<p> Oedipus Test 1</p><p>Oedipus Test Terms  Delphi: city where the temple and the oracle was  Delphic oracle: -Refers to: 1) The woman who sat in a chair and spoke in gibberish (probably due to noxious fumes) 2) The “prophecy” that the priests of Apollo interpreted from the gibberish  Peripeteia: reversal of fortune or unexpected turn of events.  Turannos: autocratic, suspicious  Retrospective plot: a plot that looks back to an event that took place before the action of the drama. This event is responsible for all the action and conflict the audience witnesses on stage. -looking at the aftermath of the event -Big event in Oedipus = he married his mom and killed his father *The most horrible fate that can befall a human being*  Apostrophe: addressing any non-human thing -specialized form of personification  Dramatic irony: when the audience knows something that the characters don’t -This play is full of irony. Probably because Oedipus eats a lot of iron, right Elizabeth?!   Hamartia: error or mistake made in ignorance -the protagonist experiences peripeteia because of this -not deliberate  Hubris or Hybris: sin of excessive pride, insolence, arrogance occurring when man attempts to elevate himself to level of the gods *Know thyself!  Nemesis: divinity sent by gods to pursue and punish those guilty of sin of hubris  Oikos: family or household  Polis: city state  Didactic: any work of literature than is intended primarily to teach a lesson  3 sayings lined the top of the temple: 1) “ Know Thyself” -see below under Themes and Motifs 2) “ Nothing Too Much” -don’t go to extremes -the middle path -balance -extremes can lead to downfall 3) Only in bits – unreadable </p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 2</p><p>The Story Prologue (159-167)  Many years have passed since Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx and got rid of the plague and became king. Now the plague is back *Connection between then and now* -People are desperate and are coming to Oedipus for help. -People are even walking around with branches wound in wool because they were trying to clean the air of the plague.  Oedipus directly addresses his people  Apollo = Healer / Archer -wanted his help to heal the plague -he could bring on plagues and destroy them, but not in this story  You find out what kind of person Oedipus is at the very beginning: -compassionate, loving -responsible -likes his position of authority -seems to be pious -sent Creon to Delphi -prayed at alter -concerned for the well-being of the people -He wants direct contact with his people and came there specifically to address them. He wanted them to hear him tell them what’s going on. -He empathizes with them -He’s like their father; is very paternal -the priest calls the citizens his “children” -responsible and willing to give everything he is capable to giving to help his people  Priest tells Oedipus about all of the hardships of the plague  City-state = ship  Sophocles uses the verb “to see” a lot as dramatic irony -As brilliant as he is, Oedipus doesn’t see the situation, the life he’s living -His people think he’s so sharp and smart and figured out the riddle of the Sphinx. -But he doesn’t see the truth of his own story.  Idea that when one person does something, the whole community suffers -You’re part of a community, not isolated -The actions of one person can affect everyone else  He tells Oedipus that (after the gods obvviii) he is truly ranked and highly regarded as on top of the hierarchical structure -Because he solved the riddle of the Sphinx they see him as brilliant</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 3</p><p>-They establish the parallel situation of the plague before and the plague now -Begging Oedipus to get rid of this plague like he did before  IRONICALLY, they praise him, calling him their savior who helped them stand on their feet again -But they don’t realize that he was the one who brought on the 1st and 2nd plague -He is the corruption, the cause of the plague -Ironically, if he’s going to be a savior, he’s going to have to exile himself  In Oedipus’s response:  He’s an action man; self-motivated  IRONY: pretty much on the whole page. I have faith in you. You can find it  He already took the step (that they asked for) on his own: he sent Creon to Delphi -On the surface he appears pious  Creon returns from Delphi and Oedipus interrogates him  Comes back with a laurel wreath, which was a good sign, so they were feeling positive about his return  He wants to go inside and talk to Oedipus privately. But Oedipus wants to talk in public. -Oedipus = seems open, honest truthful  Oedipus keeps asking Creon questions, in pursuit of the truth -He’s almost interrogating Creon -wants to find out the truth  Creon said that Dephi said: Pay the killers back  already misinformed because there was only ONE killer, not a group of thieves  Why they are in the plague = the killer of Laius needs to be punished  Oedipus gets more and more impatient and irritated at why they didn’t act back then to find the murderers of Laius -honest reason: their attention was diverted with the Sphinx.  IRONY: page 167 -he will soon bring it all to light -he said I would help the king as if he was my own father, which he is</p><p>Parados (168-170) 1) Invoking the help of the gods -are scared: asking Apollo: help us, what is going on, why is this happening -asking all of the gods for help: Zeus, Athena, Artemis, and Apollo -Images of the gods hunting down the killer -chasing out the plague -Australia and Germany wanted 2) Describing the conditions of the plague and why they need help -describes the miserable, horrible, desperate conditions of Thebes -food won’t ripen, still born children, death upon death -ended again with more pleading for the gods to push out the plague -asking the gods to drive out the god of Death </p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 4</p><p>-asking the hunting gods to chase death out</p><p>Scene 1 (171-185)  Oedipus speaks to the Chorus and talks about an edict he’s going to pass  Oedipus said he could grant their prayers -he has answers from the oracle now -he has to get rid of the plague by finding the murderer -IRONIC: he is the plague  Edict = the murderer will be exiled, but unharmed -still pretty bad because you’d have to start over  He says if the person hides the truth, he will banish him -very harsh *He thinks the greatest sin = hiding the truth -he’s a lover of the truth -IRONIC: he’s fighting against himself  He limps “step by painful step”  He is taking responsibility for his people  But he still can’t fathom why they let the murderer go, and he’s frustrated  Ironically says that he’s going to fight for Laius as if he’s his father  he IS his father  He also says that humans have no power to force the gods against their will -showing piety  Oedipus already sent for Tiresias  He is proactive  Already sent for him, even before the leader suggested it  He’s a problem solver: -wants to solve the murder to avenge Laius’s death and get rid of the plague  Tiresias arrives -He has inward, divine sight -Oedipus can’t penetrate the truth  Oedipus starts out by begging Tiresias for help. He lowers himself. -compliments him -tells him don’t hold back, tell me everything you know -acknowledges Tiresias’ greatness and gives him total respect -expresses his gratitude and desperation: I’m at your mercy, totally dependent on you -shows his vulnerability -SO he’s expecting Tiresias to respond sympathetically  Tiresias doesn’t want to tell Oedipus what he knows -He talks in riddles and sounds like he’s mocking Oedipus -Says he knew the truth all along but he kept it to himself -Asks to go home because he doesn’t want to talk -Holds his information back</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 5</p><p>-Says that nobody can stop fate -Says that he serves Apollo -He gets annoyed and lets things slip. -When Oedipus starts insulting him, he lashes back. -Tells him directly: you are the curse, you are the murderer -Tells him: You think you can see? You think you know everything? Well you have no idea. Your life is full of corruption. -Asks him “Who are your parents?” -Tells him that he will be kicked out of Thebes -Suggests that he will go blind -He insults Oedipus’s family and his marriage: it’s corrupted and cursed -Suggests that he knew his parents and they believed his prophecies “This day will bring your birth and your destruction” -Oedipus will find out about his birth, but it will destroy him “Your great good fortune, true, it was your ruin” = peripeteia -Oedipus figuring out the riddle led to him becoming king  led to his downfall -After Oedipus walks away, he tells him the whole story -a foreigner will be revealed to be a native Theban (= Oedipus himself) -He could see now, but he’s blind to the truth -but he will become blind soon  In his anger, Oedipus jumps to conclusions -He accuses him of betraying the state -Begs him again -Calls him awful names and brings him down with language (fortune teller, old man) -He assumes that Tiresias helped make the plot to murder Laius -He then assumes that Creon is trying to overthrow him  Oedipus is also prideful and full of hubris: -Who solved the riddle of the Sphinx? Yeahh, it was me. I saved the state, it was all me: not you, not the gods -NOT pious at all. -He lashes back at Tiresias because Tiresias undermined his intelligence.  The leader steps in as the peacemaker -calming, reasonable -Tells Oedipus that that the best solution is to solve the riddle of the oracle, of the gods. -Connecting the old riddle to the new riddle. But the new riddle is a different kind (??- I wrote this down but I’m gonna ask Mama Pauly because I don’t understand)</p><p>Ode 1 (186-187)  The big question: who is the murderer?  Images of hunting down the murderer -Apollo, the Furies</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 6</p><p> Talking about how the gods are beginning to respond  Chorus feels a combination of terror and ambivalence -What Tiresias has to say is terrifying to the chorus -He can’t accept what Tiresias is saying, but can’t deny it  torn -feels blind to whatever is coming; feels lost  Acknowledging that the gods have absolute power  But starting to doubt Tiresias because he’s just human, just like us -there’s no test of divine vision—he might just have human knowledge -he’ll have to prove himself -radical idea: undermining Tiresias’ position  But the Chorus will stay loyal to Oedipus and support him</p><p>Scene 2 (188-208)  Creon enters. He has heard that Oedipus has publicly accused him of conspiring to overthrow him  Then Oedipus enters and starts attacking Creon  Image of a spider -Creon has been “creeping” and “scheming” to steal his crown -“spinning his web” to trap Oedipus in  IRONY: “I see it all!” But he doesn’t see squat. He is completely wrong.  