26
How Can Someone Murder His How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story The tragic story behind behind Oedipus the King Oedipus the King

How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

How Can Someone Murder His How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother…Father and Marry His Mother…and Never Even Realize It???and Never Even Realize It???

The tragic story behindThe tragic story behind Oedipus the KingOedipus the King

Page 2: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Once upon a time, Laius, Once upon a time, Laius, the King of Thebes, married the King of Thebes, married Jocasta, but an oracle warned Jocasta, but an oracle warned them not to have a son, them not to have a son, because that son was fated to because that son was fated to kill his own father.kill his own father.

Page 3: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Laius, who wasn’t one for superstition, ignored the warning, and soon Jocasta had a baby boy.

Page 4: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

When the child was born, however, Laius remembered the oracle, and determined to get rid of his newborn son, pierced his ankles with brooches or spikes before giving him to a herdsman to throw him off Mount Cithaeron. The herdsman, however, couldn’t bring himself to kill the baby, so instead he abandoned him atop the mountain.

Page 5: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

A shepherd found the child and A shepherd found the child and brought him to Corinth, where brought him to Corinth, where the king of Corinth’s wife, the king of Corinth’s wife, Periboea, after healing his Periboea, after healing his ankles, adopted him and called ankles, adopted him and called him Oedipus, because of his him Oedipus, because of his swollen feet. swollen feet. I’ll Call I’ll Call

him him “Oedipu“Oedipus” which s” which means means

“swollen “swollen foot!”foot!”

Page 6: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Oedipus grew up in the court of King Polybus, his adopted father, whom he assumed to be his biological father. But when others began making fun of him for being so unlike his parents, he began to wonder about his true identity.

Page 7: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

He went to the oracle to ask He went to the oracle to ask about his true parents. The about his true parents. The Oracle told him:Oracle told him:

““Do NOT go back to your native Do NOT go back to your native land because you are fated to kill land because you are fated to kill your father and marry your your father and marry your mother!”mother!”

This really freaked Oedipus out, so This really freaked Oedipus out, so he decided never to return to he decided never to return to Corinth (thinking that was his Corinth (thinking that was his native land) so that he would not native land) so that he would not fulfill the prophesy. fulfill the prophesy.

Page 8: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

A Tragic Case of Road RageA Tragic Case of Road Rage

On his departure from the Oracle, On his departure from the Oracle, Oedipus was driving his chariot Oedipus was driving his chariot on a narrow road. on a narrow road.

Laius (Oedipus’s real father) was Laius (Oedipus’s real father) was driving the other way, and the driving the other way, and the king’s charioteer ordered Oedipus king’s charioteer ordered Oedipus to give way. to give way.

Oedipus refused, and the Oedipus refused, and the charioteer killed one of his charioteer killed one of his horses. Oedipus, in a rage, killed horses. Oedipus, in a rage, killed the charioteer and also Laius. the charioteer and also Laius.

Page 9: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

After Laius’ burial, After Laius’ burial, Jocasta’s brother, Creon, Jocasta’s brother, Creon, became the ruler of became the ruler of Thebes. Thebes.

During this rule, the During this rule, the Sphinx appeared, Sphinx appeared, destroying the Theban destroying the Theban fields and declaring that fields and declaring that she would not depart she would not depart unless someone unless someone interpreted the riddle interpreted the riddle that she proposed, and that she proposed, and that, in the meantime, that, in the meantime, she would eat and she would eat and destroy whoever failed to destroy whoever failed to give the correct answer. give the correct answer.

AnsweAnswer my r my

riddle riddle or I’ll or I’ll eat eat

you!!!you!!!

Page 10: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

She said, “Here’s a riddle for you…figure it

out!!”

““What has one What has one voice, is four-voice, is four-footed, three-footed, three-footed, and footed, and two-footed?”two-footed?”

Page 11: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

A Reward for IntelligenceA Reward for Intelligence

Many attempted to answer the Many attempted to answer the Sphinx’s riddle, because the reward Sphinx’s riddle, because the reward for a correct answer was great – for a correct answer was great – Creon promised to whoever could Creon promised to whoever could solve the riddle the kingdom of solve the riddle the kingdom of Thebes, and also his widowed sister, Thebes, and also his widowed sister, Jocasta, in marriage.Jocasta, in marriage.

Page 12: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Many men were Many men were eaten by the Sphinx eaten by the Sphinx for giving incorrect for giving incorrect answers to the answers to the riddle. However, riddle. However, Oedipus solved the Oedipus solved the riddle and the riddle and the Sphinx destroyed Sphinx destroyed herself, as promised. herself, as promised. Oedipus became the Oedipus became the King of Thebes, and King of Thebes, and married Jocasta (his married Jocasta (his biological mother). biological mother). Together they had 2 Together they had 2 daughters, Antigone daughters, Antigone and Ismene.and Ismene.

