1. Oedipus the king By Sophocles 1

2. Setting of the Drama The drama is set in the Greek city of Thebes. Oedipus has solved the riddle of the Sphinx and has been king of Thebes for several years. When Oedipus arrived at Thebes, years earlier, The Sphinx, who guarded the cities gates set him a riddle. He was asked,who walks on four feet in the morning, two feet in the afternoon and three feet in the evening? Oedipus replied “Man”. In the morning, the child crawls on four feet. As a man (afternoon) he walks on two feet. In the evening he uses a walking stick as an old man, (three feet). When Oedipus solved the Sphinx’s riddle the creature hurled herself down a mountain and died. The city was saved from her curse. However now, (as the drama opens), a plague has struck the city of Thebes. A cohort of priests are processing before a stone altar in front of the palace. They are laying branches wrapped in wool before the altars. They are praying to the Gods to end the disaster. Oedipus arrives on stage with his tell-tale limp. He saved the city before when he rid them of the Sphinx and is determined to do so again. 2

3. Characters Oedipus – King of Thebes A Priest of Zeus Jocasta - Queen of Thebes and wife of Oedipus Creon - Brother of Jocasta Chorus – of Theban citizens and their leader A Messenger from Corinth A Shepherd A messenger from inside the palace Antigone, Ismene – daughters of Oedipus and Ismene 3

4. Introduction Oedipus appears before the priests of Thebes and asks: “why are you here huddled at my Altars” L2. He declares, “our city reeks with the smoke of burning incense, rings with cries for a healer and wailing for the dead” L5. Oedipus asks the priest to “speak”, declaring he is ready to “help, I’ll do anything”. He promises to aid those people kneeling at his feet. The priest tells Oedipus that men of “all ages” have come before the altars, young and old, and the “holy ones”. They come to pray to Athena and Apollo, because, “Thebes is dying”. Crops have failed, animals are dying, women die giving birth, children are stillborn and a “raging plaque” is “devastating the city”. The priest tells Oedipus that they have come before their king, “we do rate you first among men” L41. Because Oedipus had saved the city before from the sphinx. The priest hopes that he will do so again, “Oh raise up our city, set us on our feet” L63. He is implored to rule the land “of the living, not a wasteland”. 4

5. Oedipus and Creon Oedipus declares to his priests, “I pity you”. He says he is also “sick” and “my spirit grieves for the city” L75. He tells them, after a “painful search, I found a cure, I acted at once” L80. He has sent Creon, his brother in law, to Delphi (Apollo’s sacred oracle) “to learn what I might do to save the city” L84. Oedipus wonders where Creon is, “he’s late, he’s gone too long” L86. The priest then notes that he has spotted Creon. The priest says that he is “crowned” with a laurel wreath, “bright with berries”. Creon arrives and Oedipus asks him, “what were the god’s words”. Creon asks Oedipus does he want his report in the presence of the people or “might we go inside” L103. But he is asked to speak out. Creon tells Oedipus that the oracle commanded him to “drive the corruption from the land..root it out” L107. Oedipus wonders how to do this. “What’s the source of the trouble”? Creon informs Oedipus that a “murder” has caused the plague. Specifically the murder of Lauis, the previous king of Thebes. Ironically Oedipus says he knew of Lauis’ death but he “never saw the man myself” L118. Creon tells Oedipus that the priest of Apollo instructed him to “pay the killers back- whoever is responsible” L121. 5

6. Oedipus and Creon Creon tells Oedipus that the killer of Lauis is “here in Thebes”. Oedipus wants to know where “Lauis meet his bloody death” L128. Creon says that Lauis went out to consult the Oracle –but never came home again. Oedipus asks was some one cross- examined after this murder. Creon informed him that “they were all killed” but one. The survivor said that thieves attacked them and the whole band and “cut Laius down” L138. Oedipus asks did “conspirators” pay the thief to kill the king? Creon replies that they thought about this, but “no leader appeared to help us in our troubles” L143. Creon informs Oedipus that “the riddling Sphinx persuaded us to let the mystery go” L147. This stopped them from “tracking down the killer”. Oedipus declares that he is going to start the investigation again. “I’ll bring all to light” L250. He says to the priests that he will “rid the corruption” adding “now you have me to fight for you”. Oedipus asks the priests to get up and bring their branches with them. Oedipus and Creon go inside the palace. The priests exit the scene. Its leader finish the scene by praying, “Apollo, save us, stop the plague” L167. 6

