1.Who wrote the play?
Sophocles
2. Briefly define the Oedipal Complex.
It is a psychological concept or theory that suggests that boys are attracted to their mothers and resent their fathers. It is considered to be a component of sexual maturity and growth as well as psychological phenomena. The Electra complex is the equivalent for girls wanting to sexually possess their fathers and resent their mothers.
3. What is the setting of the story, specifically, the where?
It takes place in front of the royal palace of Thebes, Greece.
4. As the play opens, what horrible thing is going on?
There is a terrible plague.
5. Whose death must be avenged in order for the horrible thing from number 4 to end?
The former king of Thebes’ murder, king Laius.
6. Who is Oedipus’ wife?
Her name is Jocasta. She is the queen of Thebes and Oedipus’ birth mother.
7. Who is Oedipus’ mother?
Oedipus’ mother is the queen of Thebes as well as his wife, Jocasta.
8. Who is Oedipus’ father?
His birth father is the former king of Thebes, king Laius. His adoptive father is Polybus, king of Corinth.
9. Who killed the King of Thebes (the answer for #5)?
His son Oedipus.
10. What is Oedipus’ tragic flaw?
I would say pride and arrogance. He is smart yes but you could argue that if he were that smart he could have figured out what was going on.
11. As you read through Oedipus, you'll note that sight/vision/seeing (including "second sight") is very important to the overall story--in the literal as well as the metaphorical/symbolical aspect. You don't have to do this in complete sentences if you don't want---12. Describe/discuss/explain/list how sight/vision/seeing/"second sight" is/are used in the play to advance the plot--to advance the story as a whole. Include an explanation of why it's important as well as how it helps you (the real audience) understand (get) what others on the stage and in the play don't understand.
The concept of sight is very important in this play. There are many clues for the audience as to the importance of sight, real and secondary.
Oedipus was blind to whom he really was (Jocasta and Laius’ son, the “polluter of the land”), and that is why Tiresias tells Oedipus:
“Hear this, since you have thrown my blindness at me:
Your eyes can’t see the evil to which you’ve come,” (1.417)
The play also provides the audience with the difference between real sight and “secondary” sight. Tiresias is blind but he sees the truth; while Oedipus has sight but is blind to it. Oedipus tells Tiresias:
“This tricky beggar, who sees clearly only
For profit, but is blind when it comes to skill.
So tell me, when are you the wise seer?”(1.410)
Tiresias insists:
“Since you reproach me as blind: You, even though you
See clearly, do not see the scope of your evil,
Nor where you live, nor with whom you dwell.” (1.433)
Tiresias even goes as far as foretelling Oedipus’ fate of losing his sight:
"…Blind, who once could see,
A beggar who was rich, through foreign lands
He’ll go and point before him with a stick.” (1.459)
The presence of real sight is thrown at Tiresias (for he is blind) and at Oedipus for he has sight, and it is juxtaposed to secondary sight, since Oedipus is blind to his real identity, and the blind man knows who he is. Oedipus gauges his eyes out (hence he loses his sight and becomes blind) because of his symbolic blindness to his identity, hence he goes from having sight but being symbolically blind, to being blind but being symbolically able to see the truth. Jocasta is also blind to the truth and when she finds out she is married to her son she kills herself, which could be argued means she can’t see anymore. All these clues given in the play help the audience foretell and prepare for the tragic ending, providing that catharsisis looked for in tragedies by the Greek audiences.
13. As a play, there's a lot that can and cannot be done on the stage. Explain why you think some things within this play in particular are done on stage while others are done off stage.
The theaters were big, and although the acoustics seem to have been of good quality, maybe placing the chorus or parados groups in various places helped with the distribution of ‘action’. The chorus also served as a model audience, maybe letting the audience know what was expected of them and to announce the scene was about to begin after the intermission or stasimon.
Also, the special effects I can imagine were not great during 425 BCE, and portraying bad effects would take away from the play, so parts like Oedipus gauging his eyes out were told not shown.
14. Do you believe in fate? Explain fully your answer.
Yes and no. I believe that some things are meant to happen but at the same time I believe we are the makers of our own destiny, or better phrased in charge of making what we want to happen happen. We are also responsible for our actions and decisions. So for example, there might be a person that is very smart and has the capability of doing great things but if that person puts no effort into actually accomplishing those great things, then fate cannot take the place of personal ownership and responsibility. Another issue is that of life circumstances and how they pre-mold a person’s life. To illustrate this point, a person born in an extreme poverty situation, with no financial or other means to get out of that situation, more than likely is fated to remain poor (very sad if you ask me).
15. Explain how fate plays a role in Oedipus.
No matter what the characters did to avoid what was phrophetizied to happen, it still happened. Jocasta and Laius sent their son to die at a mountainside but by doing so, not only did he not die, but he ended up not knowing who his birth parents were and then killing his dad and marrying his mom (which is unlikely to have happened if his parents had raised him). Fate was the determining factor in Oedipus.
16. Have you ever thought how ironic this play is? It's weird how the events come together and
make everything happen the way it does. If things were to happen just a little bit different the story would be completely changed.
It is very ironic that if Jocasta and Laius had not heard the prophecy and hadn’t gotten rid of their son, then the prophecy probably wouldn’t had been fulfilled as Oedipus would have known who his parents were and wouldn’t had committed incest and patricide. Also, if Oedipus had listened to Tiresias and not insisted on knowing who the murderer was, he wouldn’t had learned the truth.
Extra: Name either one of the other two plays in the Oedipus Trilogy—punctuation count.
Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone.