Oedipus the King (Part II) ~ Sophocles

Text – Objective Discussion led by Lindsay Groth

Objective 2: To evaluate the “greatness of tragedy” as the supreme genre in western culture and art.

2a. the heroic cultural values associated with dramatic tragedies.

Example: Oedipus solving the riddle of the sphinx

          Essential Terms – irony, compare and contrast with other basic narratives

Objective 3: To study Tragedy in the context of Western Civilization.

          Essential Terms – fate and free will

          Example: Oedipus could not escape the prophecy no matter how hard he tried

Main issues of the play:

§  Oedipus accusing Creon of treason – Line 780

§  Creon claiming that Oedipus killed King Laius – Line 845

§  The Prophecy: King Laius would be killed by his son and defile his mothers bed

§  The conversation between Oedipus and Jocasta in which Oedipus begins to believe that HE is the one who murdered Laius – Lines 850 through 890

§  Oedipus realizing his “twisted turn of fortune” and how fate finds its way

§  Oedipus claiming responsibility for killing King Laius – Line 1014

§  Messengers who bring good and bad news

§  Jocasta’s introduction of Freud’s Oedipus Complex – Line 1165 

§  Polybus is NOT Oedipus’s biological father – Line 1208

§  King Laius and his wife Jocasta tried to kill Oedipus, but he was rescued by a shepherd and given as a gift to Polybus

§  The name Oedipus means “swollen foot”

§  Jocasta putting the pieces together about who Oedipus is and what they have done. She tries to stop the truth from coming out – Line 1268

§  Oedipus did not escape his fate and begins giving up on life – Line 1417

§  Jocasta commits suicide - Line1506

§  Oedipus uses her brooches to gouge his eyes and is now blind – Line 1514

§  Oedipus discusses his fate and last wishes with Creon – Line1774

§  Oedipus desperately wants to leave the city of Thebes

§  Creon takes control and tells Oedipus that he “has lost the power he once had”

Ironic Fate & Tragedy:

§  Hamlet – the death of a hero after justice was served

§  All who were guilty in some way or another died at the end of Hamlet

Questions for Classroom Discussion:

1.  Do you think that Oedipus’ anger and killings at the three road intersection was unwarranted?

2.  Did Jocasta really need to commit suicide and selfishly leave her children behind?

3.  Why did Oedipus decide to blind himself and wish to be sent away instead of being killed for murdering Laius?  Was this another selfish act?

Oedipus and the Sphinx