7. Oedipus and Tiresias The Chorus prompt Oedipus to send for Tiresias, the blind prophet of Apollo. Oedipus replies that he has already sent escorts to fetch him. His wisdom is necessary, as the leader of the Chorus declares, “without him we have nothing but old, useless rumours” L329. Tiresias arrives on stage. Oedipus greets him, declaring that he is sure to find the sickness that haunts the city. He is “the one saviour we can find”. Oedipus informs the prophet that the oracle has insisted, “relief from the plague can only come one way, put them [the killers] to death or drive them into exile” L350. Oedipus begs the prophet to save the city “we are in your hands”. Tiresias says “How terrible- to see the truth, when the truth is only pain to him who sees” L360. Oedipus fails to understand this “dire” and “grim” reply. Tiresias asks to be “sent home”. Oedipus finds this response, “strange..unfriendly”, especially since Tiresias is a native of the city. Oedipus ask the prophet not to go away, “not if you know something”. Tiresias declares, “I will never reveal my dreadful secrets”. Oedipus thinks he is “betraying.. destroying Thebes”. He knows something, but he won't tell the citizens L376. The prophet informs Oedipus that he does not want “pain for you or me”. “You’ll get nothing from me.” Oedipus calling the old man “scum of the earth”, and demands: “out with it for once and for all”. 7

8. Oedipus and Tiresias The God Apollo, whose oracle resided at Delphi Tiresias also was one of his prophets Tiresias says that Oedipus is “unaware of the one you, live with” (i.e. Jocasta) and adds “you revile me” L385. Oedipus finds this statement an “outrage”. Tiresias tells Oedipus, “I will say no more. Do as you like, build your anger to whatever pitch you please” L393. Oedipus accuses Tiresias of helping to hatch the plot, (to kill Laius). “You did the work, short of killing him with your own hands” L395. Tiresias replies to him, “You are the curse, the corruption of the land” L400. The king finds this accusation shameless, “aren’t you appalled to start up with such a story.” The prophet tells Oedipus that nobody “primed” him to say what he said, except Oedipus himself: “you forced me, twisted it out of me” L407. Tiresias repeats to Oedipus, “you are the murderer you hunt”…you and your loved ones “live together in infamy, you cannot see how far you’ve gone in guilt” L418. 8

9. Oedipus and Tiresias Oedipus, who is furious by now, wonders if the old man has lost his powers, “stone- blind, stone-deaf”. Tiresias pities the king, who “flings insults at him”, adding, “each man here will fling at you, (Oedipus) soon” L422. Oedipus replies, “You can’t hurt me, you can never touch me” L425. Oedipus wonders if Creon is behind the conspiracy, but is told, “Creon is not your downfall, no, you are your own. Oedipus delivers a long rant. He is convinced Creon, “his friend”, is “hungry to overpower me” and has sent the prophet to peddle lies at him. Tiresias is called a “pious fraud”. He did nothing for the city when it was under the curse of the sphinx. “where were you, did you rise to the crises” L450. Oedipus warns Tiresias, you and your great mastermind, (Creon) will pay for this. The Leader of the Chorus checks Oedipus at this point and tells the prophet, “his words were spoken in anger” and ask for the riddle of the Gods to be solved. Tiresias tells them that “I serve Apollo, I don’t need Creon to speak for me in public” L468. Oedipus with his “precious eyes is” is blind to the corruption to his own life. he will find out about his life, his “marriage” and a “crowd of other horrors you’d never dream” L485. 9