The Answer to the Riddle is….

A Man!!!

Page 13: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Years have passed since Oedipus killed his father and married his mother unknowingly, and the gods are not happy. A plague strikes the city, and the gods say that the city will not be spared until the corrupt thing is removed. Oedipus vows to find this corruption and once again save Thebes, but little does he know…the corruption is him.

I’ll drive out I’ll drive out the the

corruption corruption once and once and

for all – who for all – who is it?is it?

And now onto our play…

Page 14: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

DRAMATIC IRONYDRAMATIC IRONY

• A situation in which the audience A situation in which the audience knows something that the knows something that the character or characters do not. character or characters do not. EX: EX: In a scary movie, theIn a scary movie, the boogeyman is boogeyman is hiding in the attic, and the audience saw hiding in the attic, and the audience saw him go up there, but the victim did not. him go up there, but the victim did not.

Romeo and Juliet – Romeo and Juliet – The audienceThe audience knows knows Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo does Juliet is not really dead, but Romeo does not, so he kills himself.not, so he kills himself.

Page 15: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Irony in OedipusIrony in Oedipus

• Greeks knew the storyGreeks knew the story

• Adds a dimension to the experience.Adds a dimension to the experience.

• OedipusOedipus is the quintessence of is the quintessence of dramatic ironydramatic irony

• Look for examples of dramatic irony Look for examples of dramatic irony as we read as we read Oedipus the King Oedipus the King

Page 16: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

ThemesThemes - - the fundamental and often the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary universal ideas explored in a literary work.work.

•Knowledge vs. Ignorance•Free Will

Motifs Motifs - - recurring structures, recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text's help to develop and inform the text's major themes.major themes.

•Suicide

•Sight and Blindness

Page 17: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Character List

1. Oedipus – King of Thebes: protagonist and tragic hero of this classical tragedy; ruled by fate and conflict; impetuous and short-tempered.

Oedipus possesses the impulse and intelligence to unravel and solve every mystery. This trait leads him to seek truth and change his fate, defying the gods.

Page 18: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

2. Jocasta – Queen of Thebes; Oedipus’s birth mother and wife

3. Creon – Minister, uncle & brother-in-law of Oedipus

4. Tiresias – Old, blind prophet. The only man aware of the fact that Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother. Voice of wisdom, knowledge, and reverence.

Page 19: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Aristotle’s Tragic HeroAristotle’s Tragic Hero

• Comes from nobility or a high placeComes from nobility or a high place• Tragic Flaw--caused by a simple Tragic Flaw--caused by a simple

mistake or a character flaw-maybe mistake or a character flaw-maybe pride or pride or hubrishubris

• Undergoes a Reversal of Fortune Undergoes a Reversal of Fortune (fall from high to low)(fall from high to low)

• Recognizes his mistakes (in a Recognizes his mistakes (in a catharsis or purgation of pity and catharsis or purgation of pity and fear)fear)

Page 20: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

hamartia - a concept used by Aristotle to describe tragedy; the fall of a noble man caused by some excess or mistake in behavior, not because of a willful violation of the gods' laws. Also Known As: tragic flaw

Page 21: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Hubris - excessive pride, self-confidence, superciliousness, or arrogance, often resulting in fatal retribution.

In ancient Greece, hubris referred to actions which, intentionally or not, shamed and humiliated the victim, and frequently the perpetrator as well.

The word was also used to describe actions of those who challenged the gods or their laws, especially in Greek tragedy, resulting in the protagonist’s downfall.

Page 22: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Catharsis – a sudden emotional climax thatevokes overwhelming feelings of great sorrow,pity, laughter or any other extreme change inemotion, resulting in restoration, renewal andrevitalization in members of the audience.

Ex:

Page 23: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Deus ex machina (god from the machine) - the sudden appearance of an unexpected way out of a difficult situation. Playwrights used the divine intervention technique of deus ex machina in their tragedies. In Greek drama, a god would appear on the stage from a mechane to resolve the plot.

Page 24: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

Machana (or Machane) – a crane used in fifth century drama for hoisting

characters in the air , most often to

represent flight.

Page 25: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

What’s up with the masks?

Page 26: How Can Someone Murder His Father and Marry His Mother… and Never Even Realize It??? The tragic story behind Oedipus the King

The actors in Greek dramas wore masks because at most there were only 3 people to play every role (excluding the chorus). Thus, the actors wore masks to delineate which characters were on stage.

Also, Greek theaters were so large that someone sitting waaaayyyy up the hill would not see the expressions onstage, and therefore all of the costuming was literally larger than life and exaggerated.