OEDIPUS QUESTIONS

1. Who wrote the play?

Sophocles

2. Briefly define the Oedipal Complex.

            In psychoanalytic theory, the desire to sleep with parent of the opposite sex and wanting to kill the parent of the same sex

3. What is the setting of the story, specifically, the where?

Front of royal palace of Thebes

4. As the play opens, what horrible thing is going on?

            There is a horrible plague affecting the entire city

5. Whose death must be avenged in order for the horrible thing from number 4 to end?

            King Laius’ death must be avenged

6. Who is Oedipus’ wife?

            Jocasta; also his biological mother

7. Who is Oedipus’ mother?

            Jocasta; also his wife

8. Who is Oedipus’ father?

            King Laius

9. Who killed the King of Thebes (the answer for #5)?

            Oedipus

10. What is Oedipus’ tragic flaw?

            Oedipus’ tragic flaw is his arrogance and pride.  He had a big ego to go around and find the killer of King Laius to save his city and his curiosity led him to his downfall.  He threatened the blind prophet for the truth when he refused to tell his vision, and even accused him of the murder.  This lead the blind prophet to reveal the truth , leading him closer to finding out the answers, his mistakes and the conclusion that he, Oedipus, had killed his father.

11. As you read through Oedipus, you'll note that sight/vision/seeing (including "second sight") is very important to the overall story--in the literal as well as the metaphorical/symbolical aspect.  You don't have to do this in complete sentences if you don't want---
12. Describe/discuss/explain/list how sight/vision/seeing/"second sight" is/are used in the play to advance the plot--to advance the story as a whole.  Include an explanation of why it's important as well as how it helps you (the real audience) understand (get) what others on the stage and in the play don't understand.

            Clear vision is used as a metaphor for knowledge & insight; Oedipus is well known for his clear sightedness and quick comprehension but soon finds out that he has been blind all along.  When he discovers Jocasta’s death, he blinds himself with two pins so he won’t have to look on his own children/siblings. Someone can be knowledgeable and have vision, but blind to their actions/mistakes and what’s going on around them. This helps the audience understand the importance of sight, how it impairs a person or gives them more knowledge.  The people on stage and in the play won’t be able to interpret the meaning of sight to discover its significant role in truth power.

13. As a play, there's a lot that can and can not be done on the stage.  Explain why you think some things within this play in particular are done on stage while others are done off stage.

I think some things are done on stage, like conversations and dialogue to create suspense for the audience and for them to interpret the meanings and find the truth to the conflict in the plot.  Things are done offstage simply because they are unnecessary to perform on stage and for the audience to think and imagine methods in which things happened.

14. Do you believe in fate?  Explain fully your answer.

            I believe in fate because it’s just simply there as a reason for us to blame everything on and why and how it comes to be.  You meet someone you like because of fate that you deserve it, or you struggle with them as a lesson for you to learn from.  I believe in fate because something has to happen (to us in our lives) and whether they are pleasant or not, something somewhere has determined for it to turn out this way. Fate is there to explain the things we don’t explain.

15. Explain how fate plays a role in Oedipus.

Oedipus tragic fate came out to be, no matter how far he tried to run from it. Even knowing his fate beforehand, led him eventually to his fate, so I believe fate determines your effects.

16. Have you ever thought how ironic this play is? It's weird how the events come together and make everything happen the way it does. If things were to happen just a little bit different the story would be completely changed.

Extra: Name either one of the other two plays in the Oedipus Trilogy—punctuation count.

                Antigone