Symbolism, Imagery and Allegory: Part 1

Eyes, Vision, and Blindness

Sophocles certainly wasn't shy about the motif of sight vs. blindness. If you've got way too much time on your hands, go through the play and highlight words like "see," "sight," "vision," "eyes," and "blind." Since this motif is symbolic of the pursuit of "knowledge," you can go ahead add that word, along with terms like "oracle," "truth," "prophecy," and "Apollo," since he's the god that represents all these ideas. The Oracle of Shmoop predicts that your highlighter will run out of ink, and your script will end up looking like a neon patchwork quilt.


Though this motif of seeing and not seeing is laced throughout the beginning of the play, it first becomes crystal clear when the prophet Teiresias hobbles on stage. If one of Sophocles's ancient audience members missed the irony in this episode, he must've visited the wine stand a few to many times. Teiresias is literally blind, but he can see clearly the horror that is Oedipus's past, present, and future. Oedipus's eyes work just fine, but unfortunately he's completely blind to the dreadful fate the gods have placed upon him. The doomed king's ignorance on this key matter is made even more ironic by the fact that he was made famous for his keen insight, by solving the riddle of the Sphinx.


When Oedipus finally sees the terrible truth of his life, Sophocles hammers home his metaphor by having the king stab out his own eyes. Oedipus says he does this because he can no longer look on the horrors that his unwitting actions have created. With this most famous of gougings, Oedipus literally becomes the thing he's always metaphorically been: blind. At the end of the play, Oedipus becomes symbolic of all of humanity, stumbling forward through a dark and unknowable universe.

Themes

Hello!!! This post is all about the themes that were used in the story. These are important because they embody the story's progress as well as the emphasis on the story's main idea.

Fate and Free Will

A central theme of the Oedipus the King is the tension between individual action and fate. While free choices, such as Oedipus’s decision to pursue knowledge of his identity, are significant, fate is responsible for Oedipus’s incest and many of the other most critical and devastating events of the play. By elevating the importance of fate, Sophocles suggests that characters cannot be fully responsible for their actions. It becomes difficult, for example, to blame Oedipus for marrying mother given his ignorance.

Wisdom and Knowledge

In Oedipus the King, Oedipus is a seeker of knowledge and truth. He struggles to uncover Laius’s murder and his own identity, despite numerous warnings that he should leave the truth alone. His pursuit of knowledge and truth, however, results in ruin as Oedipus uncovers his destiny, which he was better off not knowing. This suggests that knowledge is futile and limited in its ability to bring happiness to those who seek it.

 Determination

Determination is one of Oedipus's and his mother's primary character traits. Despite the important role of fate in the lives of the characters, Oedipus and Jocasta are all driven, at times stubbornly, to pursue their goals. Determination in Oedipus the King is linked to hubris and proves less an asset than a flaw to the characters who possess it.

Power

Power both corrupts and metaphorically blinds characters in the Oedipus the King. As a ruler, Oedipus is arrogant, unperceptive, and downright mean to people around him. Assuming other characters are trying to steal his power, Oedipus doesn't listen to their wisdom.

Memory and the Past

Memories of the past have a complex impact on the characters inOedipus the King. One message in this play is that delving too far into the past – as Oedipus does against the warnings of nearly everyone around him – is dangerous and self-injuring.

So what do you think?? Do you also agree with the themes of the story??

Analysing the Story: Last Part

This is the last part where the word tragedy is the focal point in the story is portrayed...

"Jocasta urges Oedipus not to look into the past any further, but he stubbornly ignores her. Oedipus goes on to question a messenger and a shepherd, both of whom have information about how Oedipus was abandoned as an infant and adopted by a new family. In a moment of insight, Jocasta realizes that she is Oedipus’s mother and that Laius was his father. Horrified at what has happened, she kills herself. Shortly thereafter, Oedipus, too, realizes that he was Laius’s murder and that he’s been married to (and having children with) his mother. In horror and despair, he gouges his eyes out and is exiled from Thebes."

