A Greek tragedy, streaked with a failing romance and a duty fueled search for the oblivious truth; it felt necessary to heighten the scenes chosen with the chosen songs. The overall soundtrack theme is one of dramatic foreshadow and irony. Moreover, this theme deemed necessary because while reading over the text the foreshadow hidden in the subtext became more evident and dynamic towards the end. As Oedipus is king; it felt necessary to create a strong presence for his character. Instead of focusing on the opening scene in which Oedipus is first introduced addressing the people of Thebes, the scene that seemed more crucial to analyze with music was that of Oedipus making his oath. Demonstrating his first act of power in the play, placing …show more content…
Beginning on pg. 50 when Jocasta attempts to soothe Oedipus’s worries of fulfilling the prophecy the songs relevance comes into play. The song has a gentle yet sad tone to it that can help demonstrate the affection between them, yet give pretense to what the truth holds. “Eyes (eyes) wide (wide) shut (shut) Shut out the light” (Two), in relation to this scene this song represents the lack of knowledge they have of the truth that is before them, Oedipus and Jocasta shut their eyes to the light which is the truth Oedipus keeps striving towards. Bringing attention back to lineage this song was also chosen due to its line “flow through my veins” which in the songs context is referencing loving someone. In this scene Jocasta is attempting to ease Oedipus whom she loves, but more literally this line is relevant because at one point Oedipus was “flowing though her veins” as her child in her womb. Being an incestual relationship, the song Bitter and Sick felt suiting seeing as both Jocasta and Oedipus unknowingly loved, wed, and had children …show more content…
With a neutral soft acoustic tone “Should of Known Better” was chosen as track three because it demonstrates how Oedipus might have felt as the truth revealed itself about his troubling lineage. Accordingly, this song was also chosen for its effect on time, from experience this song can at times stretch a moment; which is how it is imagined Oedipus felt in as he felt the weight of his reality. With this song tracking beginning on pg. 61 as the messenger reveals that Oedipus was the child of Jocasta whom he was tasked with killing. This song was chosen, because despite Jocasta’s wishes for Oedipus to stop seeking the truth and Tiresias’s reluctance, he still pursues it and because of it finds a truth he doesn’t like. The lyrics “Holding down my feelings, A pillar for my enemies” striked curiosity because the verse rings true with Oedipus’s predicament. Unknowingly the enemy, he is searching for; his ignorance to his lineage was in a sense a pillar for his enemies, which in this case is his true
Foreshadowing is literary device by which an author hints what is to come. People cannot predict their future, however the choices they make foreshadow what the future will hold for them. In the epic, The Odyssey by Homer is about Odysseus’s journey back home and at the end of Book Nine, Homer used foreshadowing through prophecy’s curse and naming an approaching event. Homer use foreshadowing through Polyphemus’s prayer and when Odysseus was cursed by Zeus. After Odysseus escape from the Polyphemus and anger him, Polyphemus prayed to his father that Odysseus “never reaches home” and if he does, “let him come home late and come a broken man- all shipmates lost” (153). Homer also added, “so he prayed and the god of the sea blue mane Poseidon
take the boy out and kill him when he was still a child. The kind old shepard
Oedipus becomes a more admirable character by the end of the play then during the prologue of the play. This is because his history is reveled and his fate seems to be less of his fault and more of something that was doomed to happen to him, also by his drive to help the city of Thebes shows that he cares for the city and his ability to accept his fate but to try and help others from suffering.
a play in which more then half of the elements of a plot, namely exposition,
The beginning of the play opens up with the dilemma of the plague as explained before. Creon, Oedipus's brother in-law (which turns out to be his uncle), comes from the oracle with the advice to end the plague. He explains the previous leader, Laius, had been murdered, and they haven't found the murderer. More importantly, was the way Oedipus handled the situation. He
In the play, Othello by William Shakespeare throughout the entire play it had portrayed symbolism and foreshadowing. These had influenced the most of the characters to act in a foolish ways. This leads us to a suspense ending that caused loved ones to go against each other. By not realizing what is going on between the characters can cause confusing in the plans of the play. Likewise, by connecting each of the following character made it seem we might have knew something was going to happen at the end. Throughout the play we are able to recognize that the handkerchief is played as an important part with all the characters. This is done by showing how each one of the characters is acting with it being loss. Due to it being misplaced some of the characters will do something they normally wouldn’t have done.
