I realised today that my teacher had given us a lot of information but not explained enough to us about what actually happens so i thought this might help, they are some study notes i made tonight.
heres a link incase you were too lazy to read the play like everyone else
http://pd.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/section2.html it sums up that section of the play in short- this is the only section you actually need.
Oedipus Rex notes:
Tragedy is figuratively thought of as an event with a sad or unfortunate outcome. The term ‘tragedy’ applies more specifically to the world within the western culture in the form of drama greatly defined by Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Tragedy according to the Greek theatre is defined and characterized by is seriousness and dignity, involving a great figure who endures a reversal of fortune which signifies a reversal from good to bad, the fall of a great person such as that of Oedipus Rex as it is preferable as it arouses both a sense of pity and fear from and audience. According to Aristotle the structure of tragedy is caused by a mistake or misconception often a characters fatal flaw.
Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles and first performed in around 428 BC.
Much of the legend takes place before the initial scene of the play. Oedipus, son of the King of Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, is left for dead as an infant after his parents cruelly order his death soon after learning from an oracle that the king of Laos would perish by the hand of his own child. Rather then being left for death a shepherd takes the child to King Polybus of Corinth, eventually many years later Oedipus learns of the oracle finding that he is finding that he is destined to “Mate with [his] own mother, and shed/ With [his] own hands the blood of [his] own sire,” Fearing this belief and under the misconception that the Polybus and his wife Merope are in fact his blood parents.
Fleeing Corinth Oedipus strays along the road to Thebes where he commits an act of murder and fulfilling the prediction of the oracle, he murders his father Laius out of pride after arguing about which wagon was to have the right-of-way on the path. Upon arriving in Thebes solves the riddle of the Sphinx correctly breaking the curse of the sphinx and freeing the kingdom he is offered Kingship and the hand of Queen Jocasta, fulfilling the prophecy of the oracle.
The play itself begins many years after Oedipus is given the throne of Thebes, with a chorus Thebans begging for salvation from the plague the gods sent to the kingdom in response to the murder of Laius. Ignorant to the fact that he himself has murdered his father Oedipus sends for the aid of the blind prophet Tiresias in the search for the murderer of Laius, urging him not to continue the search Oedipus then accuses the prophet of being the murderer. Upon finding out the truth of the murder Oedipus falls from great power, his wife and mother Jocasta flees and hangs herself. Oedipus then savagely blinds himself, and flees the kingdom of Thebes entrusting his children with Creon.
It is said that Oedipus’s attempts to overthrow the original prophecy leads to his great fall from power, that his misreading of the original prophecy leads to the characters punishments in their attempts to challenge their fates and in the end they meet their destined fates. Fate, an uncaring and fixed force that plays an evident role in these plays it neither rewards nor punishes the mortals involved it is in a state of incontrovertible existence no matter how hard individuals try to avoid it.
Hubris also plays a large role in the downfall of Oedipus Rex. Hubris refers to the actions taken to belittle an individual thus making one feel more superior. Oedipus’s hubris is a character flaw and the cause of his self destruction, a trait which was generally punishable by the gods. It is his Hubris that is responsible for Laius’ death on the road to Thebes, his thirst to feel powerful. Similarly, Jocasta and Laius’ own hubris play a role in their intended fates; they were to proud to allow such a prophecy to be fulfilled, allowing their child to be left for dead, ultimately leading to their initial fates.
Jocasta and Laius’ fate is also concealed by their inability to accept their moral responsibility and their roles as responsible parents. Their moral responsibility leads to their own individual suffering, through the neglect of their son and the role of their hubris in his “attempted” murder, they single handedly bring their own suffering upon themselves. Much like Oedipus who is completely unaware that the king and queen of Corinth are not his blood related parents, it is their inability to be honest with their son that ultimately aids his fall from power, ultimately leading to his need to be purified, cleansed from his sins, his need for catharsis.
The role of the gods in any given tragedy is one of the most important roles, the gods seek to punish the individuals who had tried to control their fates. They do not control the fates of individuals and cannot reserve the fates, or anyone.
Angels in America- helpful links!!
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/summary.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/canalysis.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/themes.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/facts.html
Oedipus Rex- helpful links!!
