What Does Oedipus Reveal About Himself

1. In the opening scene, what does Oedipus reveal about himself in speaking to the people of Thebes? What type of leader is he? What is his attitude toward and relationship with the community? Use quotes to back up your points.

In The opening scene the town of Thebes has been plagued with hunger, diseases and death. Oedipus reveal about himself that the responsibility of solving the problem is up to him as king of Thebes. He takes on the situation with the eagerness and belief that he is the one person that can purge the land by punishing the person that killed the previous king in order to get rid of the plague that consumed the people. Oedipus as a leader poses characteristics of intelligence, responsibility, and energetic. Which are

qualities that Athenians cherish as their own specific nobility. He is also a leader who is compassionate about the people of Thebes and the problems that they are being faced with. Oedipus tells the people “children, poor helpless children you suffer, this plague is agony for each of you, but none of you, and not one suffers as I do. Each of you suffers for himself, only himself. My whole being wails and breaks for this city, for myself, for all of you, old man, all of you. Everything ends here, with me. I am the man” (Sophocles 80.58-86) Oedipus attitude and relationship toward the community also shows his eagerness which also reveals a certain arrogance regarding his abilities as king. This can be seen when Kreon tries to announce the oracle’s words privately, but Oedipus wants him to announce the oracle’s message publicly so that everyone can hear what is being said. Oedipus tells Kreon “stop. Say it. Say it to the whole city” (Sophocles 110.87-104).
2. What is the chorus? What role does it play in the story?
The chorus in the Oedipus represents the Thebes elders who honor and respect the king and the gods. The poem reveals knowledge of religious culture along with strong loyalty to the king. In Oedipus the king the chorus play an important role in the story because it helps to steer the audience’s response throughout the play. They also move sing together in a rectangle formation of five rows that is facing the audience. The center of the first row is the head man or leader of the chorus the Koryphaios. They sing in unison, and speak and are spoken to, as one man, invoking the voice of prophesy; in antistrophe, they call upon Athena (Sophocles p. 96). The function of the chorus consist of mediating, evaluating, foreboding, guiding and dramatizing (Bachelorandmaster 2018). The chorus play the role of bystander within the play by paying close attention so they will be able to react as well as give opinions in the various parts of the play. The chorus provides clarity as well as an ongoing narrative to the audience which is important to the play’s success. For instance the chorus lets the audience know what is taking place as well as the Thebes people cries “the doors of the palace open and that Oedipus enters and turn back the huge raging jaws of the death god Ares drive him back drive him away from Thebes forever” (240.166-190). Another example of the chorus in action would be when Oedipus implicated Kreon of scheming against him. The chorus tells Oedipus “be generous to Kreon give him respect he was never foolish before now his prayer to the gods has made him great, great and frightening. Do not ever cut him off without rights or honor blood binds you both his prayer has made him sacred don’t accuse him because some blind suspicion hounds you” (Sophocles 860.649-666).
3. What is the plague that is killing Thebes? Where did it come from and what is its symbolic meaning? How does it impact Oedipus? How does it impact the people of Thebes?
The plague that is killing Thebes is famine which is affecting the growth of the town’s crops causing man to die due to hunger and starvation.

“The Greek word is miasma pollution. This pollution comes from the stain of his father’s blood on Oedipus’ hands. The Greek considered miasma palpable and contagious.” Therefore the disgust of nature produced by the murder of Laios by his son Oedipus is indicated in a plague where the basic progression between generations is stopped. The plague is spreading throughout Thebes causing fruits and grain to harden in their protective sheaths. Children are also being born stillborn from the mother’s wombs (Sophocles 115.100-101). A disease of hunger nothing grows, no wheat, or fruit nothing grows bigger than a seed. The woman also bear dead things and all they do is grieve. The cattle also wither, stumble and drop to the ground, flies simmer on their swollen tongues, the plague spreads everywhere, a stain seeping through the streets, the fields and the homes of Thebes (Sophocles 36-42.14-30). The plague in Oedipus the king is a punishment from Apollo as a result of religious pollution. The symbolic meaning of the plague is the disease of Oedipus killing his father Laios who was king of Thebes and unknowingly marries his mother after Laios’ death. It impacts Oedipus because as King of Thebes the people in which he rules over are suffering and dying due to the plague which consume the town he does not have the power to solve things.

The people are suffering and he cannot help them. The only way to rid the town of the plague they must purify the town by finding the killer of the previous king Laios.
4. What is the role of Tiresias? (remember that Odysseus met him in Hades) What are his qualifications? How does Oedipus react to him? What is notable about their interaction?
Tiresias role in Odysseus is a “blind seer of Thebes and was given the gift of prophesy from the gods.

He is also considered a great well-known blind prophet of Apollo whose mind remains unshaken” (Homer 10.540-542). Tiresias gift of prophesy allows him to see the true character of people as well as allow him to predict the future. In the play Oedipus the king they think of him as being a “godlike prophet who speaks with the voice of god. He, only he, knows truth. The truth is rooted in his soul” (Sophocles 297-322.409-411). According to Mythology.net Tiresias plays an active role in the tragic events that unfolds regarding Laius and Oedipus the king. After Tiresias is killed by Apollo with an arrow at Tilphussa. His soul entered the first level of Hades immediately. He is visited by Odysseus in Homer the Odyssey. Tiresias informs Odysseys how he should continue his voyage to Ithaca and how to get past Charybdis and Scylla (Mythology.net 2014). In Oedipus the king, he reacts to Tiresias at first inviting as well as seeking his help in healing the town. He wants Teiresias to tell him what the cause of the plague is that infest the city of Thebes and save the town. Oedipus tells Teiresias “only you, my lord, can save us, only you can defend us. Apollo told our messenger did you hear? That we could be saved only by tracing down Laios’ killers, only by killing them, or sending them into exile. Help us, Teiresias” (Sophocles 297-322.416-420). Here we can see that Oedipus

wanted Tiresias to solve the problem. But after Teiresias tells Oedipus the truth that he is the killer of Laios the previous king. Oedipus becomes angry at Teiresias and calls him a liar and that he is plotting against him with Kreon. The most noticeable thing about Oedipus and Teiresias interaction is how Oedipus was fine with Teiresias’ abilities and gift of prophesy in helping solve the problem until he was implicated as being the murder of Laios. Then we can see his character change and become angry as well as question Teiresias abilities by telling him “the truth is strong, but not your truth. You have no truth. You’re blind. Blind in your eyes. Blind in your ears. Blind in your mind (Sophocles361-377.506-508).