Oedipus the king General knowledge VCE unit 3

What is the dramatic purpose of the prologue?

The dramatic purpose of the prologue is that it gives the audience and characters the reasons why the city of Thebes suffers from the plague. They say the reason for the plague is the unsolved mystery of the death of the city's previous sovereign, Theban King Laius. The prologue also explains how the plague will end. They say the only way to end the plague is to identify and kill the king's murderer.

How does Oedipus characterize himself?

Oedipus characterizes himself as a powerful king. He thinks very highly of himself. He believes he rules the world.

What is his attitude toward the suppliants?

Oedipus's attitude toward the suppliants is one of pity and sympathy. Oedipus wants to help them.

What conditions in Thebes does the Priest describe?

The priest describes that there is much disease and death in Thebes. He calls it a plague that disrupts the production of humans and crops.

How do the suppliants view Oedipus?

They have a high opinion of him since they feel indebted towards him since he saved them from the sphinx. The suppliants view Oedipus as "first of men in what happens in this life and in our interactions with the gods". They see him as a man who ranks right below the gods.

What request does the Priest make of Oedipus?

He asks for him to rescue them once again. But this time from the plague/curse. He wants him to find help for the city.

Explain the dramatic irony in Oedipus claiming that no one suffers as much as he does

Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something that the characters do not. In this case when Oedipus says that no one suffers as much as he does, which is clearly ironic because the audience knows that other characters (especially his mother) suffer when they come to the realization that Oedipus is the abandoned son of the King and Queen.

What step has Oedipus already taken to deal with the problem?

To try and deal with the problem Oedipus sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to the shrine in order to learn how to cure Thebes.

According to Creon, what did Apollo say must be done in order to cure Thebes of its pollution?

Creon says that in order to cure Thebes of the pollution the town must find the murderer of the previous king, Laius.

According to Creon, what were the circumstances of Laius' death?

Creon says that Laius was killed by a gang of robbers. He also said that everyone else that was there was killed except for one person that ran away without being harmed.

What motives does Oedipus assign to the killer of Laius?

Oedipus believes that the Laius was killed mostly because of bribery and money.

What is Oedipus resolved to do? Explain the irony.

Oedipus is resolved to find whoever killed Laius and kill him, but this is ironic because Oedipus eventually finds out that he is the one that killed Laius.

What is the reaction of the Chorus to the advice of Apollo to Thebes?

The Chorus's reaction to the advice of Apollo to Thebes is terror and fear.

What conditions in Thebes does the Chorus describe?

The conditions in Thebes that the Priest describes are there is much disease and death.

What does the chorus ask of the gods

The chorus asks for help against death and the plague because they cannot defend themselves.

Find examples of dramatic irony in Oedipus' speech on pp.132-133

Oedipus' speech was about finding the murderer and avenging him, however, he in fact is a murderer.

Why does Oedipus summon Teiresias

Teiresias is a prophet and may know who the killer is.

What is Teiresias' reaction to Oedipus' request for help?

Teiresias seems apathetic and does not want to reveal the truth. He wants to protect Oedipus

How does Oedipus view Teiresias' behavior?

Oedipus views Tiresias's behavior as he is sad.

What does Teiresias reveal to Oedipus as a result of the king's angry accusation?

As a result of the king's angry accusations, Tiresias reveals to Oedipus that his parents are not his birth parents.

Note the frequent equation of physical sight with knowledge throughout this scene. What is the irony of this equation?

The irony of this equation is that Tiresias can see the situation even though he is blind but Oedipus, who is able to see, can not see the situation.

What suspicion does Oedipus begin to harbor about Creon?

That he plotted with Teiresias to overthrow him.

What superiority does Oedipus claim over Teiresias?

Oedipus solved the sphinx's riddle and drove it away while Teiresias did nothing.

Note the frequent equation of physical sight with knowledge throughout this scene. What is the irony of this equation?

Oedipus mocks Tiresias about his blindness when Oedipus is truly blind about his corruption and Oedipus will become blind in the future.

Teiresias then tells Oedipus the horrible truth about himself. What does he tell Oedipus here?

Teiresias predicts that Oedipus will be a sibling to his own children, and a son to his wife.

What does Teiresias predict will happen to Oedipus?

Tiresias predicts that Oedipus will suffer.