10. Tiresias Oedipus orders Tiresias out of the city. “Enough, such filth from him? Insufferable” L490. The prophet reminds Oedipus that he came only because he was asked to by the king. Tiresias says that Oedipus’ parents found him “sane” enough. When Oedipus finds out about his parents. Tiresias declares: that day will bring about his destruction. Tiresias asks the boy, his guide to take him home. Tiresias concludes by saying that the “murderer of Laius is here”. Moreover he is a native Theban, not a stranger, This man “blind who now has eyes.. will grope toward a foreign soil, a stick tapping before him step by step” L515. Directing this statement to Oedipus, the prophet concludes, “revealed at last..to his mother [and] son and husband both,…..he (Oedipus) spilled his father blood” L524. 10

11. Creon and Oedipus Creon comes on stage demanding to know why, “King Oedipus levels terrible charges at me”! L572. Creon says that he “had to come”. He declares his innocence, saying if he ever slighted the king or injured him he would have “no desire to linger out this life, my reputation in ruins” L577. He exclaims, there is nothing worse than being branded a traitor. The Chorus declare that Oedipus might have had this “slur” forced out of him by anger, rather than “firm conviction”. Creon replies, “the charge was made in public..I put the prophet up to spreading lies” L588. The leader of the Chorus agree that it was made publically, but adds, “I don’t know with what intent if any”. Creon asks them was “his mind right” when the charges were made! Oedipus arrives: he says to Creon: “you have the gall to show your face..you plotting to kill me….scheming to steal my crown and power” L599. Oedipus tells him he is a fool for thinking he was going to get away with his treachery undetected. “Aren’t you the fool, you and your high adventures” L604. Creon ask Oedipus to “listen” and to “hear me out then judge me on the facts” L609. Oedipus replies that Creon has a wicked way with words and he finds him a menace and a “great burden” to him. Oedipus ironically says to creon, “if the two of you, (Creon and Tiresias) had never put your heads together, we would never have heard about my killing of Lauis” L640. 11

12. Creon and Oedipus Oedipus says that Creon “will never convict” him of murder. He reminds Oedipus that he is married to his sister, (Jocasta). He then asks Oedipus to “see things calmly, rationally” L652. Creon declares he is not interested in the burden of kingship, “who in his right mind would rather rule and live in anxiety, than sleep in peace”. Oedipus has offered him all he needs. Wearing the crown would only mean “many painful duties to perform, hardly to my taste” L667. He says he has already the privilege and influence he desires without having to be king. Creon notes that he is popular too, “many sing my praises, all salute me”. Why give this up and “barrow trouble”? Creon admits, he has no lust for conspiracy and would never resort to treason. He tells Oedipus to go to Delphi and the examine the oracle, to find out if he has reported “the message word for word”. Having done this, if there is proof that he and Tiresias “have plotted anything in common, arrest me, execute me” L680. Finally Creon asks Oedipus not to convict him without proof. “But reject a kinsman, (brother in law), I would as soon tear out this life within us, priceless life itself”. L686 – Creon says to Oedipus The Chorus agree that “this is good advice”. “Those jumping to conclusions may go wrong” 12

13. Oedipus and Creon Oedipus seems to reject their advice. “When my enemy moves against me quickly, plots in secret…I plot and pay him back” L695. Creon asks Oedipus, “what do you want, you want me banished” – Oedipus responds, no “I want you dead” Creon thinks Oedipus has become, “insane”. Oedipus assures him that he quite sane and calls Creon, “my mortal enemy”. “What if your wholly wrong” asks Creon, “no matter I must rule” replies Oedipus. “Not if you rule unjustly” exclaims Creon, who also reminds the king that Thebes is his city too, “not yours alone”. Jocasta now arrives on stage, and the leader of the Chorus hopes that, “with her help” she will put this fight, “to rest” L709. 13

14. Jocasta with the Chorus Jocasta comes on stage, demanding to know what all the shouting was about, there was surely enough problems without the pair of them stirring up a private quarrel. Oedipus is told to go into the palace and Creon is ordered home. Creon tells his sister that Oedipus wants him banished or dead. Oedipus retorts, that this was for, “plotting, about to stab me in the back” L717. Jocasta begs Oedipus to believe, Creon would never do that, “do it for me, for the sake of your people”. The chorus also implore Oedipus to “believe it, be sensible, give way” L725. They remind Oedipus that Creon is “your friend, your kin” and not to brand his guilt “on the strength of hearsay only” L730 14

