Oedipus Rex Quotes And Critics

Front 1

Oedipus is described as an ... throughout the whole play - reveals corruption, evil, potential lack of justice

Back 1

"unclean thing"

Front 2

Disease imagery and physical forms of corruption is shown by Oedipus ... physical corruption suggests the metaphorical corruption of society

Back 2

"polluting our soil"

Front 3

Oedipus states ... - reveals his hubris and is ironic as he wasn't even aware of plague until they told him.

Back 3

"none suffers more than I"

Front 4

Chorus states ... - reveals the evil and darkness within the world - happiness can only be attained at death.

Back 4

"count no man happy till he dies"

Front 5

Tiresias mocks Oedipus by saying ... - reveals Oedipus' ignorance and hubris - also reveals the terrible state of affairs in society as ruling classes are oblivious to the crimes committed

Back 5

"how terrible to see the truth"

Front 6

Jocasta leaves the stage for the last time saying ... - reveals her despair with Oedipus - also reveals the potential lack of justice and evil of gods.

Back 6

"O lost and damned!"

Front 7

Tiresias says to the entire court ... - reveals the social anarchy of the time - kings were hated and viewed as tyrants - Greece was becoming a democracy

Back 7

"You are all deluded"

Front 8

Tiresias reveals the irony between him and Oedipus by posing the question

Back 8

"Have you eyes and do not see your own damnation?"

Front 9

Jocasta mocks the gods with the question ... - awful crime to do within Ancient Greek culture as there is nothing worse than mocking the gods within their society.

Back 9

"Where are you now?"

Front 10

Jocasta returns on stage when Oedipus is distressed and states ... - reveals the maternal relationship she has with him - highly ironic.

Back 10

"The king is over-wrought"

Front 11

The stage actions of Jocasta being ... reveals her horror when she realises the truth.

Back 11

"(white with terror)"

Front 12

The chorus state towards the end of the play ... - reveals the awful state in which the play is in with the characters - role of chorus.

Back 12

"Blind in the darkness. Blind."

Front 13

Messenger poses this question towards the end of the play - challenges the concepts of justice and the nature of the gods.

Back 13

"Was happiness earned with justice?"

Front 14

Creon gives this instruction to Oedipus at the end of the play - symbolises the end of Oedipus' rule and the complete downfall he has had.

Back 14

"Command no more. Obey."

Front 15

Dodds describe the play as being ... (Links into a key theme)

Back 15

"a tragedy of destiny."

Front 16

Dodds says that we ... - (revolves around the idea of pointlessness)

Back 16

"must understand the nihilism in the play."

Front 17

Fergusson states that Oedipus is a ... - reveals the cruelty of Gods and lack of free will

Back 17

"ritualistic scapegoat"

Front 18

Freud describes the play as being ... - describes it as so because the gods seemingly advocate incest and patricide

Back 18

"immoral"

Front 19

Bloom states that the ... - challenges this aspect of Oedipus because he is too controlled in his scheming and nature for this to be the case.

Back 19

"tragic flaw is uncertain"

Front 20

Tiresias threatens Oedipus by saying ... - reveals cruelty, lack of social order, potential lack of justice

Back 20

"no man will ever be rooted from the earth as brutally as you"

Front 21

The chorus states that... - reveals the strong nature of the tragic flaw.

Back 21

"pride breeds the tyrant"

Front 22

Oedipus states this about the guilty individuals who murdered Laius (before knowing) has strong plague imagery and links to decay, evil, truth

Back 22

"Let no crops grow out of the earth for them"