What is the Chorus' view of Teiresias' accusations against Oedipus?

Chorus views Teiresias's accusations as possibly true, but are conflicted because they don't want to believe Oedipus is guilty because they love him so much.

What motivates Creon's entrance at the beginning of this episode?

Creon is motivated by the fact that Oedipus has charged him with a crime, and that he must save his reputation.

Why does Oedipus accuse Creon of conspiracy?

Oedipus accuses Creon of conspiracy because he believes that Creon betrayed him in order to steal the crown

How does Creon defend himself against Oedipus accusations?

Creon explains that Oedipus is forgetting common sense in accusing Creon. Creon explain he is his brother in law, so he would not conspire against him. He also states he has no desire to take over the throne when Thebes is in a bad state.

What does Oedipus threaten to do?

He threatens to kill Creon.

What does Jocasta attempt to do?

Jocasta attempts to have Oedipus and Creon go in private and figure it out without arguing in public.

Is jocasta successful

Yes.

How does Jocasta try to assure Oedipus that he is not guilty of Laius' death

Jocasta assures Oedipus he is not guilty of the death of Laius because no human has the skill in prophecy, and the fact that Laius received a prophecy.

What is Jocasta's view of prophecy?

Jocasta finds prophecy to be a fallacy; because if the gods truly want you to know something, they will be very clear in doing so. Also, a prophecy she had never came true.

Why is Oedipus frightened by the information given by Jocasta?

He is frightened because the circumstances of Laius' killing are similar to where the murder he executed occurred. He starts putting pieces together, etc..

What happened to the on surviving witness of the killing of Laius?

He asked Jocasta to send him away to work in the fields so he is far from the town.

Who does Oedipus believe are his parents and where does he think he was born?

Merope and Polybus of Corinth.

Why did Oedipus go to the Delphic Oracle and what was he told there?

At a banquet, Oedipus is told by an attendee that he isn't his father's true son. He goes to the oracle to find the truth, and is told that he will kill his father and marry his mother

Where did Oedipus go as a result of this information?

He flees the city of Corinth to Thebes, to the area where Laius was killed

What happened at this place ?

Oedipus killed several people in a traffic dispute at a crossroads near the city

What does Oedipus fear?

Oedipus grows afraid that one of the people he killed may have been Laius, which means he widowed his wife before marrying her

Does Oedipus suspect at this point that Laius is his father and Jocasta, his mother?

No, he is merely afraid he is responsible for the death of Laius

In what detail of Jocasta's story of Laius death does Oedipus take comfort?

Jocasta tells Oedipus that Laius was killed by multiple men. Oedipus takes comfort in the fact that he is confident he is only one person

How does Jocasta try to reassure Oedipus?

She tells him her prophecy from tiresias, that Laius's son must be the one to kill him, but his son died long ago, so obviously these prophecies are all made up

What request does Oedipus make?

He asks for Jocasta to send in the survivor of the attack on Laius

What wish does Chorus express in the first paragraph?

The Chorus expresses their wish that the gods will look upon Oedipus favorably, and that he won't become a tyrant, ruling without their approval

In what ways do the words of the Chorus in the second and third paragraph apply to Oedipus?

The second paragraph states that "insolence breeds a tyrant", and Oedipus's insolence is one of his many flaws. The third wishes for the haughty and self-assured to be struck down by ill events, Oedipus's ultimate fate.

Do you think Oedipus is a tyrant?

Oedipus ultimately wants to help his country; he has no wish to dominate the people. He is just incredibly haughty

Is Oedipus responsible for his own fate?

Oedipus did murder Laius on the road because he got a little miffed, without which he would never have gotten himself into this mess. He is ultimately responsible for what happens.

What concern does the Chorus express in the last 2 paragraphs?

The chorus says that if the prophecy around Oedipus was proven wrong, then the oracles would be put out of power, and without the oracles worship of the gods would perish.

Jocasta appears at the beginning of the scene alone on stage. What prayer does she make and to whom?

Jocasta prays to Apollo, and she asks for Oedipus to be cleansed.

After her prayer a messenger arrives. What news does he deliver to Oedipus?

The messenger says that Oedipus' "father" Polybus is dead and that the people of Corinth want Oedipus to return to them as their king.

What is Oedipus' reaction to this news?