Creon defends himself using facts and logic. He tells Oedipus that he’s lost his sense of balance.  Oedipus keeps making accusations without facts.  Creon tells Oedipus: I can have my cake and eat it too. -I have all of the privileges of being in power, but none of the headaches. -I don’t have to worry about making painful decisions, I can just relax. -Why the heck would I give that up?  But Oedipus won’t listen to reason, and continues lashing out at him, saying he wants him dead.  Jocasta enters.  They bicker like 2 siblings in front of their mom.  The Chorus begs Oedipus to respect Creon and tries to convince him that he’s done nothing wrong. They beg him not to banish him. -When Oedipus accuses them of wanting Oedipus himself dead or banished, they adamantly disagree and say that they never want that. -Oedipus finally gives in and let’s Creon go.  The Chorus makes another ship of state reference  They repeat that they would have to be insane to turn their back on Oedipus.  They say that he set their storm-tossed ship of state back on course before when he solved the riddle of the Sphinx. Again they beg him to steer them through this storm now.  When Oedipus tells Jocasta that he was worried about the prophets, she presents a sophist argument to calm him down.  Sophists believe that prophets don’t have divine insight and knowledge. -She thinks Tiresias is just another ordinary human being. </p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 7</p><p> It’s only the person who can persuade others, by the force of his facts, who tells the absolute truth and wins -this raises to power of words -the truth is relative  She persuades him with proof and facts: gives a sophist argument -a prophet told us that our son would kill Laius -So we tied our baby’s ankles together and gave him to a henchman to kill him. -And Laius was killed at a place where 3 roads cross anyways, by thieves, not his son. -Sooo, see- none of this happened. Prophets are full of nonsense. They only have ordinary human knowledge.  But this gets Oedipus thinking and worrying even more.  He thinks that he might be the murderer and tries to match up the facts.  He tells Jocasta of a prophecy he heard long ago: -His father was Polybus, King of Corinth, and his mother was Merope -He heard a prophecy that he was fated to couple with his mother and kill his father. -He tried to escape and fled Corinth ***HE THINKS HE CAN CHANGE HIS FATE  IMPIETY***  He remembers that he killed a group of people in self defense -He didn’t bring about the disaster -His fate isn’t a punishment, it was just dictated  He calls the shepherd, the witness who saw the murder. -He is his last hope: supposedly thieves – plural – murdered Laius  But Jocasta is already backing off  Trust me Oedipus, you don’t need to know the truths or facts – just trust me -contradicting herself: goes against her sophist beliefs/position from before  She doesn’t want to deal with the possibility of this horror  She wants to keep this private</p><p>Ode 2 (209-210)  The great laws of the gods, not of men, rule the world  May the gods protect us and help us fight for the state and make the city-state strong  Tyrants are led by pride which leads to doom  May the proud be torn down by the gods  If the oracles don’t tell the truth, then we won’t go to them  Our masters don’t believe in the oracles anymore  Thus even the glory of the gods is going down </p><p>Scene 3 (211-224 ln. 1194)  Jocasta is turning to Apollo for help.  She discredits the prophets and says that they don’t have a divine connection  She’s praying and making offerings to Apollo</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 8</p><p> A messenger arrives with wonderful news that King Polybus is dead, and Oedipus is now king of Corinth.  He died of sickness and old age  Jocasta is like I told you so!  Jocasta says there is no grand design: no human being can penetrate into what’s happening  Everything is random  Freud’s Oedipus complex is built off this  The messenger tells Oedipus that he was a “gift” to his parents- he was adopted.  Oedipus’s ankles were pinned together and he set him free. IRONIC: he doomed him **Names suggest your fate and your identity***  He explains that he was his “savior.” -this is IRONIC: not a gift- a curse not his savior- led to his doom  He defeated the Sphinx by solving a riddle  now he has to solve the riddle of his birth. **He himself is the riddle, the plague – his name suggested this, but he couldn’t see it**  When the messenger explains that a shepherd gave him the baby, a shepherd who served the house of Laius, Jocasta starts to realize that he’s been the baby all along  She starts freaking out  She doesn’t want Oedipus to pursue it anymore  But Oedipus thinks she’s afraid his parents will be commoners and she’ll be ashamed of him  He calls himself the son of Chance -Change = name of Fortuna -Up one moment, down the next  He says that he’ll never see himself disgraced; the fates have marked him -IRONIC</p><p>Ode 3 (224 ln. 1194+)  The juxtaposition of the Chorus’s clueless joy and the audience’s dread  heightens the effect  Mood: joyous, happy, optimistic  Chorus is ignorant: excited that Oedipus is about to figure out the riddle of his birth  Chorus thinks Oedipus might be born of some god  The shock for the chorus will be even greater</p><p>Scene 4 (225-232)  The shepherd approaches reluctantly because he knows the truth  The shepherd makes excuses: holding back and doesn’t want to say anything -says his memory is bad, etc.  