Oedipus

he events, characters, tensions, motifs ff Oedipus the King  - review your annotations at minimum; re-reading the play would be ideal (and or watching a version)

  • PART 1

  • the plague ravaging Thebes

  • Oedipus' view of himself; Priest's and peoples' view of Oed at beginning; what Oed has already done for the people (sphynx years earlier; concerning the plague, recently)

  • Creon's message from the Oracle at Delphi and Oedipus's response

  • Chorus's reflections on Thebes - prayers to gods

  • Oedipus' curse on the killer

  • Chorus's request for Teiresias - Oedipus' response and who asked him to do it

  • Teiresias' refusal to name killer of Laius - and then why he does

  • Oed's response to Teiresias

  • Why Chorus will stick with Oed. despite concern over Teiresias's words

  • Creon's response to being named as a traitor; tense exchange btw Oed and Creon

  • Jocasta's attempt to calm Oed about prophet's speaking for the gods and why Oed is brought to fear in what she says

  • Oed's story of what sent him to the Oracle of Delphi when he was a young prince of Corinth (who are Polybus and Merope)

  • Oed's story of what happened at the crossroads

  • Oed's shifted focus on "robbers" as a last hope that he is not the killer of Laius 

  • PART 2:

  • Messenger from Corinth and news he brings

  • Jocasta's initial response; Oed's initial response to this news 

  • Messenger's additional information that renews their fears

  • story of the finding and exchange of baby Oedipus

  • Jocasta's request for Oed to stop asking questions (she knows!)

  • Oedipus' determination to find his identity! - sends for the Herdsman (the lone survivor of Laius's death day)

  • Herdsman's reticence to tell the truth and Oedipus' threats leading to the Herdsman's revelation

  • Oedipus' recognition ; Chorus' catharsis

  • 2nd Messenger's tale of what happens inside the palace - death of Jocasta and blinding of Oed

  • More Catharsis from Chorus

  • Oed, now blind, returns to stage in total misery

  • Oed's acceptance of his role and acknowledgement of the justness of his fate

  • Creon now king; Oed's last requests with his children and his fear for his daughters

  • Creon's and the Chorus' final thoughts 

  -- the questions over the Crash Course Theatre episode of Greek Theatre - you have your questions; you might re-watch the 10 min video

  -- your Oedipus the King and Greek Theatre intro notes

  •       Sophocles' biography - and what he added to the theatre

  • Athena and her significance to the Greeks

  • Apollo and his significance to the Greeks - his many names in the play

  • Athenian society and the role of theatre in it

  • The Festival of Dionysus:  significance of Dionysus; similarities to Jesus; the theatre competition and the tetrology - what plays did the playwrights write for it and how many

  • Characteristics of Greek Tragedy

  • fate vs. free will; importance of reason and logic to 5th century Athenians (like Sophocles)

  • Tragic flaw vs. Hamartia

  • 4 characteristics of a tragic hero

  • Awareness, discovery, acceptance, and acknowledgment before death

  • Catharsis:  definition:  role of pity and fear; response of audience

  • dramatic irony role

  • 3 unities of Aristotle

  • role of messengers and choru