My disappointment in the lack of mystery in the plot of the play was evoked by the continual clues appearing throughout the play. For example, in Oedipus's first speech to the people of Thebes, he condemns the murderer of the previous king, stating that "he will suffer no unbearable punishment, nothing worse than exile" (261-62). This is the first of a multitude of clues about the outcome of the play.
In Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, the audience is able to gain a deeper understanding of Oedipus’ downfall due to the context provided by the chorus. Through its own wavering faith in the Gods, the chorus is able to explain and add meaning to Oedipus the King that would not otherwise be evident. Further, the chorus’ explanation allows Sophocles to expose his goal in writing the play, giving the reader a unique perspective into the true cause of Oedipus’ downfall. Therefore, it is strictly the chorus that enables the reader to realize that the true cause of the plague is not a murderer but a crisis in faith.
At the beginning of the play, Oedipus and the priest are having a conversation. Oedipus is the king of the land Thebes. In this conversation, the priest tells Oedipus that the people are dying due to a plague going around the town. The priest begs Oedipus to save all the people, so then Oedipus orders his brother-in-law, Creon to see how to stop the plague. Creon comes to the scene and tells Oedipus that he has to tell him important news. Creon asks Oedipus if he wants to tell him the news in front of all of the people. Oedipus answers with a yes, so then Creon tells him that the murderer of Laius (the king of Thebes before Oedipus) is from the city. Creon tells Oedipus that king Laius and his travellers were on their way to consult an oracle
Oedipus the King captures the audience’s attention through dramatic irony and foreshadowing. Many points of the play foreshadow what will happen in the end. Since the audience already knows what is going to happen, that alone is foreshadowing Oedipus’ life for us. Foreshadow is defined in dictionary.com, “to show or indicate beforehand.” The prophecy given to him at birth is what tells us, and him what is supposed to happen. He tries to avoid this fate by leaving, but because the audience knows that he is not actually leaving his true parents, he has already set his prophecy into action, he’s just unaware of this.
First off, Teiresias is hinting at the fact that Oedipus’ relationship with Jocasta is a “sinful union” (Sophocles 36). Oedipus is unable to make the connection between what Teiresias is saying and his own prophecy. Oedipus does not want to acknowledge the fact that he has committed a sin and he avoids learning the truth by remaining ignorant of his true parentage. On top of this, when Teiresias outright tells Oedipus that “the killer [he is] seeking is [himself]” (Sophocles 36). Oedipus refuses to believe this and instead accuses Teiresias of lying and plotting against him. Oedipus, as a known intelligent character, should have listened to Teiresias, who is known for being a wise man; instead, Oedipus puts the blame on Teiresias. Teiresias then goes on to foreshadow that the “taunts” (Sophocles 36) Oedipus is throwing at him will “someday [be] cast at [him]” (Sophocles 36). Oedipus does not take the warning of Teiresias seriously instead he continues to insult Teiresias. Oedipus’ inability to face the truth will result in him being banned and blinding himself for his ignorance. Similarly, Jocasta attempts to prevent Oedipus from gaining knowledge by explaining that “[i]t makes no difference now” (Sophocles 55) and to “[f]orget” (Sophocles 55) what has been told to him. Jocasta not only tries to stop Oedipus from learning the truth, she also tries to stop herself from verifying the truth, this later results in her unfortunate suicide. Also, Jocasta’s ignorance and inability to discover Oedipus’ true past causes her to commit incest, a major sin. Jocasta and Oedipus committing this sin then result in the God’s punishing Thebes. Showing that, ignorance leads to
This essay will illustrate the types of characters depicted in Sophocles’ tragic drama, Oedipus Rex, whether static or dynamic, flat or round, and whether protrayed through the showing or telling technique.
Here is a story where Oedipus the King, who has accomplished great things in his life, discovers that the gods were only playing with him. He has everything a man of that time could want; he is king of Thebes, he has a wonderful wife and children, and great fame through out the lands. He has lived a good life, but in the end everything is taken from him.
A tragic hero should not be blamed for their downfall, as the prophecies set their downfall and other characters actions push them to their tragic ends. This will be proved by examining the faith of the prophecies and the actions of the shepherd, Oedipus, Eteocles, Polynices and Antigone.
“Oedipus the King” by Sophocles is a tragedy of a man who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother. Aristotles’ ideas of tragedy are tragic hero, hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, and catharsis these ideas well demonstrated throughout Sophocles tragic drama of “Oedipus the King”.