Major Works Data Sheet

In this column, choose five quotations from the text, one focusing on each of the following literary elements:

In this column, analyze the significance of your quotations. Allow the following questions to guide your responses:is this important?  What does this reveal?author say it this way? What is the tone/mood of this passage?

Theme

 Free Will vs. Fate

 

 “ Go in and ponder this, and if thou find that I have missed the mark, henceforth declare I have no wit nor skill in prophecy.”

 Reoccurring themes in Sophocles's play, Oedipus Rex, are those of free will versus fate. After Oedipus’s birth parents, Laois and Iokaste, and Oedipus himself go to lengths to avoid the prophecy his fate still remains ultimately unavoidable. Throughout the play, one questions whether Oedipus’s downfall was the fault of his own free will or the fate set in stone by the omnipotent Gods. Oedipus left his parents of Corinth whom he believed to be his birth parents to avoid the prophecy from becoming true by his own free will. Oedipus killed King Laois whom he believed to be a commoner by his own free will. Oedipus fathered his mother's children by his own free will. But the whole time Oedipus was blind to the fact that his own free will had lead him to his fate. This may reveal that the Gods crafted Oedipus’s fate. Another possibility may be that Oedipus with the knowledge of the prophecy inadvertently guided himself to his own fate.

Characterization

 Tragic Hero-

“Here I am myself you all know me, the world knows my fame:  I am Oedipus”

 

 

In the beginning of the play, Oedipus is characterized as a very affectionate, boastful, confident, and a leader that contains careless swiftness.  He faces some difficult events in the play that includes the city of Thebes suffering from a plague and a drought. His over confident and prideful mentality were some factors that led to him being a tragic hero by choice. It explains in the quote that “Here I am myself you all know me, the world knows my fame: of this tragedy, however, Oedipus’s name will have become a curse, so that his suppliants are now terrified even to hear it and cries, “You, you’re that man?” Sophocles establishes this idea in order to characterize Oedipus as a leader with too much pride. As the play progresses, Oedipus takes action by choice when Creon informs him about the murder of Laius that happened years back. In the text, “I’ll start again-I’ll bring it all to light myself!” Oedipus’ swiftness in wanting to take control brings about his choice in wanting to do so. Sophocles by making the characterization of Oedipus as the tragic hero, allows the reader to gain a sense that Oedipus is taking the initiative to bring all these things upon him. Sophocles uses this to suggest the conflict of fate vs. choice. This is an understanding of how choice overpowers fate in Oedipus’ decision-making allows the reader to realize the importance of choice in the primary issue.

Setting

 Thebes, outside of the palace of King Oedipus        

“ In front of the palace of Oedipus at Thebes. To the Right of the stage near the altar stands the PRIEST with a crowd of children.”

 

 

The overall setting of Oedipus Rex is in Thebes, Greece during about the 4is in a state of famine and plague due to Oedipus’ actions later discovered throughout the play. The beginning takes place outside of Oedipus’ palace. Most of the play however, takes place inside of the palace. Sophocles may have wanted to include these familiar settings to give Oedipus a sense of security, adding to his initial rejection of the prophecy.

Symbolism

 

 Oedipus’ name

"Swollen foot"

 

“And still the God sends forth his darts of fire, And lays us low. The plague, abhorred and feared.”

"where three roads meet”

Oedipus’ Swollen Ankles – His ankles inhibit his ability to move about. In the same way, it symbolizes Oedipus’ crippled mind, which will not allow him to see the truth.

The Plague –The plague represents Oedipus’ horrible past and loss of moral correctness.

The Crossroads- Crossroads symbolizes a crucial moment in life (in and out of this play.) This is the moment when Oedipus begins to fulfill the prophecy. Oedipus was not aware at the time that he was making a fateful decision. In the play, the crossroads symbolizes fate and the power of prophecy rather than freedom of choice.

Imagery

 

The use of seeing as a metaphor for knowledge and truth is undoubtedly the dominant motif in Oedipus the King. The symbolic opposition of the blind prophet who sees the truth and the seeing man who is blind to the truth, and hence must blind himself so that he may see no more is the most obvious manifestation of Sophocles’ imagery. This imagery connects to the theme of knowledge/ignorance in the text and to Oedipus’ search for self.

Sight

"You, you'll see no more the pain I suffered, all the pain I caused! Too long you looked on the ones you never should have seen, blind to the ones you longed to see, to know! Blind from this hour on! Blind in the darkness-blind!"

 Mythical allusions

“ I am the priestof Zeus, and these were chosen from the young men.

“ First I call on you, daughter of Zeus, immortal Athena,and your earth-protecting sister, Artemis,

“ Apollo’s home at Pytho, so that he maylearn what I should do or say to save this city

Figurative Language

“Thebes is dying, look, her children stripped of pity…generations strewn on the ground unburied, unwept, the dead spreading death and the young wives and gray-haired mothers with them cling to the altars, trailing in from all over the city—Thebes, city of death, one long cortege and the suffering rises wails for mercy rise and wild hymn of the Healer blazes out clashing with our sobs our cries of mourning.”

In Oedipus Rex, allusions are often made to Greek mythology. Some of the gods and goddesses alluded to Zeus, Athena, Artemis, Apollo, Pan, and Dionysus. Zeus is the god of sky and thunder, while his daughter Athena is the goddess of wisdom and courage. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt, and her brother Apollo is the god of light and truth. Pan and Dionysus are the gods of shepherds and merrymaking, respectively. 

There are references to the ocean, tides, and harbors, emphasizing the circular nature of Oedipus’ fate and the futility of trying to escape what destiny has ordained forsailor, farmer, and hunter, showing that he has conquered the sea, land, and animals, though failed to defeat the gods or even understand himself. The comparisons created between Oedipus and the enlightened ideals of the times show anxiety regarding modern technology and the underlying fear that humans are not as powerful and all knowing, as they believe their discoveries make them. The chorus uses apostrophes during their odes. The chorus personifies the city ofare used in the choral odes. These features add emotional intensity to the chorus’ speeches, and make them appear as a complex assortment of characters who are invested in Oedipus’ actions.