Grace Chen, Shruthi Murali, Mackenzie Ostrom, Adith Ram, Abby Ghorbani Oedipus the King  Grace Chen, Shruthi Murali, Mackenzie Ostrom, Adith Ram, Abby Ghorbani

Prompt  In "Oedipus the King" choose and describe an "illuminating" episode or moment and explain how it functions as a "casement," a window that opens onto the meaning of the work as a whole.

Literal Meaning  In "Oedipus the King" choose and describe an "illuminating" episode or moment and explain how it functions as a "casement," a window that opens onto the meaning of the work as a whole. Basically choose a moment that is important within in the novel and explain what's going on during this moment  Then tell how this moment then affected the novel as a whole to help the reader create a new understanding 

Answer to the Prompt The illuminating moment that shines light on the meaning of the work as a whole occurs when Oedipus fulfills the prophecy and realizes that he has killed his father and married his mother, against all odds. This opens onto the meaning of the play by exemplifying the theme of inescapable fate and destiny, bringing his tragic fate in a full circle to where it all began, and bringing nothing but misery and pity to all who lay eyes on him. 

Significant Moment 1  “You! What are you doing here? Do you have the face to come to my palace–you who are convicted as my murderer, exposed as a robber attempting to steal my throne?” (Sophocles 34-35). This moment during which Oedipus accuses Creon of treachery is significant because it illuminates that Oedipus is not a perfect hero but rather a flawed man inclined to make false accusations when angered. This is the first indication of Oedipus’ anger and pride, flaws that make his horrible fate later in the work seem more deserving than they did when Oedipus was portrayed solely as a hero.

Significant Moment 2  “I am dreadfully afraid the blind prophet could see. But tell me one more thing that will throw light on this” (Sophocles 53). After Jocasta and him dismiss the significance of prophecies, Oedipus finally realizes that Tiresias may have been right and he may have murdered Laius. This moment of realization reveals to Oedipus that perhaps he ought to respect the prophecies’ power more, which adds to the meaning of the work as a whole by representing Oedipus as attempting to defy the gods. This portrayal of defiance thus later validates Oedipus’ fate as a warning to those seeking to challenge the gods.

Significant Moment 3 “O God! It has all come true. Light, let this be the last time I see you. I stand revealed–born in shame, married in shame, an unnatural murderer” (Sophocles 89). This moment when Oedipus’ realizes that he has married his mother and killed his father is significant because it represents the most important epiphany finalizing the meaning of the novel. Oedipus, as the tragic hero, is destined to misery and doom by prophecy, and this ultimate understanding by Oedipus represents the culmination of all of his previous realizations. Oedipus’ function as a tragic hero throughout the novel is thus fulfilled at this moment with his fall.

Literary Device (1): Archetype-The Fall "[Chorus] Oedipus, savior of our city. From that time on you were called King, You were honored above all men, Ruling over great Thebes. And now—is there a man whose story is more pitiful?" (90). “If there is any evil worse than the worst that a man can suffer—Oedipus has drawn it for his lot” (98).  The Fall archetype is directly related to the prompt, as it acts as turning point for Oedipus's fate. In addition, it further reinforces the theme of destiny and one's inability to escape it by bringing low Thebes' highest figure, humiliating him with blindness, and exiling him, illustrating that even kings can be victims of the preordained.

Literary Device (2): Tone: Tense, Rigid, Threatening, Foreboding "[Oedipus] Do you think you can say that twice and not pay for it?  [Tiresias] Shall I say something more, to make you angrier still?" (24). "[Oedipus] Whom do you mean? Wait! Who is my father? [Tiresias] The present day will give you birth and death" (29). The tone permeating the exchange between Oedipus and Tiresias serves to build the suspense leading up to the illuminating moment. Tiresias’ half-riddles and vague allusions to disaster, coupled with Oedipus' proud and angry nature, together develop an atmosphere that builds and builds by degrees, thus making the culmination of it all (Oedipus' realization) more impactful and cathartic (emotionally drained, but exultant, knowing that everything has fallen into place).

Literary Device (3): Symbolism: Blindness versus Sight "[Oedipus] You have no power or truth. You are blind, your ears and mind as well as eyes" (25). "[Tiresias] You have mocked at my blindness, but you, who have eyes, cannot see the evil in which you stand; you cannot see where you are living, nor with whom you share your house" (28). The sight/blindness symbolism is most prevalent in Oedipus' exchange with Tiresias, in which he accuses Oedipus of being the one who is truly blind. This is related to the illuminating moment because it is eventually revealed that Tiresias is right, that Oedipus really was the one who was blind all along—not to just Tiresias' wisdom, but also the logic of Creon, the warning from Jocasta to stop his search for his parents, and the shepherd's refusal to reveal the truth. Thus, it is once again another reminder that some fates are inescapable. 

2011 Prompt  In a novel by William Styron, a father tells his son that life "is a search for justice." Choose a character from "Oedipus Rex" who responds on some significant way to justice or injustice. Then analyze the character's understanding of justice, the degree to which the character's search for justice is successful, and the significance of this search for the work as a whole. Oedipus has taken on the task of alleviating the kingdom's pain and suffering through bringing justice to former King Laius's death. Oedipus believes justice to be avenging the king's death and injustice the crime of letting the killer go unpunished. He  embarks on a mission to uncover the true murderer of the King and as a result discovers that he is the criminal that he wishes to punish. Ultimately his search for justice reveals his true identity and forces Oedipus to take on the punishments for himself which were made for the King's killer.    

2017 Prompt  "Oedipus Rex" features a character whose origins are unusual or mysterious. Analyze how these origins shape the character and that character's relationships, and how the origins contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole. Oedipus has gone his entire life believing that the people who raised him were his true parents, even though his true parents are actually Laius and Jocasta. As a result, he initially does not even suspect that he could be Laius' murderer since the prophecy said he would kill his father, whom he believes to be Polybus. This causes him to continuously fear the prophecy, which, despite his knowledge, has already come true. He avoided his parents and home in the first place because he wished to avoid the prophecy, but in doing so, he was allowing the prophecy to be fulfilled. Had Oedipus' origins been known, the whole plotline and sequence of events would not have occurred, making this a key aspect of the story.

Work Cited  Works Cited “Casement Windows for Homes in Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, Kennesaw and Other Southeastern Cities.” Casement Windows Atlanta | Sandy Springs | Johns Creek | Kennesaw, www.randallbrothers.com/casement-windows.html.  Cox, Patrick. “Sometimes It's Best to Keep a Mystery Mysterious.” Public Radio International, 10 Dec. 2015, www.pri.org/stories/2015-12-10/sometimes-its-best-keep-mystery-mysterious.  Karnacology. “Why Oedipus Did Not Have an Oedipus Complex, by Siegfried Zepf.” Karnacology.com, 27 Oct. 2016, karnacology.com/2016/10/26/why-oedipus-did-not-have-an-oedipus-complex-by- siegfried-zepf/.  “Oedipus at Colonus.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_at_Colonus.  Oedipus the King Stan. “Betrayal.” Gubanu, gubanu.com/someone-love-betrays/betrayal/.