15. Jocasta Oedipus agrees to let Creon go, moved by the words of the Chorus whom he pities. As for Creon, he says where ever he goes, “my hate goes with him” L745. Creon departs declaring to Oedipus: “You’re wrong, so wrong. These men know I’m right”. Jocasta asks the Chorus to tell her what happened. They are reluctant to do so, “the land so racked already”. Jocasta turns to Oedipus who explains to her, “Creon’s to blame, Creon schemes against me” L773. Creon accused Oedipus of murdering Laius, and moreover sent in Tiresias to “do the dirty work”. Jocasta begins to tell Oedipus about an oracle given to Lauis years earlier. He was told that a son would kill him. But Laius was killed by thieves “at a place where the three roads meet”. When Lauis’ son was three days old he had his ankles fastened and a henchmen brought him to a barren mountain. Jocasta declares: “there you see Apollo brought neither things to pass. My baby no more murdered Laius his father, than Lauis suffered his worst fears, death at his own sons hand” L795. Jocasta asks Oedipus to brush these ideas from his mind. Oedipus broods for a moment – and asks Jocasta to describe what happened to Laius at the meeting place of the three roads. He asks how and when this death occurred. Jocasta explains that Lauis died at a place where two branching roads meet, one from Daulia, one from Delphi, come together – a cross roads. “The heralds no sooner reported Lauis dead, than you appeared and they hailed you king of Thebes” L812. 15

16. The Death of Lauis “My god, my god what have you planned to do to me” L814. Jocasta wants to know what has startled her husband, but is told, “Not yet”. Jocasta describes Lauis for Oedipus: he was swarthy, and “the grey had just begun to streak his temples” His build was similar to Oedipus’. When he hears this the king says “I think I’ve just called down a dreadful curse on myself” adding to Jocasta, “I’ve a terrible fear the blind seer can see” L823. Jocasta says that Laius travelled on a single wagon with a party of five men and a herald. There was one servant who reached home, “a lone survivor”. When this only survivor saw Oedipus on the throne, he pleaded with Jocasta to let him go away from the city, and go to the hinterlands. Oedipus wants to know if this man could be brought back. Oedipus tells Jocasta about his background: He was brought up in Corinth, his father was Polybus and his mother Merope. One day at a banquet, one drunken man said to him that he was not his father’s son. When he questioned his “parents” about this accusation they were enraged with the fool who said this. However the whole thing kept, “gnawing at him”. Unknown to his parents Oedipus went to Delphi. Apollo sent him away with a more disastrous prophecy: “you are fated to couple with your mother, you will bring a breed of children into the light no man can bear to see. You will kill your father the one who gave your life” L870-875. 16

17. The death of Lauis A Greek statue of Laius as a young man When Oedipus heard this dire prophecy, he fled Delphi. He avoided going to Corinth, (his home!). As he was “running” away from Corinth, he reached the very spot where Lauis met his death. As Oedipus made his way to the “triple crossroads” he saw a herald and a colt drawing a wagon. Mounted on top of this was a man, just as Jocasta described earlier. The old man and his leading attendant were about to “thrust me off the road”. The driver shouldered him aside. Oedipus struck this man down. “The old man, (Laius) watching me, he brings down his prod, two prongs on my head. I paid him back with interest… with one blow of the staff… I knocked him out of his seat….I killed them all” L890-895. Oedipus says to Jocasta, “I’ve touched your body with these hands that killed your husband, cover you with blood”. 17

18. Lauis Oedipus declares that he is an “abomination” and asks to be exiled. At this point Oedipus still thinks he is the son of Ploybus and Merope of Corinth. The Chorus ask Oedipus to take “hope” at least until he has questioned the witness to Lauis’ death. Oedipus tells Jocasta that if the messengers story matches Jocasta’s, he “has escaped the worst”. Jocasta explains that if the messenger agrees that it was “thieves” who killed Lauis, then he could not be the killer. However if only one killer is mentioned then, “I, (Oedipus) am guilty” L935. Either way, Jocasta explains, if the killer is one or many, the oracles prophecy cannot be true. It was forecasted that “my son was doomed to kill my husband.. My son he never had a chance to kill his father. They destroyed him first” L945. Jocasta concludes, “so much for prophecy” The servant, who witnessed the death of Lauis is sent for. Oedipus and Jocasta go into the palace. 18