Analysis:

Jocasta urges quite energetically that Oedipus drop the issue before he discovers more than he bargained for. Oedipus says, "No," and insists on his talking to the shepherd.
Jocasta makes reference to seeing Oedipus for the last time and runs off wailing.
Oedipus assumes she’s ashamed of his low birth (since as an infant he was found in some rather raggedy swaddling clothes) and vows to set things right.
The old shepherd shows up.

Oedipus questions the old shepherd. Like Teiresias, this guy refuses to speak. Oedipus has his servants twist the old man’s arms to try to force him to talk.
The man folds like a bad poker hand, revealing that Jocasta was the mother of the child that he discovered and gave to the messenger. Jocasta wanted the child taken away because it had been prophesized that the boy would kill his father and sleep with his mother.

FINALLY, Oedipus pieces things together and realizes that Jocasta is his mother. As predicted by the prophecy, he has slept with his mother and killed his father.
Oedipus runs out, saying, quite eloquently, "O, O, O."
The Chorus, expectedly, laments the tragedy.

Another messenger arrives and announces that Jocasta, disgusted with herself for sleeping with her own son, has hung herself. She’s dead. Oedipus finds that he has lost both his wife and mother. He very dramatically rushes to her dead body, tears the broaches from her dress (which have sharp, phallic pins on them) and gouges out his eyes.

Oedipus staggers outside all bloody and gross.
The Chorus is startled (understatement of the year) and feels bad for him (understatement of the century). Oedipus explains that he gouged his eyes out because there was no longer anything pleasant for him to see. We’re just amazed that the man can manage to stand around and explain things at this point.

Oedipus asks the Chorus to help send him out of Thebes or kill him. He wishes he had died as a child. Creon enters and Oedipus asks to be sent away. Oedipus feels it is his fate to stay alive so that he can suffer. Oedipus asks Creon to take care of his daughters, but not his sons because they can take care of themselves.

Creon leads Oedipus out of the room while Oedipus continues to beg for his exile.

Yehey!!! we finished understanding and dissecting the story!!! so what do you think about the last part???

Analysing the Story: Part 3

Third Part of The Story...now the truth in this part of the story is being revealed slowly.... 
>.<

"Jocasta's story doesn't comfort Oedipus. As a child, an old man told Oedipus that he was adopted, and that he would eventually kill his biological father and sleep with his biological mother. Not to mention, Oedipus once killed a man at a crossroads, which sounds a lot like the way Laius died. "

Characters:

(these are the characters that had not yet made their appearances in the first parts of the story)

Messenger - reveals to Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents. 

King of Corinth, Polybus - He was the king of Corinth and husband of either Merope or Periboea. He raised Oedipus as his adopted son

Queen Merope - one of the Heliades, daughter of Helios (or his son Clymenus) and Clymene

Shepherd - the shepherd of former king Laius who had given the infant to the shepherd of King polybus out of pity to the infant

Analysis: 

Oedipus also reveals that he killed several men in a small incident at a crossroads. Oops. He hopes to find out from the servant whether the King’s murderers were many or just one man. Oedipus utters the incredibly wise statement, "One man can not be many." Well, now we know why this guy is king. In other words, he’s saying if it was a sole murderer, that will confirm his guilt. (You know, in case the repeated prophecies, overwhelming evidence, and sinking stomach feeling were not enough).

Jocasta reminds Oedipus that even if he did kill Laius, he is not Laius’s son, since their only child was killed.

The Chorus pleads with the gods for mercy.
Jocasta, completely frazzled, makes an offering to the gods and prays for Oedipus to keep his temper and wits.

The Chorus asks a lot of questions, mostly revolving around the one big question of "what is going on?"
Conveniently, a messenger shows up from Corinth and informs Jocasta and Oedipus that Oedipus’s father, the King of Corinth, has died of natural causes. Jocasta interprets the King’s natural death as proof that the prophecy about Oedipus killing his father was false. Phew.

