1. Oedipus Act 1
Important stuff

2. 3 unities - Aristotle’s thing
Sophocles borrowed the idea from Aristotle
Three unities of drama: The perfect trifecta of drama, if you will
Single plot - Find the murderer
Single place - Thebes (in front of the palace)
Single day - All happens the same day

3. What is going on in the beginning?
The priest addresses Oedipus telling him what is happening
“Bloody surf”
Blight on the fruitful plants
Blight on the catle
Blight on the women
Pestilence = Plague
What does all of this mean??

4. Motif BLINDNESS VS. SIGHT
Line “I would be blind to misery not to pity my people” - Oedipus

5. Tragic Flaw - Hubris Line 7 - “I Oedipus whom all men call the Great”
Line We have not come as suppliants to this altar because we thought of you as a God, but rather judging you the first of men in all the chances of this life and when we mortals have to do with more than man.”
Line Priest is flattering Oedipus and reminding him why his people have such faith in him

6. Oedipus makes it about himself
Line I know you are all sick, yet there is not one of you...that is as sick as myself.

7. Creon Drive out the pollution from our land What pollution? MURDER!!!!
Creon mentions King Liaus (first time)
It is true that Oedipus never knew him but has heard of him - he was well loved

8. Creon’s retelling of Liaus’ murder
THIEVES - line
One lone survivor
Notice the question following - what difference does Oedipus make???
Foreshadow much???
Why didn’t they look for the murderer?
The Sphinx

9. Oh look, Oedipus makes it about him again
Line I will not serve a distant friend’s advantage, but act in my own interest
Line “I will bring this to light again” - Inciting Incident

10. Stop and look at the Chorus
The role of the chorus - The chorus plays a very important role in Greek theatre
They fill in the holes, remind you of what is happening, and tell you what you should be thinking/feeling

11. Oedipus does something bad/dumb
Line Oedipus kind of makes himself equal to the gods……..
He says pray to me, not the gods
If you are hiding the murderer
Line
Oedipus’ decree on the murderer
Leave the land
Live in misery for the rest of forever and meets a miserable doom
Irony - Line Double curses himself

12. More Irony - Oedipus doesn’t even know what he is saying
Line
I fight in his defense as for my father

13. And what happens if you choose not to obey Oedipus?
Line
He curses them
He says they should have been doing this all along, and since they weren’t he curses them

14. Teiresias - The blind Prophet
There are so many mentions of the motif in this scene that I am not going to write them here...you will just have to follow along
Oedipus recognizes Teiresias’ importance - line
Teiresias will not give Oedipus what he wants
This is not something that normally happened
As the king, you do what he says
Line The wisdom he has will only bring pain
Why doesn’t Teiresias want to tell Oedipus the info???
What happens if you accuse the king of being a murderer??

15. The many burns of Teiresias and the one of Oedipus
Also look at all the Motif here!!
Line Teiresias is making fun of Oedipus not thinking before he speaks
Line Oedipus is blind to his own faults and his temper isn’t helping
Line Foreshadowing
Line all of it
Line lol... mockery
Foreshadow - Line
The one burn of Oedipus
Haha you’re blind - the irony here of course is….

16. THEME
Fate vs. Freewill - line

17. Oedipus’ accusations
Accuses Creon of hiring Teiresias to make Oedipus look bad
Oedipus really thinks Creon wants his crown

18. That Pride Though
Line I did it all without the help of a prophet

19. Chorus - one more time Line 583-591
The chorus supports Oedipus and will not believe anything against him until proof is provided