Oedipus the King

The full text of Sophocles's play, Oedipus the King, is available here.

Each night this week, I will post discussion questions for the day's reading in this post. Responses will be required in your group blogs before class starts the next day. I would prefer that you not read ahead (unless otherwise directed to do so in a nightly assignment) or look online for materials to help you answer these questions. Also, please do not read your peers' posts until you have completed yours.

For Friday, 1/8: Complete Both Part I and II

Part I: Pick one of the following three prompts to write about (200 words):

1) As the play concludes, Oedipus's transformation is complete. He has become, in his own words, "the mortal man the gods despise the most" (1593), a victim and perpetrator of his own fate. As we discussed in class, the fall of Oedipus raises a question of guilt - is Oedipus responsible for his actions, or do his efforts to escape his fate reflect innocence? The larger question, though, involves the issue of fate vs. free will. If you lack free will, can you ever be guilty or innocent of anything? Provide specific examples, from the play or your life, that support your opinion.

2) Greek art - and tragedy, in particular - typically serves to reflect and reinforce Greek morality. In other words, the plays communicate a message about what is good or bad, and what happens to those who violate social norms. What is Oedipus promoting and criticizing? Important: the easy and obvious answer is that the play is discouraging killing your father and committing incest. That's obvious. But, that's also advice that most people have little need for. What important lessons are present in Oedipus for the common person?

3) In class, I spoke about Aristotle's four elements of the tragedy, the last of which was catharsis. Describe the cathartic effect that the story of Oedipus had on you. Alternately, if you did not feel anything resembling the catharsis described by Aristotle, try to explain why it had no such effect upon you. Be specific in your explanation.

Part II: Foreshadowing Redux

After reading the prologue, I asked you to find examples of foreshadowing, which was a struggle for many of you. Now, go back to the prologue and find two examples of foreshadowing that you missed before. I promise - this will be much easier now. As before, quote those examples here and explain the connection briefly.


For Thursday, 1/7:

Between lines 880 and 900, Oedipus's life begins to unravel. The fate he thought he had escaped seems to have tracked him down after all. This moment of recognition - the Greek term for it, coined by Aristotle, is anagnorisis - is a central event in most Greek tragedies, the turning point in the unfortunate protagonist's life.

Reflect on an example of anagnorisis in your own life. Can you think of a time where you felt sure about something (whether about you, or someone else, or even something) only to have that image shattered. Tell this moment as a story - describe what you thought before, the moment of discovery, and the aftermath. What were your thoughts as you moved through the moment of recognition? 300 words minimum.

For Wednesday, 1/6:

NOTE: Hum 9r needs to do a little more reading tonight, up to the arrival of Teiresias on page 9.

1) I talked in class about foreshadowing. Please skim back through the prologue and identify three passages (three lines or less), quote them (and include the line numbers), and briefly discuss what future events they might anticipate. Remember, "there is Creon, he shall arrive here soon" is not foreshadowing. For examples of foreshadowing in (old) kids' movies, click here.

2) Oedipus's speech (starts line 249) offers an excellent overview of his sense of punishment. What does Oedipus propose with regards to the king's murderer and what does it tell us about his view of justice? He also mentions "fate" briefly in the speech. How, in your mind, do fate and justice co-exist? In other words, can you have fate and justice at the same time?

3) Identify at least three words you don't know and provide definitions. The definitions should be in your own words, re-phrased from the dictionary entries you reference.

4) Comment on at least one other person's post. Be constructive. You'll want to focus on question 1 or 2.

All told, your responses should probably total around 300 words combined (not 300 words for each question - 300 words total), excluding quotes from Oedipus and the definitions.