19. Oedipus – So far…. Questions Lines 1-174 1. What does the priest say to Oedipus? 2. What qualities do we immediately see in Oedipus? 3. What news does Creon bring from Delphi? Lines 175-224 4. What is the mood of the chorus upon its entrance? What appeals do they make? Lines 225-515 5. In what ways does Oedipus criticize his subjects? 6. What initial signs of rashness do we see in Oedipus?

20. Oedipus – So far…. Questions Lines 225-515 7. What seems to be Tiresias’ philosophical attitude? 8. What false conclusions does Oedipus reach as a result of his quarrel with Tiresias? Lines 566-932 9. How does Jocasta attempt to refute Tiresias’ allegation? 10. How does Jocasta’s attempt to soothe Oedipus backfire? 11. What does Oedipus tell of his own past to Jocasta?

21. A messenger from Corinth Jocasta reappears on stage with a branch offering to the gods. “So I turn to you Apollo, I come with prayers and offerings”. She is praying to be set free from any defilement L1009. A stranger comes along requesting directions to Oedipus’ palace. The Chorus tell him that he is there, that Oedipus is inside and Jocasta, his wife, is present before him. Jocasta asks the messenger, “have you brought news”. The messenger replies that he has brought, “wonderful news”. He has come from Corinth – the citizens of the city want to make Oedipus king. Polybus has died, “Death has got him in the tomb” L1032 Jocasta asks a servant to fetch Oedipus and adds, “You prophecies of the gods, where are you now”. Polybus was the man Oedipus feared for years, he fled, not to kill him, but now the old king died a natural death, “not murdered by his son” L1040. Oedipus comes on stage and is told, that his “father” Polybus is dead. The messenger confirms this. Old age and sickness brought about the death of the king. Oedipus asks, “why look to the prophets hearth..why scan the birds”. Polybus is dead, but Oedipus is in Thebes. As for the prophecies Oedipus “feared” with the death of the old king they are “nothing, worthless” L1063. 21

22. The messenger from Corinth Oedipus then worries about the other side of the prophecy, “my mothers bed, surely I must fear”. Jocasta says that chance rules our lives, it is better to live at “random as best we can”. Oedipus replies, “I fear her, (his mother)-she still lives”. The messenger wonders who is the woman Oedipus fears and he is told that Oedipus fears Merope. The messenger wants to know why Oedipus fears Merope, and he is told about the prophecy, “I must make love with my own mother, shed my fathers blood”. This is what kept him out of Corinth. He did not want to kill his father. The messenger invites Oedipus back home to Corinth-he tells him he has nothing to fear. Oedipus is told that “Polybus was nothing to you..not your blood” L1112. The messenger tells Oedipus that he was a “gift”, from the messengers own hands. Merope had no child –the messenger “stumbled” on Oedipus when he was on Mt. Cithaeron. He was grazing sheep. He tells Oedipus that his ankles were pinned together. Oedipus agrees that he had this affliction from birth and indeed got his name from that misfortune. 22

23. The Messenger The Messenger from Corinth tells Oedipus that the person who gave the baby to him, which he brought to Corinth, “would know more”. This shepherd “passed” Oedipus on to him. This shepherd was a servant of Laius. This herdsman “was his (Laius’) man”. Oedipus wonders who this shepherd is and can he be found? The Chorus tell Oedipus “ I think he’s the very shepherd you wanted to see a moment ago” L1153. Jocasta asks Oedipus not to give this nonsense “another thought”. Oedipus refuses to give up, “what give up now, with a clue like this? Fail to solve the mystery of my birth, not for all the world”. Jocasta implores her husband, to stop, “in the name of god..call off this search”. “I beg you don’t do this”. L1163 Oedipus replies, “I must know it all, must see the truth at last”. Jocasta (becoming more hysterical) pleads she, “want the best for you…your doomed may you never fathom who you are” L1172 Jocasta runs off stage back into the palace 23

