write down three ideas.
Oedipus & Teiresias
• Now read the confrontation between
Oedipus and Teiresias from lines 300 –
463;
• Activity: on a flow chart, trace the content
of their dispute.
Oedipus, Creon and the idea of
justice
• Read from lines 510 – 633
• Mind map, using colour and symbol, your
ideas about Oedipus’ sense of justice
• How does this link to the idea of hubris
and hamartia?
Jocasta – ll. 633 - 862
• What is Jocasta’s first reaction when she
enters?
• Up until line 707 what is her input into the
debate? Write down your interpretation
• How does she interact with the Chorus?
Do they agree with each other? Write
down two main ideas about this.
Oedipus’ recognitions
• Guys, it is extremely important that you
have a precise awareness of what
Oedipus realises about himself and his
past, and when in the text.
• Coming up will be some further exercises
embedded in the Powerpoint to help you in
establishing your knowledge of the text.
Jocasta & the Gods
• Focus on lines 707 – 725 – to what extent
do Jocasta and Oedipus concur about the
power of the Gods? Write down one idea
that you have.
• Why does Jocasta believe what she does
about the Gods? Write it…
• How does this section relate to other parts
of the text? Jot down three ideas
The beginning of the reversal in
fortune and Oedipus’
recognition:
• Identify in the text where, exactly, Oedipus’ first,
shocking, realisation occurs. (Hint: it may not be
at a point where he actually speaks)
• What has he realised? Write it down.
• Write down two ways that you would have the
actor playing Oedipus react when he hears the
news
Oedipus and the development
of his realisations
• Read lines 729 – 770 – what facts are
issued about the death of Laius? Jot them
down.
• What does Oedipus realise at this point?
The death of Laius, and
Oedipus’ language
• Read from lines 771 - 833
• Write down in summary form how Laius
was killed, using the extra details that
Oedipus provides us with.
• What important motif reemerges at this
point? (Hint: think about what is happening
to the people of Thebes). Write down your
idea, with evidence from the text.
Oedipus and Laius: the search
for truth and evidence
• Oedipus begins his fateful search for the truth.
• What technique does Sophocles use to present
new information to the audience? (Hint: the
shepherd on his way is an example…) Write it!
• Write down why you think Greek dramatists
used this technique – think about character,
theme and plot advancement, rather than stage
practicalities…
The fears of the Chorus
• Read from lines 863 – 910 and summarise
the fears and concerns of the chorus.
• Answer: to what extent are these related
to the themes of the play do far?
Oscillations between horror and
relief…
• Oedipus veers between relief and
increasing horror for the rest of the play.
• Read from lines 911 – 1050. On a spider
diagram, note down from Oedipus’
conversation with the Corinthian what
changes in mood, and what revelations
are being brought about.
The BIG one…
• How is dramatic irony deployed by
Sophocles up until line 1061? Jot down
your answers…
• Answer: what other examples of
foreshadowing and irony are there from
1061 – 1120 (until the entry of the Theban
Shepherd, another key minor character)?
The Countdown to Catastrophe
• Read from 1120 – 1180
• What do we see in Oedipus’ behaviour at
this point? Write down three adjectives to
describe his treatment of the shepherd
and give evidence for each one.
• How does this link to the idea of hamartia,
or tragic flaw? Jot down your ideas!
The Chorus and the Messenger:
ll. 1187 - 1236
• Focus on the language of the Chorus to
describe the fortunes of Oedipus. Find 5
examples of pieces of vocabulary that
create juxtaposition, and comment on the
effect at this point.
Reported Violence: the
Messenger: ll. 1237 – 1297
• This is one of the most famous descriptions of a
suicide and self-harm in the history of Western
culture.
• How does the Messenger’s language convey the
horror and drama of the scene? Write a 300
word analysis of the speech, focusing on the
description of the crimes, and the use of
symbolism to generate descriptive power.
Oedipus’ re-entry
• Oedipus’ re-entry is profoundly dramatic.
• Answer: why is this such a dramatic
moment? What do the audience see
before them? Link back to the ideas of
hamartia and hubris…
Oedipus’ songs
• Read lines 1308 – 1363. Oedipus sings
his lines at this point.
• Answer: Why does he say he blinded
himself?
• What metaphorical significance does this
self-blinding have? Jot down your
responses…
Oedipus’ lamentation – lines
1369 - 1416
• Comment on the significance of the
following two quotations as fully as
possible:
• “No pleasure there, for eyes of mine, / Nor
in this city, / nor its battlements / Nor
sacred images.” (ll. 1376 – 1379)
Oedipus’ lamentation (2)
• Comment: “You marriages! You did beget
me: then, having begotten, / Bore the
same crop again, and brought to light /
Commingled blood of fathers, brothers,
sons, / Brides, mothers, wives; all that
there can be / Among the human kind
most horrible!” (ll. 1403 – 1408)
Oedipus & Creon – meeting
again… ll. 1419 – 1526 (the
end)
• Write: what do Creon’s lines from lines 1422 – 1431
show about the nature of Greek attitudes towards
incest?
• Write: what does Oedipus request of Creon?
• Write: why does Creon say that he will ask Oedipus,
despite Oedipus’ pathetic state? What does this
show of Creon’s character?
Oedipus, self-determination and
fate
• Consider the following quotation: “I was
not saved / That day from death, except
for some strange doom. / My fate must
take the course it will.”
• Comment: how significant is this quotation
in relation to the theme of fate and free
will?
Oedipus’ final speech
• Oedipus’ final speech is to his daughters,
Ismene and Antigone.
• Note: what will the consequences be for
the two girls according to Oedipus?
Catharsis?
• Reflect: to what extent do you agree with
Aristotle’s proposition that the audience goes
through a sense of catharsis at the end of
tragedies such as Oedipus the King? How can
you argue for and against that idea? Complete
the catharsis worksheet…
• Now go on to our wikispace and find the page
entitled ‘Oedipus the King, Aristotle and
Catharsis’, and follow the link there.
Further thought and activities
• List: what are the major themes that are
explored in Oedipus the King? Think of 5,
and for each one choose a moment in the
play where the theme you have chosen in
epitomised.
Minor characters
• In this play more than others, the minor
characters serve an important function in
terms of the advancement of plot, theme
and character, as well as the aesthetics of
drama.
• Make a note of the minor characters and
note down their purpose and function in
the play.
The tragic flaw: harmatia
• Review: what was Oedipus’ tragic flaw?
How does it manifest itself throughout the
play? Find a series of examples.
Sight & Blindness
• Quickly re-read the play and note down
any moments when sight, seeing and
blindness are referred to.
• Answer: how important is the motif of sight
and blindness, and what does it represent
through the play?
The search for truth and
knowledge
• Note: to what extent is Oedipus the King
preoccupied with ideas of truth and
justice?
• Write down all the different manifestations
of concerns with truth and justice
throughout the play.