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/canalysis.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/summary.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/themes.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/facts.html
Ok so i know it mightn't be much help but it also might be- this stuff helped me a lot tonight!! so goodluck everyone
heres a link incase you were too lazy to read the play like everyone else
http://pd.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/section2.html it sums up that section of the play in short- this is the only section you actually need.
Oedipus Rex notes:
Tragedy is figuratively thought of as an event with a sad or unfortunate outcome. The term ‘tragedy’ applies more specifically to the world within the western culture in the form of drama greatly defined by Greek philosopher Aristotle.
Tragedy according to the Greek theatre is defined and characterized by is seriousness and dignity, involving a great figure who endures a reversal of fortune which signifies a reversal from good to bad, the fall of a great person such as that of Oedipus Rex as it is preferable as it arouses both a sense of pity and fear from and audience. According to Aristotle the structure of tragedy is caused by a mistake or misconception often a characters fatal flaw.
Oedipus Rex was written by Sophocles and first performed in around 428 BC.
Much of the legend takes place before the initial scene of the play. Oedipus, son of the King of Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, is left for dead as an infant after his parents cruelly order his death soon after learning from an oracle that the king of Laos would perish by the hand of his own child. Rather then being left for death a shepherd takes the child to King Polybus of Corinth, eventually many years later Oedipus learns of the oracle finding that he is finding that he is destined to “Mate with [his] own mother, and shed/ With [his] own hands the blood of [his] own sire,” Fearing this belief and under the misconception that the Polybus and his wife Merope are in fact his blood parents.
Fleeing Corinth Oedipus strays along the road to Thebes where he commits an act of murder and fulfilling the prediction of the oracle, he murders his father Laius out of pride after arguing about which wagon was to have the right-of-way on the path. Upon arriving in Thebes solves the riddle of the Sphinx correctly breaking the curse of the sphinx and freeing the kingdom he is offered Kingship and the hand of Queen Jocasta, fulfilling the prophecy of the oracle.
The play itself begins many years after Oedipus is given the throne of Thebes, with a chorus Thebans begging for salvation from the plague the gods sent to the kingdom in response to the murder of Laius. Ignorant to the fact that he himself has murdered his father Oedipus sends for the aid of the blind prophet Tiresias in the search for the murderer of Laius, urging him not to continue the search Oedipus then accuses the prophet of being the murderer. Upon finding out the truth of the murder Oedipus falls from great power, his wife and mother Jocasta flees and hangs herself. Oedipus then savagely blinds himself, and flees the kingdom of Thebes entrusting his children with Creon.
It is said that Oedipus’s attempts to overthrow the original prophecy leads to his great fall from power, that his misreading of the original prophecy leads to the characters punishments in their attempts to challenge their fates and in the end they meet their destined fates. Fate, an uncaring and fixed force that plays an evident role in these plays it neither rewards nor punishes the mortals involved it is in a state of incontrovertible existence no matter how hard individuals try to avoid it.
Hubris also plays a large role in the downfall of Oedipus Rex. Hubris refers to the actions taken to belittle an individual thus making one feel more superior. Oedipus’s hubris is a character flaw and the cause of his self destruction, a trait which was generally punishable by the gods. It is his Hubris that is responsible for Laius’ death on the road to Thebes, his thirst to feel powerful. Similarly, Jocasta and Laius’ own hubris play a role in their intended fates; they were to proud to allow such a prophecy to be fulfilled, allowing their child to be left for dead, ultimately leading to their initial fates.
Jocasta and Laius’ fate is also concealed by their inability to accept their moral responsibility and their roles as responsible parents. Their moral responsibility leads to their own individual suffering, through the neglect of their son and the role of their hubris in his “attempted” murder, they single handedly bring their own suffering upon themselves. Much like Oedipus who is completely unaware that the king and queen of Corinth are not his blood related parents, it is their inability to be honest with their son that ultimately aids his fall from power, ultimately leading to his need to be purified, cleansed from his sins, his need for catharsis.
The role of the gods in any given tragedy is one of the most important roles, the gods seek to punish the individuals who had tried to control their fates. They do not control the fates of individuals and cannot reserve the fates, or anyone.
Angels in America- helpful links!!
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/summary.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/canalysis.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/themes.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/angels/facts.html
Oedipus Rex- helpful links!!
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/canalysis.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/summary.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/themes.html
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/facts.html
Ok so i know it mightn't be much help but it also might be- this stuff helped me a lot tonight!! so goodluck everyone