Jocasta pulls an, "I was right and you were wrong," and Oedipus is all, "Yeah, yeah, I know."
Oedipus, however, is still worried about the sleeping with his mother part of the prophecy. Jocasta tells Oedipus that if he just stops thinking about it, it will go away. We wish this still worked today.

The messenger questions Oedipus about the prophecy and his fears. The messenger tells Oedipus that the King of Corinth (Polybus) and his wife, Merope, were not Oedipus’s real parents. Unable to have a child themselves, they adopted Oedipus. Yet another "uh-oh" moment.

Turns out, Oedipus (as an infant) was given to the messenger with his feet pierced and tied. This is apparently why he is named "Oedipus," which means "screwed-up foot" in Greek (roughly speaking).

The messenger got the infant Oedipus from a shepherd who, conveniently, is still alive and within bellowing distance of the rest of our cast

Hope you had fun reading...the next is more intense as we're going near to  the last part of the story!!!

Analysing the Story: Part 2

Second Part of the Story ^^ hope you enjoy it...

"Oedipus dedicates himself to the discovery and prosecution of Laius’s murderer. Oedipus subjects a series of unwilling citizens to questioning, including a blind prophet. Teiresias, the blind prophet, informs Oedipus that Oedipus himself killed Laius. This news really bothers Oedipus, but his wife Jocasta tells him not to believe in prophets—they've been wrong before. As an example, she tells Oedipus about how she and King Laius had a son who was prophesied to kill Laius and sleep with her."

Characters: 

The Chorus - an ever-present group of wise and gossip-prone observers. 

Teiresias - was a blind prophet of Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed

into a woman for seven years.

The Strophe - part of an ancient Greek choral ode sung by the chorus when moving from

right to left.

Antistrophe - part of an ancient Greek choral ode answering a previous strophe, sung by the

chorus when returning from left to right.

Jocasta - was a daughter of Menoeceus and Queen consort of Thebes, Greece. She was the

wife of Laius, mother of Oedipus, and both mother and grandmother of Antigone, Eteocles,

Polynices and Ismene. She was also sister of Creon and mother-in-law of Haimon.

Second Part of the story........

The Chorus responds that they know nothing and suggest Oedipus ask the blind prophet, Tiresias (which we think is a major case of irony) for his knowledge. Teiresias shows up immediately. Oedipus briefly explains to him the city’s situation and Apollo’s advice. Then Oedipus asks for help. 

Teiresias says with great foreboding (and foreshadowing), "You do NOT want to hear what I have to say." Roughly speaking, anyway. Teiresias continues to insist that it is better for him to leave rather than speak. Oedipus, however, demands that Teiresias tell him what he knows. Oedipus works himself into an angry rage and then busts out an insult we think you should add to your personal repertoire: "You would provoke a stone!." 

Teiresias grumbles "fine" and reveals that Oedipus himself was the one who killed the former king.
Then Oedipus says, "What? I didn't hear you." Teiresias tells him for the second time. Most mysterious of all, according to Teiresias, Oedipus is committing "the worst of sins" with the people "he loves the most." More foreshadowing. Teiresias tells Oedipus that he is a threat to himself, in the "stop asking questions" kind of way.

Oedipus responds that he thinks Teiresias and Creon are simply framing him in order to seize the throne. He then taunts Teiresias about his blindness, which is not only politically incorrect but makes him out to be a total jerk. The Chorus freaks out and tells the men they aren't solving anything by arguing. Let’s just call them "reality-check Chorus."

Teiresias tells Oedipus he’s majorly, grossly cursed and will end up blinded, poor, and alone. This is the worst psychic reading ever. He then casually mentions Oedipus’s parents and informs Oedipus that he "shall learn the secret" of his marriage. Then, right before he leaves, he says (in cryptic language) that Oedipus is married to his mother. Well, he says that Oedipus is "a son and husband both," which maybe isn't so cryptic after all, unless you’re Oedipus.

