5. What General Lesson Does The Chorus Draw From The Example Of Oedipus's Life?

What were your initial thoughts nearly the graphic symbol of Oedipus? Did your thoughts most him change every bit you lot read through the drama?

"Dramatic irony is a human relationship of contrast between a graphic symbol's limited understanding of his or her situation in some item moment of the unfolding activeness and what the audience, at the same instant, understands the character's situation really to be." Where do nosotros see dramatic irony in this drama?

Why was Teiresias hesitant to share what he knew most the death of Male monarch Laius?

Did Teiresias really believe that it would exist better for everyone if truth were to remain undisclosed? Jocasta too asks Oedipus to stop investigating his lineage (line 1063). Is truth ever best known. Always best shared? Is it ever best for guilt to be made public? In government? In marriage? In the church? Is ignorance bliss? Is bliss the greatest expert?

Oedipus says, "Indeed I am then angry I shall non hold back a jot of what I recall." Tin can kings afford to get angry? Other leaders? Pastors? What should leaders practice with their anger? [Acrimony – select quotes]

The Chorus advises Oedipus that "those who are qick of atmosphere are not safe." Oedipus responds that plots must exist dealt with quickly. (lines 615-620) Which one is right?

Teiresias is bullheaded but sees. Oedipus has eyes but is blind. (line 413) Why is Oedipus, the man who solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and then slow to solve the riddle of his ain identity?

At what indicate does steadfastness and perseverence become mere obstinancy? (line 550)

Creon says to Oedipus, "Just do not charge me on obscure opinion without some proof to back it. It'due south not just lightly to count your knaves equally honest men, nor honest men as knaves. To throw away an honest friend is, as it were, to throw your life away, which a man loves the best." Have you always been accused falsely? Betrayed? Take you ever accused a friend or family member on the ground of "obscure opinion without some proof to back it? exercise yous think that this is a major trouble in the church? In politics? What does the Bible say about this?

What does Creon mean when he says "fourth dimension in the only exam of honest men, ane twenty-four hour period is space enough to know a rogue"?

Oedipus asks, "Was I not born evil? Am I not utterly unclean?" What is the Christian response to these questions?

The Chorus contrasts insolence with eager appetite. (lines 874-884) Are they opposites?

Jocasta declares, "Now when we await to him [Oedipus] we are all afraid; he's pilot of our ship and he is frightened." (lines 921-922) Can leaders show fear?

Freud was fascinated with this drama, particularly that element of it described by Jocasta, "As to your mother's spousal relationship bed, –dont fearfulness it. Before this, in dreams too, equally well equally oracles, many a human being has lain with his own mother. But he to whom such tings are zip bears his life near hands." Should we just gag and keep, or is there something in this that should be considered past us?

Why did Oedipus blind himself? Do you believe his explanation for why he blinded himself?

Creon refuses to banish Oedipus until he has consulted the gods. How does this compare with the manner in which Oedipus governed? Exercise you retrieve Creon will prove to be a swell leader as he takes over the reigns of regime?

The last line of the drama is "Count no mortal happy till he has passed the final limit of his life secure from hurting." Huh? How does this compare with what Aristotle says near happiness in Aristotle's Nicomachean Ideals? With what Solon says most happiness when discoursing with Male monarch Croesus?

Who (or what) is to arraign for this bully big mess? The gods? Oedipus? Jocasta? Fate? (MSNBC reported that it was George Bush's fault.)

Where do we see hubris in these lines of text? Where practise nosotros run into the conflict between the forces ofnomos and physis?

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Some notes on Oedipus from Aristotle'southward Poetics:

"Reversal of the Situation is a change by which the action veers round to its reverse, subject always to our rule of probability or necessity. Thus in the Oedipus, the messenger comes to cheer Oedipus and complimentary him from his alarms near his mother, but by revealing who he is, he produces the opposite effect."

"Recognition, as the name indicates, is a modify from ignorance to knowledge, producing dear or detest between the persons destined by the poet for expert or bad fortune. The all-time form of recognition is coincident with a Reversal of the Situation, equally in the Oedipus."

"A perfect tragedy should, as we accept seen, be arranged non on the unproblematic merely on the complex plan. It should, moreover, imitate actions which excite pity and fright, this being the distinctive marking of tragic imitation. Information technology follows patently, in the first place, that the alter of fortune presented must not exist the spectacle of a virtuous human brought from prosperity to arduousness: for this moves neither pity nor fear; information technology merely shocks us. Nor, again, that of a bad human passing from adversity to prosperity: for nothing tin can be more conflicting to the spirit of Tragedy; information technology possesses no single tragic quality; it neither satisfies the moral sense nor calls forth pity or fear. Nor, again, should the downfall of the utter villain be exhibited. A plot of this kind would, doubtless, satisfy the moral sense, merely it would inspire neither pity nor fear; for compassion is angry by unmerited misfortune, fear by the misfortune
of a man similar ourselves. Such an event, therefore, will be neither sad nor terrible. There remains, so, the grapheme between these two extremes- that of a man who is non eminently practiced and just, yet whose misfortune is brought almost not by vice or depravity, but past some error or frailty. He must exist i who is highly renowned and prosperous- a personage similar Oedipus, Thyestes, or other illustrious men of such families."

"A well-constructed plot should, therefore, be single in its issue, rather than double as some maintain. The change of fortune should be not from bad to good, but, reversely, from practiced to bad. It should come about equally the result not of vice, just of some great fault or frailty, in a character either such as we have described, or meliorate rather than worse. The practice of the stage bears out our view. At showtime the poets recounted any legend that came in their way. Now, the best tragedies are founded on the story of a few houses- on the fortunes of Alcmaeon, Oedipus, Orestes, Meleager, Thyestes, Telephus, and those others who take done or suffered something terrible. A tragedy, and so, to exist perfect according to the rules of art should be of this construction."

"Fright and compassion may be aroused past spectacular means; merely they may also result from the inner structure of the piece, which is the better style, and indicates a superior poet. For the plot ought to be so constructed that, even without the aid of the center, he who hears the tale told will thrill with horror and melt to pity at what takes Place. This is the impression we should receive from hearing the story of the Oedipus. But to produce this effect by the mere spectacle is a less artistic method, and dependent on extraneous aids. Those who utilize spectacular means to create a sense not of the terrible but only of the monstrous, are strangers to the purpose of Tragedy; for we must not demand of Tragedy whatever and every kind of pleasure, but merely that which is proper to information technology. And since the pleasure which the poet should afford is that which comes from compassion and fear through imitation, information technology is evident that this quality must be impressed upon the incidents."