Journal TopicJournal Topic

• What are the qualities that make a good leader? Which one(s) are most important?

What are the key What are the key story elements story elements

found in the found in the Prologue?Prologue?

Essential Essential Question:Question:

HomeworkHomework• Read the Parados (pp. 209-211)

• In this section of the story the plague that has befallen Thebes is described. Identify some of the details given about this plague.

• Contrast the mood found in the first strophe/antistrophe with the mood of the second strophe/antistrophe

At Your Desks…At Your Desks…

• Skim over last night’s readings and find 2 lines spoken by Oedipus that reveal the nature of his character

Overview of the Overview of the ProloguePrologue

A.A. CharactersCharacters1. Oedipus Rex – king of Thebes2. Priest 3. Creon – brother of Jocasta

B.B. The SceneThe Scene1. Outside the palace of Oedipus2. Suppliants (those seeking aid and comfort)3. Mood – sorrow, despair, suffering, desperation

PlotPlot• StorylineStoryline

A. People of Thebes sufferingB. Oedipus walks about to show concernC. Priest speaks on behalf of Thebes – save

us!D. Oedipus has sent “brother-in-law” Creon

to consult OracleE. Creon returns with message • Thebes is being punished for a past wrong• If the wrong is made right all will be well

F. The murder of Laius must be avengedG. Oedipus indicates he will do his part in

finding out who did it

• Metaphor1.Priest reveals the problem in

Thebes—people are sick and dying 2. “Thebes is tossed on a murdering sea...A

rust consumes the buds and fruits of earth...” (l. 26-27)

3. Priest describes Thebes, “Keep the State* from going down in the storm...” (l. 53) (* personification)

4. Creon describes what the Oracle has told him:

5. “...an old defilement we are sheltering...it is a deadly thing...” (l. 100)

Literary DevicesLiterary Devices

Literary Devices Literary Devices (cont.)(cont.)

Dramatic Irony

A. Oedipus refers to the people of Thebes as children:

B. “My children...in the line of Cadmus...” (l. 1)C. “Poor children...my spirit groans for the city

itself.” (l. 60)D. Oedipus refers to the suffering of his people:E. “I know that you are deathly sick...” (l. 62-63)F. Oedipus speaks of not having seen Laius, “...I

learned him from others...” (l. 109)G. Oedipus talks about avenging Laius’ death (ll.

134-145) “By avenging the murdered king I protect myself.”

Literary Devices Literary Devices (cont.)(cont.)C.Flashback

ll. 107-111, 116-128

Use of flashback will be the means by which Oedipus discovers his past and how the tragedy will unfold

CharacterizationCharacterizationA.A.What Oedipus saysWhat Oedipus says

1. ll. 1-15 (“My children…”)fatherly, concerned, wanting to help

2. ll. 65-75 (“Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I.”)

compassionate, empathetic, taking action3. ll. 134-145 (“You shall see how I stand by you…”)

eager to help his people, wary/suspiciousB.B. What others sayWhat others say

1. l. 16, ll. 35-47 (“The man surest…wisest…”)revered and respected by the people

2. ll. 50-59 (“You brought us fortune, be the same again”)

provides hope for the people

Journal TopicJournal Topic“Something I wish I knew when I

was younger”

~Or~

“Something I’d like to forget about, but can’t”

The ParadosThe Parados

• The chorus acts as citizens of Thebes making request to the gods for help and mercy– Apollo – ll. 156-162, 166– Athena – l. 163– Artemis – l. 164

• Contrast of moods– first strophe – mood is awe, prayerful, hopeful– second strophe – despair, dark (death and decay)

Oedipus Rex – Scene 1Oedipus Rex – Scene 1

StorylineStoryline• Oedipus speaking to the chorus (Choragos – leader of

Chorus) – Lots of irony:– “Until now I was a stranger to this tale…”– His proclamation:

• To track down murderer• Murderer to be rejected/ostracized, exiled

– “…[I] take the side of the murdered king.”– “If Laius had had luck in fatherhood…”– “I take the son’s part, as though I were his son…”

• Oedipus tells Choragos he has sent for Teiresias (the blind prophet) – who is delayed in his coming