Oedipus first asks about how Polybus died, and then sarcastically asks about the prophecy- he is relieved that the prophecy was wrong.

What is Jocasta's reaction?

She has an " told you so" reaction.

What further information does the Messenger give to Oedipus?

The messenger tells Oedipus that Polybus wasn't his father.

Whom does the Chorus identify as the herdsman mentioned by the Messenger?

The Chlorus identifies the man that Oedipus sent for as the herdsman.

Why does Jocasta asks Oedipus not to seek out the herdsman and then leave?

She knows that the shepherd will reveal to Oedipus that he is the son of Laius

How does Oedipus interpret Jocasta's emotional behavior?

Oedipus believes that Jocasta is acting this way because she is afraid that he is just a "commoner" instead of royal blood.

What is Oedipus' view on the role of fortune on his life?

Oedipus believes that the role of good fortune in his life is something that he is entitled to and that he is destined to have good things/good fortune

The Chorus addresses Oedipus and speculates about the identity of his parents. Whom do they suggest as possible parents?

They suggest that his parents are Gods

By whom had had the Herdsman been unemployed?

King Laius

Why is the Herdsman reluctant to answer the questions of Oedipus and the messenger?

He doesn't want to reveal the truth to Oedipus because it's so painful

What revelation does the Herdsman make?

The baby that came from the House of Laius was Jocasta and Laius' child

What general comment on human life does the Chorus make based on the example of Oedipus?

The chorus says that happiness is just a dream and a vision. The reason they mention that is because Oedipus has everything anyone would want in life, such as king, but he realizes that everything in his life is suddenly messed up.

Summarize briefly the account of Oedipus' life given by the chorus?

The Chorus mentions the story of the Sphinx. They bring up how he saved the city and became the King of Thebes. After this they continue on about how he is now unhappy and messed up.

What horrible fact with regard to Oedipus' marriage does the Chorus point out?

The Chorus points out how both Oedipus and his dad have slept with the same woman. This woman is Oedipus's mom and his dad's wife. This originally was mentioned by the prophecy, but the chorus reiterated it.

What news does the messenger announce?

The messenger from Corinth announces that Oedipus's supposed father, Polybus, is dead, and that Oedipus must be the new king of Corinth. Then he says that Polybus was not actually Oedipus's father and Merope was not actually his mother.

What's the symbolic significance of Oedipus' self-blinding?

Oedipus was metaphorically blind up until the point in which he gouged his eyes out. His hubris caused him to be oblivious to all of the warning signs about the path he was traveling. Once the truth is brought to light about his fate, Oedipus blinds himself so he cannot see the revelation of his crimes. His pride blinded him.

What was Oedipus intended to do?

Oedipus intends to blind himself.

The next section is Kommos in which Oedipus joins in song with the Chorus, laminating his fate. Whom does Oedipus blame his sorrows?

Oedipus blames Apollo and the gods.

What reasons does Oedipus give for his self-blinding

After finding out the truth about his fate of killing his father and sleeping with his mother, Oedipus decides to blind himself. He was metaphorically blind to this fate before, due to him being guilty of hubris. His hubris caused him to be greedy and rude to others, as well as scorn the blind prophet, and accuse Creon of trying to bring him down. All of these factors built of and led Oedipus blinding himself.

How does Oedipus feel about Creon at this point

At this point, Oedipus feels sorry and shameful for his accusations of Creon. He wrongfully accused him of trying to steal the crown; Oedipus feels that he is unworthy of how nice Creon was to him despite how rude he was to him in the past.

What requests does Oedipus make of Creon?

Oedipus requests Creon to bury jocasta, take care of his girls. He tells Creon that his sons are men and can take care of themselves. In addition, Oedipus asks Creon to exile him.

What future does Oedipus foresee for his 2 daughters?

Oedipus foresees that his two daughters will not get married and not have children because of what he did. He describes that the men who would've married his daughters will be dangerous to the offspring, similar to his.

What important truth about his life does Creon point out about Oedipus?

The important truth about Creon's life that he points out is that he lost his power that he used to have. As Creon describes, Oedipus is requesting things that only the gods can give.

What general lesson does the Chorus draw from the example of Oedipus' life?

The Chorus learns that no one can be happy or know what happiness is unless they experience pain and unhappiness.