Oe

dip

us

Rex

Oedipus Rex: Setting

• Thebes 1. Location

2. Importance Dionysus

Cadmus

Oedipus

3. Origin

Oedipus Rex: Major Characters

• Oedipus

• Jocasta (Iocaste)

• Creon

• Teiresias

• Chorus

Oedipus Rex: Structure 1. Prologue (pp. 148-152, pp.

1-2)

2. Parados (pp. 152-154, p. 2)

3. Scene I (pp. 154-160)

4. Stasimon I (pp. 160-161)

5. Scene II (pp. 161-170)

6. Stasimon II (pp. 171-172)

7. Scene III (pp. 172-176)

8. Stasimon III (pp. 176-177)

9. Scene IV (pp. 177-179)

10. Stasimon IV (pp. 179-181)

11. Exodus (pp. 181-189)

Oedipus Rex: Essential Passages • Character

1. Passage 1 • Abridged (p. 4) • Original (pp. 158-159, lines 173-181,

textbook) 2. Passage 2

• Abridged (not included) • Original (not included in textbook) • Original (lines 648-660, Oxford text of

Lloyd-Jones and Wilson)

3. Passage 3 • Abridged (partial, p. 10) • Original (pp. 185-186, lines 163-186,

textbook)

Oedipus Rex: Character Analysis

• Oedipus

• Creon

• Teiresias

• Jocasta

• Chorus

Oedipus Rex: Essential Passages

• Theme 1. Passage 1

• Abridged (pp. 5-6)

• Original (p. 174- lines 64-69)

2. Passage 2

• Abridged (not included)

• Original (p. 184, lines 125-137)

3. Passage 3

• Abridged (not included)

• Original (p. 189, lines 292-300)

Oedipus Rex: Theme Analysis • Fate vs. free will

• Wisdom and knowledge

• Choices and consequences

• Power

• Memory and the past

Oedipus Rex: Imagery

• Blindness

• Hunting

• Wildness

Oedipus Rex: Foreshadowing

• Oedipus’ promise

• Oedipus’ physical description

• Oedipus’ knowledge of the crime scene

Oedipus Rex: Symbolism

• Scars on Oedipus’ feet

• The three-way crossroads

• Eyes, vision, and blindness

• Oedipus’ blinding self with brooches from Jocasta’s gown

Oedipus Rex: Dramatic Irony • Oedipus condemns the

murderer.

• Oedipus does not grasp the meaning of his name despite the scars on his feet.

• Marriage destroys Jocasta.

• Both Oedipus and Jocasta disparage oracles.