Messenger remembers the shepherd because they spent a lot of time together</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 9</p><p>-messenger is clueless  Oedipus keeps attacking the shepherd until he cracks and tells him the truth  Once Oedipus realizes the truth, he says “O god—all come true, all burst to light!” </p><p>Ode 4 (233-234)  Joy is a fantasy -It’s fleeting  Tells the story of Oedipus  representative of humanity and human existence -becomes an example of the dream-like quality of joy -becomes an example of peripeteia (reversal of fortune) -wonderful: Oedipus solved the riddle and saved the land -SHIFT: but now- nobody could have a worse fate -pity him and feel sorry for him </p><p>Exodus (235-251)  The messenger comes and delivers the bad news (always took place off stage).  Every mistake up till now has been hamartia and has been made in ignorance. -But anything he does from now on is with knowledge and with free will, and will be even worse  Jocasta killed herself -She couldn’t face or live with the truth  she was living a lie -Living with the Sophist belief that oracles don’t hold divine truth -Then she realizes that she was totally wrong, and nobody can stop the will of the gods.  Oedipus burst in, screaming -They see suicide as a good option for him **The way he crashed through the chamber is symbolic of the way he crashed through the marriage** -very sad scene when he sees Jocasta’s body: tenderness, love, and respect for her  Oedipus tore out his eyes  The joy they had only lasted 1 day -Fortune and life circumstances can change in an instance  Tearing out his eyes:  Act of self punishment for having ignored the truth and having hurt the people around him  He would have looked like Tiresias  now he knows the truth of our existence -His divine truth = ultimately the gods are in control and we must know ourselves in the universe (“Know Thyself”). Prophets do have divine insight.  Chorus is horrified by his blindness  Oedipus is very humble now.  He’s grateful for any compassion  Not in position of power anymore  The Chorus asked what superhuman power drove him on</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 10</p><p> THE ULTIMATE QUESTION- the question of mankind: o Wherein lies our freedom? Are we puppets of the gods? Or is there freedom from our fate? -The fate of humanity = every human being is fated to die once they are born o Answer: freedom in our response to fate o Apollo ordained that this would be Oedipus’s fate, but Oedipus CHOSE how to deal with this fate: -He could have covered it up or killed himself so he wouldn’t have to live with the truth, like Jocasta. -Instead, he chooses to live with the truth  THIS IS WHAT MAKES HIM HEROIC TO THE GREEKS  Oedipus is angry, wallowing, and self-pitying. Yet he is still commanding and uses the imperative  Chorus tells him that they wished he hadn’t pursued the truth and he would have been better off dead than living blind.  He explains that he couldn’t live with his eyes because: o He couldn’t look at his children, knowing they’re cursed o He couldn’t look at his countrymen, knowing the horrible things he’s done o He curses the mountain Cithaeron for sheltering him o He talks to the triple roads and marriages (Apostrophe)  Then he says “no more.” He realizes that he has to stop this self mourning.  Creon comes in  Says this is a family affair: it’s horrible that he’s being exposed like this, keep him out of the public and get him inside  Oedipus is still commanding, but puts himself below Creon  Then Oedipus says: “I command you – I beg you…” -He shifts because he isn’t in a position of power anymore  He now knows that he has been saved for a higher purpose: to be an instrument of the gods and act as a constant reminder of the power of the gods.  Oedipus passes the crown on to Creon  Ultimate acknowledgment  Interaction of Oedipus and his daughters = his confession, apology, and act of atonement  He worries about their future -It’s horrible: look at the life I’ve created for you -Nobody will marry you  He apologizes to them because they will pay a price for his violations  Oedipus hands over his children to Creon -giving up, letting go  At the end, Creon is like: I’m the man of authority now.  