24. The Shepherd The Shepherd reluctantly comes onstage. He says he served Lauis, “born and reared in the palace”. He explained he grazed flocks, sometimes around Mt Cithaeron. Oedipus asks the shepherd, did he ever meet the messenger from Corinth before? He replies, “my memory is bad” The messenger from Corinth says that they grazed flocks together on Mt Cithaeron- they “spent three seasons, six month at a stretch”. He adds “you gave me a boy back then.. A little fellow to rear, my very own” The shepherd says, “Damn you, shut your mouth-quiet. He tells Oedipus that the messenger is “talking nonsense, wasting his breath”. Oedipus asks the guards to torture the shepherd – his arms are twisted. 24

25. The Shepherd Under torture, the shepherd says he did give the boy to the messenger from Corinth. Oedipus asks whose house the child came from, the shepherd begs, “master no more questions”. The king tells him he is dead unless he answers the question. “The child came from Lauis’ house”. This child was Lauis’ son. The one inside, your wife, “she’d tell it best” L1290. It was his wife that gave him the baby, “to kill it”. She was afraid of “frightening prophecies”. They said the baby would kill his parents. The shepherd said he pitied the baby and gave him to the shepherd from Corinth, “hoping he’d take him off to his own country far away” L1302. After hearing this Oedipus says, “O god all come true, all burst to light.. Cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands” L1310. Oedipus exits. A messenger comes from the palace. He informs the Chorus “the queen is dead” The queen rushed to her quarters, hysterically tearing at her hair, slamming the doors of her chamber behind her, weeping and moaning about all the revelations that had been unearthed. 25

26. The death of Jocasta “Suddenly”, the messenger says, Oedipus rushed in, screaming at the servants. He asked for a sword, he was raging, he then unbolted the doors and crashed through Jocastas chamber. There he saw “the woman hanging by the neck”, spinning and swaying back and forth. Oedipus “wrenching sobs that broke our hearths” slipped the halter from her throat and eased her down. What came next, “what horror we beheld”. Oedipus ripped of the brooches, the pins of her robes, and uses them to dig out the eyes from his sockets, screaming, “you will see no more pain I suffered, all the pain I caused, too long you looked at the ones you should never have seen”. L1408. Oedipus can be heard shouting off stage, asking for the bolts of the palace door to be loosened. The messenger states, “now he’ll tear himself from his native earth, not linger” The doors open and Oedipus comes on stage blinded and led by a boy. “the agony, I am agony, Where am I going, What on earth”! 26

27. The Conclusion Oedipus acknowledges the support of the Chorus, Dear friends, still here? Standing by me, still with a care for me the blind man. Such compassion, loyal to the last” L1458-60. The Chorus wonder what superhuman power drove him on, (to blind himself). Oedipus replies Apollo “ordained” his agonies, but his own hands did the damage. What good are his eyes Oedipus declares, “nothing I could see could bring me joy” L1470. Oedipus asks to be cast away, taken far way from Thebes. He curses the man who cut the pins of his ankle and saved him from death “if I’d died then, I’d never have dragged myself, my loved ones through such hell” L1486. “Now Loathed by the Gods, son of a mother I defiled, coupling in my father’s bed”. Oedipus wonders how he can look at his mother and father when he goes “down to death”. How can he look on his children etc, calling himself a curse. Now that Oedipus has exposed his guilt, he wants to lock up his loathsome body like a prison –wanting to block all sound and sight. Oedipus continues to regret the day Mt Cithaeron gave him shelter, regrets the day Polybus of Corinth raised him, regrets what happened at the triple roads, “the blackest things a man can do, I have done them all” L1540. The leader of the Chorus says that Creon is coming –Oedipus should put a request to him because he will have a plan, “he’ll act”. Oedipus however does not think he can win Creon’s trust. “I wronged him so”. 27

