1.) Who wrote the play? The play was written in 468 BCE, written by Sophocles, who wrote about 120 plays a nd 90 being of tragedies. He served as a priest in the cult of Asclepius, the god of healing. There are two other versions of the same play written by different authors.
2.) Briefly define the Oedipal Complex. The Oedipus Complex relates to emotions, the idea that the mind keeps in the unconscious, a dynamic repression, that concentrate on the boy's desire to sexually posses his mother and kill his father. Part of the physosexual develoment related to Frued (phallic stage).
3.) What is the setting of the story, specifically, the where? The story begins at the Royal Palace in Thebes, at the alter, during the daytime.
4.) As the play opens, what horrible thing is going on? A plague (people dying of disease) is happening, poverty, troubled times as the play opens. The riddle of the sphnix needs to be solved, which Oedipus does, and the sphnix threw itself over the cliff.
5.) Whose death must be avenged in order for the horrible thing from number 4 to end? The murderer of the King of Thebes, (really Oedipus father) needs to be punished by death, for all these things to stop. Oedipus himself, killed his father at the cross-roads.
6.) Who is Oedipus' wife? Oedipus's wife (his real mother) is Jocasta. The Queen Merope of Corinth and the King Polybus raised him as their son.
7.) Who is Oedipus' mother? Jocasta is also Oedipus' biological mother.
8.) Who is Oedipus' father? His biological father is the King of Thebes, Laius.
9.) Who killed the King of Thebes (the anser for #5)? The King of Thebes was killed by Oedipus; Oedipus, killed his own father and wed his mother, and lived in matrimony to bear children with her (I do not believe he knew this was his biological mother when they wed.)
10.) What is Oedipus' tragic flaw? Oedipus tragic flaw is that he is self-centered, and arrogant. He is not willing to admit to himself the defects, flaws that he himself has. And does not want the public to realize his true situation and that he is not worthy of being a King.
11.) As you read through Oedups, you'll note that sight/vision/seeing (including "second sight") is very important to the overall story--in the literal as well as the metaphorical/symbolical aspect. You don't have to do this in complete sentences if you don't want. The meaning of the story was hard to grasp, even after reading it more than once. The "second-sight" came when I re-read the story and started to put the pieces together. Sight and blindness can be used metaphorical/symbolical aspect in the way it was written, for example, "I see the truth", and "I see the way things are". If the truth is not favorable to the particular character, it is written in "blindness", or the underlying theme.
12.) Describe/discuss/explain/list how sight/vision/seeing"second sight" is/are used in the play to adcance the plot--to advance the story as a whole. Include an explanation of why it's important as well as how it helps you (the real audience) understand (get) what others on the stage and in the play don't understand. In Corinth, Oedipus seeks a Delphic oracle to help him see the truth, which also introduces the self-fulfilling prophecy. The prophet of Teiresias is blind, but sees the truth. Oedipus even though sighted does not see the truth.
13.) As a play, there's a lot that can and can not be done on the stage. Explain why you think some things within this play in particular are done on stage while others are done off stage. Some things on a one on one , or between particular people can be done on stage, therefore; when it involves the community it is done off-stage and narrative.
14.) Do you believe in fate: Explain fully your answer. Yes, I believe in fate. Think about the times when your "gut" told you not to do something. You followed this path and the outcome was positive, in harboring ill feelings, the truth will come out at sometime.
15.) Explain how fate plays a role in Oedipus. Oedipus knew his fate when killing the "person" at the crossroads, it was wrong and would come back to haunt him. Then when the truth cam out that he had killed his father, all the ill feelings he had voiced in an indirect way were true.
16.) Have you ever thought how ironic this play is? It's weird how the events come together and make everything happened the way it does. If things were to happen just a little bit different the story would be completely changed. Indeed, a interpretaton can lead to many misconceptions while reading this play. The outcome can and probably is for different each person reading the play. I, myself, had different thoughts each time I read the play.
The other two plays were: Oedipus at Colonus and Oedipus at Antidone.
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