CharacterCharacter• Oedipus continues to show himself to be proactive

by sending for Teiresias (also reveals his impatience)

• Shows himself to be concerned for Laius’s tragic end

• Shows himself to be concerned about the people – vows to find the murderer to rid Thebes of its curse

ClassworkClasswork

Answer questions in Yellow Question Boxes on pp. 215-219

TeiresiasTeiresias• Praised by Oedipus (ll. 287-303)• “How dreadful knowledge of the truth can be when

there’s no help in truth.” • Teiresias’ reluctance to act vs. Oedipus’ urgency– Teiresias’ news must not be good (ll. 308-320)

• Oedipus’ view of Teiresias changes (“wicked old man”)• Oedipus begins to consider T. as a suspect (330-333)• Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is the murderer (l. 347)• Tells Oedipus that Apollo will decide his fate (l. 362)• Oedipus believes Teiresias conspires with Creon

Teiresias (cont.)Teiresias (cont.)

• Accuses Oedipus of being blind (ll. 399 – 400)• Teiresias predicts Oedipus’ fate: “…no man that

walks the upon the earth shall be rooted out more horribly than you.”

• Oedipus: “My parents again!—Wait: who are my parents?”

• Teiresias: “A blind man who has his eyes now; a penniless man who is rich now; and he will go tapping the strange earth with his staff…”

Literary DevicesLiterary DevicesA. Foreshadowing

1. ll. 359-363 – ‘It is not from me your fate will come...”2. ll. 413-417 – “No man that walks upon the earth shall be rooted out more horribly than you.”

B. Metaphor – ll. 405-407 – “Your parents’ curse will whip you...”

C. Imagery – ll. 238-242 – “...sick sterile city...should this defilement go uncleansed...”

Journal TopicJournal Topic

Pride

When is it good?When is it bad?

When have you seen it in action? What happened?

Contrast and ThemeContrast and Theme• Contrast between Oedipus and Teiresias

Oedipus Teiresias Bold Reluctant Emotional Rational Seeing(?) Blind

• Theme being developed:

Emotions/Pride blinds us to the truth of ourselves

Oedipus Rex – Scene 2Oedipus Rex – Scene 2

VocabularyVocabulary• Perquisite – A benefit

• Foreboding– Ominous; foreshadowing something bad

• Malediction– A curse

• Haughty– prideful

Character DevelopmentCharacter Development• Creon

– Feels slighted, takes accusations personally

– Displays honor ll. 484-496

– Rational – ll. 550-580

– Judge of character – ll. 635-636

Character DevelopmentCharacter Development

• Chorus/Choragos

– Gives benefit of doubt - ll. 497-504

– Rational – ll. 583-584

– Acts as peacemaker – ll. 615-620

– Emotional – ll. 623-629

Character DevelopmentCharacter Development

• Oedipus– Paranoid – ll. 506-514

– Mocking (use of repetition) – ll. 519-524

– Uneasy – ll. 526-535,

– Irrational – ll. 540-541, ll. 595-597

Character DevelopmentCharacter Development• Scene with Oedipus and Jocasta– Jocasta

• Influential – ll. 639-645• Confidant of Oedipus – ll. 657-659• Gracious – ll. 713-720• Comforting – ll. 804-813

– Oedipus• Trusting of Jocasta – ll. 657-659• Grows uneasy – ll. 685-686, ll. 700-701• Realizes errors – ll. 722-723• Rash – ll. 760-772• Remains in denial – ll. 773-791

– Use of Flashback• Jocasta tells of the prophecy which did not come true• Oedipus tells of the prophecy that caused him to flee

Journal: Choose 1 quotation below Journal: Choose 1 quotation below and react to it and react to it

• “A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

• “By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the most bitter.”

• “A fool may be known by six things: anger, without cause; speech, without profit; change, without progress; inquiry, without object; putting trust in a stranger, and mistaking foes for friends”

Ode 2Ode 2• The people desire to follow “the laws of the pure

universe”

• The Tyrant: child of pride, reckless, vain. He attains to a height, but when he falls, his fall is great

• The gods punish the proud

• More indecision on the part of the Chorus – they now seem skeptical/critical of Oedipus

“Their hearts no longer know Apollo”