Oedipus Rex the man of agony

Oedipus now knows the truth about himself and his fate. Oedipus could not change his fate because he is a tragic hero and became a failure. When the chorus talks to the audience they all explain how Oedipus is the man of agony. There was a lot of personification and metaphors in the chorus' text. "How, how could the furrows your father plowed bear you." Is quote is an example of a metaphor. It relates to the making of a baby. The chorus also talks about how time has withered Oedipus' power as a king. "Time, all-seeing Time has dragged you to the light" this is personifies time and how time is deafening Oedipus. Also time is showing how bad he is and pulling towards the light. 

"I tell you neither the waters of the Danube nor the Nile can wash this palace clean." This quote means that nothing can wash of the shame and agony of Oedipus. Shakespeare took this idea and portrayed it in his dramatic play Macbeth. The shame is going to stay with Oedipus forever. Jocasta does not take the message of Oedipus being her son to well and hangs herself. Oedipus sees his mother dangling from the ceiling. He takes her brioche and stabs his eyes repeatedly. Oedipus stabs his eyes because he can't accept what he has seen and done. He also stabs his eyes because he felt shame about him looking at his mother in a way that he shouldn't have. It was common in the after life for people to see their loved ones. Oedipus stabs his eyes because when he dies he doesn't want to look at his loved ones. Oedipus know becomes physically blind and can see figuratively now. Oedipus and Tiresias are foils now because they both cant see physically but can see figuratively. Oedipus believed it was better to die than to live. Because of his fate he won't die soon. "stab of memory raking me insane." This is an example of imagery of Oedipus blinding himself from his past. Oedipus is a beggar who truly failed in life. 

Aggie: nice work on the blog. Spend lots of time telling me about your interpretive thoughts and less time re-telling the story. I think your blog is interesting and thoughtful.
Mr. Murphy

Second group Discussion

  "I must know it all, must see the truth at last."Oedipus finally knows that he killed his father and slept with his mother. My group and I talked about the three fold path. It's in the shape of a barbecue fork and it also represents Oedipus' three identities. One of his identities is him as the king of Thebes and another identity is being the prince of Corinth. Both of those paths and identities meet to the phocis point which means focus. When both of Oedipus' identities meet he becomes a beggar which is the path of his future. Oedipus fate is him being someone and becoming nothing. 

  Sophocles is sending a message to the reader that no one can change or escape their fate, it is their destiny. Just like Oedipus tried to do. Oedipus' birth parents heard of the prophecy that their son, Oedipus, will kill his father and sleep with his mother. Because of this they gave Oedipus to their Shepard and leave Oedipus on the top of the farthest mountain to die.  The Shepard pitied Oedipus and saw a Shepard who was from Corinth and gave Oedipus to him. The Shepard from Corinth turned out to be the messenger who sent the message about Polybus to Oedipus.  Oedipus' birth parents tried to change Oedipus' fate but karma hit back. Oedipus is consumed in his hubris that he tries to escape his fate but in reality it hasn't.

Oedipus the Greek dramatic play

  Oedipus talks with Jocasta about him killing Laius. A messenger comes into the palace to give Jocasta and Oedipus great new. This is ironic because its not great news at all to Jocasta and Oedipus. "The people there, they want to make your Oedipus king of Corinth, so they're saying now." Jocasta asks the messenger if king Polybus is still in power. The messenger responds "No more. Death has got him in the tomb." When Jocasta tells Oedipus he is not thrilled. "Oedipus feared for years, he fled him not to kill him-and now he's dead, quite by chance, a normal, natural death, not murdered by his son." The reason why he never bothered to go to Corinth was because Apollos prophecy said Oedipus would kill his father. This is an example of dramatic irony because Oedipus does not know that he already killed his birth father.

  Oedipus fears to go to Corinth also because Apollos prophecy said that Oedipus would sleep in the same bed with his mother and marry her. This is also another example of dramatic irony because he is already slept with his birth mother and had babies with her. Oedipus tells Jocasta that he must fear his mother's bed which he already slept in. Oedipus explains to the messenger "But still, to see one's parents and look into their eyes is the greatest joy I know." This is dramatic irony because Oedipus wasn't to pleasant to see his birth father. This whole conversation between Oedipus, the messenger and Jocasta makes the reader feel so frustrated because Oedipus nor Jocasta knows what really happened.  

Oedipus group discussion

The blind prophet Tiresias knows more about Oedipus than Oedipus knows about himself. Tiresias is physically blind but can see everything figuratively. This is different for Oedipus. Oedipus does not know a lot about himself. He can see physically but he lacks the ability to see figuratively. Tiresias has known Oedipus ever since Oedipus was a child, so we think. "Absurd, am I! To you, not to your parents: the ones who bore you found me sane enough." This quote was said by Tiresias which gives the reader evidence that Oedipus is adopted. Also that Oedipus' birth parents needed advice from Tiresias.

Since Oedipus is adopted he wouldn't recognize his birth parents. The birth parents would not recognize Oedipus either. Because of this Oedipus did not know he killed his father. Oedipus cursed himself in the beginning in the play. He stated that whoever killed his father he would hunt down and kill. This is an example of dramatic irony. This secret of Oedipus being adopted keeps Oedipus from knowing that he married his birth mother and killed his birth father. This helps the reader foreshadow that when the news is out Oedipus will crack. In the group discussion we talked about how Oedipus (swollen feet) will help us foreshadow what is to come in the play.   

Oedipus the blind traitor

It is clear that Oedipus' fate is him leaving Thebes and going against his subject. "Banish this man whoever he may be never shelter him, never speak a word to him, never make him partner to your prayers, your victims burned to the gods." Oedipus says this quote to his subjects and doesn't even know he is talking about his fate. He is so consumed in his hubris that he is blind to see what is to come for him in the future. When Oedipus is bragging about his seat to the throne he talks about his dad who he does not know that he killed. "Why our seed might be the same." This is an example of irony that is very important. Oedipus had babies with his mother and doesn't know that.

Oedipus is known for his multiple identities and his tragic flaw. "When the truth is only pain to him who sees!" This is an example of imagery of Oedipus' blindness. It also foreshadows that Oedipus will become blind. As said by Tiresias "Each man here will fling at you soon." he is explaining that Oedipus will become a traitor also.

The Multiple identities of Oedipus Rex

Oedipus fails to see his tragic flaw as a Greek hero. Hubris is his tragic flaw which is his arrogance. Oedipus tells the audience about his fate but is blind to see that which is an example of dramatic irony. His identity is dominated by his hubris. Oedipus murdered his father and married his mother. He does not know of this either this resembles dramatic irony.

 "Drive the corruption from the land, don't harbor it any longer, past all cure, don't nurse it in your soil-root it out!" This quote symbolizes dramatic irony because Creon is explaining that the people of Thebes should drive the traitor (Oedipus) out of Thebes. Oedipus says to his subjects how could he fail to see that Thebes is dying. This foreshadows Oedipus becoming a blind man. Oedipus is a murderer and an arrogant person and these identities represent his fate in the play.