CHORUS: o Oedipus was brilliant: -he was the best of the best, on top of the pyramid</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 11</p><p>-he was the man to be envied o Then a black sea overwhelmed him: -blackness of blindness -ship of state: his was sunk</p><p>Themes and Motifs 1) The limits of human knowledge o “Know Thyself” = know your place in the universe -There is a hierarchical structure, with the gods at the top. -Stay where you are: this is where you belong and don’t forget it. -Know that you’re below the gods and don’t be prideful. o Oedipus’s divine truth = ultimately the gods are in control and we must know ourselves in the universe. Prophets do have divine insight. </p><p>2) 3 Crossroads o The convergence of past, present, and future o The convergence of prophecies </p><p>3) Life vs. Death o Life is always changing, is unpredictable, and is full of pain o Death is free of troubles -we aren’t finished till death</p><p>4) Measure of Character = how you respond to catastrophe THE ULTIMATE QUESTION- the question of mankind: o Wherein lies our freedom? Are we puppets of the gods? Or is there freedom from our fate? o Answer: freedom in our response to fate o Apollo ordained Oedipus’s fate, but Oedipus CHOSE how to deal with this fate: -He could have covered it up or killed himself so he wouldn’t have to live with the truth, like Jocasta. -Instead, he chooses to live with the truth  THIS IS WHAT MAKES HIM HEROIC TO THE GREEKS o Oedipus’s response: he realizes that he has been saved for a higher purpose: to be an instrument of the gods and act as a constant reminder of the power of the gods. *His divine truth = ultimately the gods are in control and we must know ourselves in the universe (“Know Thyself”). Prophets do have divine insight. Fate is unavoidable.</p><p>5) Pride and Piety</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 12</p><p> o Oedipus comes across pious. -He sent Creon to oracle. -He always thanks the gods and acknowledges that they’re above him. o But he really wasn’t that pious o His pride outweighed his piety: -Says to Tiresias: Who solved the riddle of the Sphinx? Yeahh, it was me. I saved the state; it was all me: not you, not the gods, ME. -He has a lot of pride in his brilliance -He thought he could escape the prophecy of Apollo and the oracle. o At both the beginning and the end of the story, he is paternal, with a hint of pride, towards his people and his state. -At the end  he’s self-sacrificing himself to cure to plague for his people. He’ll follow through on his edict and banish himself. </p><p>6) The story of Oedipus is an example of peripeteia -wonderful: Oedipus solved the riddle and saved the land -he was the best of the best, on top of the pyramid -he was the man to be envied -But now: nobody could have a worse fate -pity him and feel sorry for him</p><p>7) The story of Oedipus is representative of the story of humanity and human existence -He is the riddle and the answer, the plague and the cure -At the beginning of the story, the people saw Oedipus as their savior who could heal them. -Ironically, at the end, he is the real healer—he was the plague and the cure. By exiling himself, he’s saving them</p><p> 4 Important things to know: 1) Oidipious (in Greek) o Oida = “I know” o Dipous = “two-footed” o Oidon to pode = “swollen feet” *Names suggest your fate and your identity* -Oedipus’s ankles were pinned together when he was almost killed -He himself is the riddle, the plague – his name suggested this, but he couldn’t see it 2) Riddle of the Sphinx -By solving this, Oedipus becomes king -shows his brilliance </p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 13</p><p>-the Sphinx had captured the polis and caused a plague -Oedipus arrived at the gates, where the Sphinx was guarding the polis -If he got the riddle wrong  would be destroyed -If he got it right  plague would be uplifted and he would become king 3) Structure -Entire story of Oedipus wrapped up in a day, but with flashbacks -connects to the riddle of the Sphinx, which likened human life to a day 4) Time -past, present, and future are all in the play -represented by the triple crossroads</p><p>Sophocles Added: 1) The existence of the plague -Connection between plague and Oedipus *The plague symbolizes Oedipus’s actions and violations -He is the plague and the cure 2) Blindness and sight -Even though he’s not literally blind, Oedipus is blind to everything else -Once he is actually blind, he can see the truth -Sophocles uses the verb “to see” a lot for irony -knowledge and insight vs. ignorance 3) The triple crossroads -represent convergence of past, present, and future 4) Oedipus’s response to his children -tender human moment -different, more private side of Oedipus -more personal and more compassionate than the beginning Oedipus 5) Makes the oracle’s prophecy about their son a private prophecy just between Laius and Jocasta -Only Laius and Jocasta knew about what the child was destined to do -Everyone else is acting in ignorance -Fate will have its way  People are just instruments of fate 6) To play with names, he added that Oedipus’s ankles were bound together, giving him a limp -He carries the secret to his existence, but can’t see it 7) He added the aggression at the crossroads -That way Oedipus killed in self-defense; didn’t set out to kill his father 8) Jocasta as a symbol of sophists -Sophists believe that prophets don’t have divine insight and knowledge, so she thinks Tiresias is just another ordinary human being. </p><p>©SarahStudyGuides Oedipus Test 14</p><p>©SarahStudyGuides</p>