Oedipus

Question 1

what are the 4 themes of Oedipus

Answer 1

1. truth
2. sight vs blindness
3. fate vs freewill
4. guilt/responsibility

Question 2

Oedipus quotes on the theme truth (3)

Answer 2

1. “the truth with all it’s power lives inside me”-T
2. “I’ll bring it all to light myself”-O
3. “I am the man”-O

Question 3

Oedipus quotes on the theme sight vs blindness (3)

Answer 3

1. “how terrible–to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!”-T
2. “you with your precious eyes, you’re blind to the corruption of your life”-T
3. “what good were eyes to me? nothing I could see could bring me joy”-O

Question 4

Oedipus quotes on the theme fate vs freewill (3)

Answer 4

1. “you pray to the gods? let me grant your prayers”-O
2. “wasn’t I born for torment?”-O
3. “that dreadful mark–I’ve had it from the cradle”-O

Question 5

Oedipus quotes on the theme guilt/responsibility (3)

Answer 5

1. “I am guilty”-O
2. “what grief can crown this grief”-O
3. “my troubles are mine and I am the only man alive who can sustain them”-O

Question 6

Modern scholar quote about what makes Oedipus fall

Answer 6

“Oedipus is his own destroyer”-Fagles

Question 7

Modern scholar quote about truth vs ignorance

Answer 7

“Oedipus is ignorant but determined to know, while Tiresias knows the truth but is determined to suppress it”-Garvie

Question 8

Modern scholar quote about sight vs blindness

Answer 8

“Tiresias is physically blind, while Oedipus, the physically sighted knows nothing”-Garvie