Week 7 Blog Question
1. Reflection
Use some of the ideas that might come up in this week's discussion to help you with this: write an obituary for Oedipus from the point of view of a citizen of Thebes. Remember that the play is called "Oedipus the King" (not Oedipus, the guy who killed his father and slept with his mother). You will need, as well, to do a little googling (or check in the links I've provided) to find out what happened to him later.
Oedipus the King, born in Thebes, died in the city of Colonus due to the acts of self mutilation. When the Thebans heard that Oedipus had solved the riddle and got ridded of the monster that had troubled their land, Creon gave the kingship to the young hero and unwittingly married his sister Jocasta to her own son. Jocasta became mother of Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone and Ismene. Oedipus and Jocasta realised that fulfilment of the horrible oracle had occurred. To his horror, Oedipus realised that he had killed his father and married his mother. Unable to deal with it, Jocasta hanged herself, while Oedipus put out his own eyes. He leaves behind the most important people in his life, his loving children. Oedipus was known as a wise and just king.
What happened to him later?
First, Oedipus was thrown out of Thebes - but his daughter Antigone went with him to help and guide him. (This is the subject of Sophocles' third play - Oedipus at Colonus - which he wrote at the end of his life when he was over 90 in 401BC). Oedipus was forced to keep on travelling, because nowhere wanted to be polluted by having his body buried in their soil. There is another oracle - Oedipus believes he must die at a place called Colonus - in Athenian territory. The locals want to get rid of him, but he refuses to budge, and appeals to the king of Athens, Theseus. Theseus promises to help him and allow his body to be buried at Colonus - where his spirit will protect Athens.
At this point Oedipus' other daughter - Ismene - arrives with terrible news. Oedipus' two sons, Eteoclesand Polynices have quarrelled over who is to rule Thebes, and Polynices has left home - to find help and support for his claim to the throne. He soon arrives, and wants Oedipus' blessing - but Oedipus is appalled at their behaviour and curses them both - a curse that they should kill each other. There is a mighty thunderstorm, and Oedipus' death follows quickly.
Oedipus' daughters returned to Thebes, where Eteocles now ruled alone. Polynices eventually reached Argos, where he was taken pity on by the king, Adrastus. Adrastus not only gave him his daughter in marriage, but also promised to restore him to the throne of Thebes. Seven armies led by seven heroes (including Adrastus and Polynices) attacked the seven gates of Thebes. Thebes under Eteocles and his uncle Creon resist - there is stalemate. To settle the quarrel, it is decided that seven Argive champions should face seven Theban champions in single combat at each of the seven gates. The Thebans are successful - but tragedy spoils the victory. Only one Theban champion died - and that was Eteocles who had faced his brother Polynices. Each had killed the other in fulfilment of their father's curse.
2. Looking ahead
Next week, we start reading poetry. The first two poems we read will make use of the device of the "extended metaphor." To prepare for that, first google it and make sure that you understand the concept. Then, you may realize that several of the authors we have read so far have used it. Identify an extended metaphor in any of the readings you have done, and write a TEA paragraph in which you comment on the way it is used.
We can see the extended metaphor in this be the verse by Philip Larkin. Philip Larkin draws a connection between family and misery which passed on from one generation to the next generation (‘man hands on misery to man’), but it is different how intensively this misery reaches the next generation. The author compares this statement with a ‘coastal shelf’, because the water-level (= the misery) is sometimes low at the low tide, but it can also be very high at the (high) tide.
Use some of the ideas that might come up in this week's discussion to help you with this: write an obituary for Oedipus from the point of view of a citizen of Thebes. Remember that the play is called "Oedipus the King" (not Oedipus, the guy who killed his father and slept with his mother). You will need, as well, to do a little googling (or check in the links I've provided) to find out what happened to him later.
Oedipus the King, born in Thebes, died in the city of Colonus due to the acts of self mutilation. When the Thebans heard that Oedipus had solved the riddle and got ridded of the monster that had troubled their land, Creon gave the kingship to the young hero and unwittingly married his sister Jocasta to her own son. Jocasta became mother of Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone and Ismene. Oedipus and Jocasta realised that fulfilment of the horrible oracle had occurred. To his horror, Oedipus realised that he had killed his father and married his mother. Unable to deal with it, Jocasta hanged herself, while Oedipus put out his own eyes. He leaves behind the most important people in his life, his loving children. Oedipus was known as a wise and just king.
What happened to him later?
First, Oedipus was thrown out of Thebes - but his daughter Antigone went with him to help and guide him. (This is the subject of Sophocles' third play - Oedipus at Colonus - which he wrote at the end of his life when he was over 90 in 401BC). Oedipus was forced to keep on travelling, because nowhere wanted to be polluted by having his body buried in their soil. There is another oracle - Oedipus believes he must die at a place called Colonus - in Athenian territory. The locals want to get rid of him, but he refuses to budge, and appeals to the king of Athens, Theseus. Theseus promises to help him and allow his body to be buried at Colonus - where his spirit will protect Athens.
At this point Oedipus' other daughter - Ismene - arrives with terrible news. Oedipus' two sons, Eteoclesand Polynices have quarrelled over who is to rule Thebes, and Polynices has left home - to find help and support for his claim to the throne. He soon arrives, and wants Oedipus' blessing - but Oedipus is appalled at their behaviour and curses them both - a curse that they should kill each other. There is a mighty thunderstorm, and Oedipus' death follows quickly.
Oedipus' daughters returned to Thebes, where Eteocles now ruled alone. Polynices eventually reached Argos, where he was taken pity on by the king, Adrastus. Adrastus not only gave him his daughter in marriage, but also promised to restore him to the throne of Thebes. Seven armies led by seven heroes (including Adrastus and Polynices) attacked the seven gates of Thebes. Thebes under Eteocles and his uncle Creon resist - there is stalemate. To settle the quarrel, it is decided that seven Argive champions should face seven Theban champions in single combat at each of the seven gates. The Thebans are successful - but tragedy spoils the victory. Only one Theban champion died - and that was Eteocles who had faced his brother Polynices. Each had killed the other in fulfilment of their father's curse.
2. Looking ahead
Next week, we start reading poetry. The first two poems we read will make use of the device of the "extended metaphor." To prepare for that, first google it and make sure that you understand the concept. Then, you may realize that several of the authors we have read so far have used it. Identify an extended metaphor in any of the readings you have done, and write a TEA paragraph in which you comment on the way it is used.
We can see the extended metaphor in this be the verse by Philip Larkin. Philip Larkin draws a connection between family and misery which passed on from one generation to the next generation (‘man hands on misery to man’), but it is different how intensively this misery reaches the next generation. The author compares this statement with a ‘coastal shelf’, because the water-level (= the misery) is sometimes low at the low tide, but it can also be very high at the (high) tide.