28. Conclusion Creon comes on stage and announces that he has not come to mock Oedipus, “or criticize him for former failings” L1556. He asks a guard to take Oedipus inside, it is sacrileges to “expose a thing of guilt, (Oedipus) and holy dread so great it appals the earth, the rain from heaven, even the light of day” L1563. Oedipus asks Creon to “drive him from the land”. Creon says he would have done that already, but first he wanted the god to “clarify my duties”. Oedipus replies that the god made his intentions clear, “death for the father killer”. But Creon’s says in such a crises, “it’s better to ask precisely what to do”. Oedipus asks Creon to bury, “the woman inside” (Jocasta). He asks never to be let into the city again, but to be sent to Mt Cithaeron: “let me die there where they tried to kill me” L1592. Oedipus has no fear for the well being of his sons, “They’re men..they’ll find means to live”. However he asks Creon to take care of his girls and also asks Creon to allow him to “hold them just once”. Creon allows him to meet the girls, he says to Oedipus, “I know the joy they gave you all these years, the joy you must feel now” L1619 Oedipus says, “Bless you Creon, may god watch over your kindness”. 28

29. Conclusion Oedipus stretches out his hands groping for his daughters. He weeps for their future, they too will be burdened by the curse of their parents, such disgrace, you must bear it all, who will marry you then, not a man on earth” L1641. Oedipus begs Creon not to let them go begging, “Abandoned women without men”.. Pity them. Oedipus says that Creon is their only hope. He instructs his children to “pray god you find a better life than mine, the father who begot you” L1660. Creon orders Oedipus into the palace, Oedipus once again asks to be driven from Thebes. Creon says that “only the gods can give him that” he will not do it. Creon asks Oedipus to let go of the children – they are brought through the palace doors. Creon and Oedipus exit into the palace. 29

30. The Role of the Chorus At the beginning of the drama, when we first meet the Chorus, they pray to a plethora of Gods to save Thebes. They tell the gods that Thebes is suffering and dying. They implore Apollo, and Artemis to end the miseries of the city L170-240. The Chorus are pious, god fearing, religious. They invoke prayers and blessing on the city. When Tiresias accuses the king of being the corruption and the cause of the plaque, they are reluctant to accept the prophets word and side with Oedipus, “no not until I see these charges proved will I side with the accusers”. “never will I convict the king, ever in my heart” L572. They are clearly supportive of Oedipus. When Creon arrives on stage to confront Oedipus, about treason the leader of the Chorus declares that Oedipus’ slur was “forced out of him by anger” rather than by conviction. They are willing to defend Oedipus. 30

31. The Chorus 31 When Oedipus wishes to address the citizens, he directs his speech to the Chorus L245-310. Here he demands the murder of Luis to come forward. The Chorus become a conduit for Oedipus to speak his mind and address the citizens of Thebes directly. This a clever stage devise, because it also draws the audience into the action. When Creon defends himself against the charges of conspiracy, and argues his case rationally the Chorus urge Oedipus not to jump to conclusions: “those who jump to conclusions may go wrong” L692. When the truth comes out about Oedipus’ crimes the Chorus comment on this revelation, “but now for all your power time, all seeing time has dragged you into the light, judged your marriage monstrous from the star” they declare that all this news has “ brought down night upon my eyes” L1350. The Chorus are not at all happy to hear that the dreadful prophecy has come true. They take no delight in the sufferings of Oedipus. Towards the end of the play they declare that they had wished Oedipus had never known so much: “Pitiful, you suffer so, you understand so much, I wish you had never known”. They clearly have compassion for Oedipus, in spite of his dreadful crimes. It is the Chorus who tell Oedipus to consult Creon about what is to happen him now in light of all the dreadful discoveries he had made, “Put your request to Creon” L1550. The Chorus conclude the drama –they have the final say, and they largely sum up what has happened and reflect on how events have unfolded. Oedipus was once a man of great power, “who could behold his greatness without envy,but now what a black sea of terror has overwhelmed him, (Oedipus). Now as we keep watch and wait the final day, count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last”. They reflect on Oedipus’ fall from grace The Chorus then plays many roles in this drama. They support Oedipus, do not condemn him when his crimes come to light, pity him, have compassion, give him advise and tell him to restrain his anger. They are also pious and god fearing. They sum up and comment on the events in the final lines of the play.