Oedipus_Notes

Maheen Khan ENG2D7-04 Ms. Wittlin Friday, April-02-10 Oedipus Journal Notes Oedipus Character Study Oedipus is a great ruler {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Oedipus is the master of riddles which ironically is “my greatness [Oedipus]' Your [Oedipus] great misfortune and ruin.” (38) Irrational behaviour {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Because he is worshiped (equal to God) he is punsihed Secondary Characters Creon Foil to Oedipus (See Seminar topic Foils to Oedipus) Creon has the most screen time. Ironically in the beginning Creon has no desire for kingship. Yet, when he overly excited when he is made King. We learn in Oedipus at Colonus that he is willing to fight with his nephews for this power, and in Antigone Creon rules Thebes with a stubborn blindness that is similar to Oedipus’s rule. This is ironic because Creon has seen Oedipus’ down fall, and is aware of the cause. He is bossy and bureaucratic, intent on asserting his own authority therefore no sympathy Tiresias a blind soothsayer of Thebes, in King Oedipus and Antigone. In King Oedipus, Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is the murderer he hunts. In Antigone, Tiresias tells Creon that he is bringing disaster upon Thebes, and again the King in power doesn’t believe him. {text:list-item} The literal blindness of the prophet points to the metaphorical blindness of those who refuse to believe the truth about themselves when they hear it spoken {text:list-item} Jocasta Is Oedipus’s wife and mother, and Creon’s sister. Jocasta is in the ending of King Oedipus. She tries to create peace between Oedipus and Creon {text:list-item} She is comforts Oedipus As Jocasta solves the riddle of Oedipus’s identity before Oedipus does shows she is wiser than Oedipus She proves her love for her son/husband when she tries to protect him from the knowledge. Seminar Topics on Oedipus Oedipus Tragic Hero Oedipus’ self-destruction and fall from power leaves him a villain rather a hero What he feats, and fleets for is exactly what happens to him (incest, parricide) {text:list-item} He possesses exceptional greatness(King, master of riddles) He is a doomed man (powers greater than himself) {text:list-item} His banishment cleans the city (catharsis) We see in our society victims and perpetrators being isolated. We recognize that one isn’t controlled by fate. And we give too much importance to predictions (psychics) {text:list-item} Oedipus’ pride didn’t let him question his bride, or who he murdered {text:list-item} Oedipus’s tragic flaw ignorance and impulsiveness {text:list-item} {text:list-item} He suffers tremendously as he doesn’t die but he wanders blindly. {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Chorus Actorhas actual dialogues Reacts to events as they happen Expresses a yearning for calm and stability “could ours be suck simplicity...of wrath upheld our land.” (45) Not a coward but nervous Chorus concludes all the parts {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Fate lies outside human control Chorus believes that people learn from their sufferings Separates scenes (episodes) {text:list-item} Presents the society’s view on events {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Introduces and questions characters Bridges the gap between audience and stagewe became citizens of Thebes Foils to Oedipus Themes Fate vs. Freewill {text:list-item} {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Change of fortune {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Importance of Information {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Facing your mistakes {text:list-item} Overrated prophecies {text:list-item} {text:list-item} Teachings of sufferings {text:list-item} Importance of Reflection, Evaluation {text:list-item} Ignorance vs. Informed {text:list-item}