Oedipus Modern Scholars

Question 1

WHAT does Knox say about a typical Sophoclean Hero? 👂🏾

Answer 1

Fatal flaw is their ‘Inability to hear or understand’

Question 2

WHATdoes Rutherford say about Oedipus as a play?

Answer 2

‘This is not a play of crime and punishment’ (O suffers = fate)

Question 3

WHAT does Knox say about Oedipus 🧸

Answer 3

‘Oedipus is not a puppet’

There is choice and freedom of act in fate

Question 4

Rosie Wyles names 2 key things as Oedipus’ hamartia… 🌹

Answer 4

His Arrogance

1) Hubristic Behaviour
• Accepts worship from his people
• Distrust towards oracles
• Skeptism of prophet, Tiresias

2) His Temper
• Treatment of Tiresias
• The shepherd and Jocasta

Question 5

What does Aristotle say about Oedipus Rex in The Poetics? 😨🥇

Answer 5

Aristotle uses Oedipus as an example of a play that best epitomises having recognition (anagnorisis) and reversal (peripeteia) come at the same time

Question 6

What does Aristotle think an audience should achieve from a successful tragedy? 🫵🏾

Answer 6

Identifying with the protagonist

Question 7

What does Karakantza say about a lot persons duty in a Greek polis?

Answer 7

Karakantza says “a person in a Greek polis needs also to protect his identity as a citizen”

Question 8

What does Karakantza say about a lot persons duty in a Greek polis?

Answer 8

Karakantza says “a person in a Greek polis needs also to protect his identity as a citizen”

Question 9

What does Christensen say is apart of the ‘trap’ of intelligent people? 🧠 🙅🏾‍♀️

Answer 9

Christensen says that ”part of the trap of intelligent people is their ability to construct plausible deniability”