Classical Literature - Oedipus Rex Flashcards
(21 cards)
What event opens the play ‘Oedipus the King’?
A devastating plague in Thebes
The plague causes suffering and death among the citizens.
Who leads the group of suppliants seeking help from Oedipus?
A priest
The priest represents the people’s desperation and faith in Oedipus.
What does Oedipus send Kreon to do?
Seek guidance from the oracle of Delphi
Oedipus is proactive in addressing the crisis in Thebes.
What is the oracle’s message regarding the plague?
It will end when the murderer of Laios is found and punished
Laios’s murder remains unsolved, creating the central mystery of the play.
What does Oedipus declare against the murderer of Laios?
A curse upon the murderer and anyone who withholds information
This curse sets the tone for the unfolding tragedy.
Who does Oedipus call to reveal the killer’s identity?
The blind prophet Teiresias
Teiresias is known for his insight and connection to the divine.
What is Teiresias’s initial reaction to Oedipus’s request?
He is reluctant to speak
Teiresias warns Oedipus that the truth will bring only pain.
What shocking revelation does Teiresias make?
Oedipus himself is the murderer
This revelation sets off a chain of denial and conflict in Oedipus.
How does Oedipus react to Teiresias’s prophecy?
He dismisses it, suspecting a conspiracy
Oedipus’s pride and anger cloud his judgment.
What does Jocasta say to dismiss the prophecies?
She recounts an oracle predicting Laios would be killed by his own son
This irony deepens the tragedy as it relates to Oedipus’s fate.
What prophecy did Oedipus receive regarding his future?
He would kill his father and marry his mother
This prophecy drives Oedipus to flee Corinth, setting the tragic events in motion.
What does Oedipus learn from the messenger from Corinth?
Polybos is dead, and he is the rightful king of Corinth
This news initially reassures Oedipus about the prophecy.
What does the messenger reveal about Oedipus’s true parentage?
He was given to Polybos and Merope by a shepherd from Thebes
This revelation leads Oedipus closer to the horrifying truth.
What crucial confession does the shepherd make?
He disobeyed orders to kill the infant Oedipus
This act of mercy ultimately seals Oedipus’s tragic fate.
What is the horrifying truth Oedipus discovers?
He is the son of Laios and Jocasta, the murderer of his father, and the husband of his mother
This revelation leads to Jocasta’s suicide and Oedipus’s self-blinding.
What does Jocasta do upon realizing the truth?
She hangs herself
Her despair illustrates the tragic consequences of the prophecy.
How does Oedipus punish himself for his actions?
He blinds himself with Jocasta’s brooches
This act symbolizes his inability to face the reality of his actions.
What does Oedipus request from Kreon after his blinding?
To be exiled from Thebes
He recognizes that he has become a source of shame for the city.
What does Kreon insist on doing before exiling Oedipus?
Consulting the gods
This shows Kreon’s respect for divine guidance in governance.
What does Oedipus lament about his daughters, Antigone and Ismene?
The shame and suffering they will endure because of his sins
His concern for them highlights the play’s themes of fate and family.
What does the chorus reflect on at the end of the play?
The fragility of human happiness
The chorus emphasizes that true fortune cannot be judged until life ends without pain.