The Chorus talks about the fight between Oedipus and Creon. The Strophe says whoever he is, the murderer needs to get out of Thebes, and fast. The Anti strophe which, don’t forget, is made up of the city’s citizens, declares that it can’t believe Oedipus is at fault until they see the glove on his hand, so to speak. Both halves of the Chorus agree that they have no idea whether or not to believe Teiresias.
Creon arrives, having overheard that Oedipus accused him of conspiring to steal the throne. Rumor, apparently, travels almost as fast in Thebes as in high school.

Oedipus enters again and accuses Creon to his face. Creon wants the opportunity to respond, but Oedipus won’t shut up. Finally, Creon gets a word in. He explains that, as Oedipus’s brother-in-law, he has everything he could want without any of the stress of being in charge. Basically, no one wants to shoot the Vice President. In ancient Greece. Oedipus continues to make accusations and says he’ll have Creon killed. Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife and Creon’s sister, comes in. She is horrified at her husband and brother’s fighting, and also at the death threat.

Jocasta and the Chorus urge Oedipus to listen to Creon’s honest appeals and spare his life.
Creon storms off. Jocasta asks Oedipus what’s going on. He explains he’s been accused of killing Laius. He leaves out the "you might be my Mom" part. Jocasta responds that such prophecies are ridiculous. As an example, Jocasta says that her son by Laius was prophesied to kill his father, but that they killed the child as a baby to prevent it. Plus, Laius was killed by foreign highway robbers, none of which could possibly have been his son.

Oedipus, hearing the story, flips out. Suddenly, he worries that he might be the murderer after all. He asks Jocasta lots of questions about the murder’s whereabouts and other details.
Confused, Jocasta reveals that one of Laius’s servants survived the incident at the crossroads.

Oedipus insists that the servant be summoned for questioning. Oedipus tells Jocasta that as a child, a man once told him that his mother and father were not his real parents. It was also prophesied that he would kill his father and sleep with his mother.

Sorry if it's long but as long you were able to understand it better, right??

Analysing The Story: Part 1

Today, we will be analyzing the story by parts, Oedipus Rex.... this is for sharing my knowledge of understanding and my own opinions on one of the greatest works in both drama and literature. I cut down the story by parts so that it would be easier to dissect and decipher what each part is conveying to the reader. ^^
 Hope you enjoy reading!!!

For starters, I want you to take a look at the story that took place on the City of Thebes where King Oedipus is seeking the solution to the curse.

First Part:

"King Oedipus, aware that a terrible curse has befallen Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to seek the advice of Apollo. Creon informs Oedipus that the curse will be lifted if the murderer of Laius, the former king, is found and prosecuted. Laius was murdered many years ago at a crossroads."

First things first...we will get to know the characters that were in the first part of the story. 

There is King Oedipus of course, he is the main character of the story, the doomed hero right from his birth he was fated to kill his father and marry his mother. 

Oedipus The King

Next, there is Creon who is ironically not only his brother-in-law but unknowingly is also his uncle!!! talk about a major confusion in the family tree....

Creon (after Oedipus death)

Then there is the god, Apollo. Like every other gods, he is very conniving and playful with human nature. He didn't revealed to Creon that the one who murdered his former King and brother-in-law is also the one sitting on the throne and is also the stowed away son of the former king and queen.

God Apollo

Now, it's time for the story...

Oedipus has heard rumors that a curse is afflicting Thebes. After briefly congratulating his own greatness, he asks the priest what’s up. The priest responds that basically everything that could be wrong in the city is wrong: crops are dying, cattle are dying, people are dying, and there's generally low morale.

Because Oedipus is the boss man, the priest asks him to please take care of this mess.
We learn that Oedipus has saved the city once before by lifting a curse put on it by the Sphinx.
Oedipus reveals he already knew that the city was in a bad state, so he sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to Apollo (or at least to Apollo’s oracle) to get more information. In the midst of this conversation, Creon returns with news from Apollo. 

Creon tells Oedipus that Apollo told him that in order to lift the curse on the city, the men that murdered the city’s former king, Laius, must be banished or killed. Oedipus reenters and demands that anyone with information about the former king's murder speak up. He curses the murderer. (He didn't know that he was actually cursing himself, hilarious right!?)

So what do you guys think??? 


 

Oedipus Rex (Movie)

Hello, everyone!!! >.<   

This post is all about showing you one of the best playwright in film ever made. Entitled 'Oedipus the King' this was about just like the story of Oedipus from childhood to unveiling the truth about his fate.

The Cast 
OEDIPUS REX, the William Butler Yeats adaptation of the play by Sophocles; directed by Tyrone Guthrie; filmed in Canada by Oedipus Rex Productions, using the players of the Shakespearean Festival, Stratford, Ont.; presented by Leonid Kipnis; released by Motion Picture Distributors, Inc.; an Irving M. Lesser presentation. At the Fifty-fifth Street Playhouse. 
Messenger . . . . . Douglas Rain 
Oedipus . . . . . Douglas Campbell 
Priest . . . . . Eric House 
Creon . . . . . Robert Goodier 
Tiresias . . . . . Donald Davis 
Jocasta . . . . . Eleanor Stuart 
Man from Corinth . . . . . Tony van Bridge 
Old Shepherd . . . . . Eric House 
Chorus Leader . . . . . William Hutt

About The Author

Hey everyone!! So last time I posted the introduction, it was about the story, Oedipus Rex, right!? Today, I will introduce you to the maker, author, founder..etc. who is responsible to one of the best tragedy stories ever written....

                                                                      SOPHOCLES

Sophocles was born at Colonus in Attica, c. 496 B.C., about a mile from the city of Athens. He was born the son of a wealthy weaponry and armory merchant named Sophillus. As such, he was very privileged and grew up with many of the conveniences and advances of a thriving Greek Empire. He was well educated in all of the arts—including poetry, dance, philosophy, music, mathematics, astronomy, law, athletics and military tactics—and was chosen at age sixteen to lead a boys’ choir at a war victory celebration. At age twenty-eight, he began competing in the City Dionysia, an annual festival held at the Theatre of Dionysus, god of wine and revelry, which presented new plays of the time.

His first appearance yielded great results, and he won first place, beating the legendary Aeschylus while doing so. This would be the first of an astounding eighteen victories won at the City Dionysia, more than Aeschylus and the distinguished Euripides combined. Sophocles was the only playwright of his time that did not perform in all of his own plays, owing to his weak voice.

When Sophocles gave up acting, he took to new areas of interest. He became part of the Board of Generals, which dealt with civil and military affairs in Athens. He would also later become a city director of the Treasury, helping to control funds of the Delian Confederacy. Sophocles also took part in actual combat—he witnessed the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, and served as a general alongside Pericles in the war on Samos.

While he did undertake other jobs, Sophocles continued his writing until the end of his life. He wrote over 120 plays, many of them great tragedies. He introduced the third actor, and did away with Aeschylus’ trilogy-based writing style. That is to say, he made each of his tragedies its own story, unlike Aeschylus and other writers of the time, who used three tragedies to tell one story.

One account of history states that, towards the end of his life, Sophocles’ sons wanted him to be declared mentally incompetent, and brought the case to court. Accounts from Cicero and Plutarch say that Sophocles responded in his own defense by reading a passage from the then unpublished Oedipus at Colonus, so impressing the jury that they enthusiastically acquitted him—surely no incompetent person could write such beautiful words.

 Shortly after this final addition to his trilogy of Oedipus was published in 405 B.C., Sophocles joined Aeschylus and Euripides in the underworld, ending a great age of tragedy. He left behind him a wife, Nicostrate, and her son Iophon, also a writer of tragedy. Also, his son with his mistress Theoris of Sicyon, Agathon, fathered Sophocles the Younger, another writer.