Greek Arts and Oedipus the king

1. Greek Arts and Oedipus the king 2013-Introduction to Western Literature

2. 今天上課內容 • Oedipus the King • 故事接龍 • Greek Theatre • Greek Arts • 小組討論

3. ped- Pediatrics(小兒科)、pedicure(腳病治療)、orthopedics(整形手術，特別指嬰孩的整形手術) 、pedometer(計步器)、pedestrian(徒步的)、pedagogy(教學法)、encyclopedia(百科全書)，這些字有一個共同的希臘文字根ped-；由此可見，在希臘文中小孩、腳、教育與知識等多層意涵，巧妙地糾結在一個字根ped-。 有趣的是，著名的伊底帕斯、他的名字、他的故事、他所代表的典型正是以上諸多概念的縮影。

4. Oedipus: a pun 先看Oedipus一字的字源, oedi- 即oidos變形的，加上 pus 即pous腳，Oedipus的字面意思就是畸型的腳(clubbed feet)或是腫脹的腳(swollen feet)。此外，oidos當作動詞的意思是「我知道」，所以Oedipus的另一層意義是我知道關於腳的事—伊底帕斯知道Sphinx謎語的答案。

5. Group Discussion (1): Oedipus the King • Link the plot of the play! • Oral report: retell the story.

6. Oedipus Story background

7. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex • probably the most famous tragedy ever written. • It is known by a variety of titles (the most common being Oedipus Rex), including Oedipus the King and Oedipus Tyrannus. • Sophocles first produced the play in Athens around 430 B.C. at the Great Dionysia, a religious and cultural festival held in honor of the god Dionysus, where it won second prize. In the play Oedipus, King of Thebes, upon

8. Ancient Greek Theatre

9. Three Theban plays: Not a trilogy • Oedipus the King  Oedipus at Colonus Antigone. • Antigone was first performed in 442 BCE. • Oedipus the King was first performed c. 429 BCE. • Oedipus at Colonuswas written shortly before Sophocles' death in 406 BC and produced by his grandson (also called Sophocles) at the Festival of Dionysus in 401 BCE.

10. Oedipus Jocasta Laius Polybus Merope Sphinx Teiresias (Tiresias ) Apollo Delphi Cithaeron Thebes (the House of Cadamus) People and places to know:

14. a winged female monster in Greek mythology having a woman's head and a lion's body and noted for killing anyone unable to answer its riddle

15. an ancient Egyptian image in the form of a recumbent lion having a man's head, a ram's head, or a hawk's head

18. Introduction • The setting of the Oedipus the King as in the case of most Greek tragedies, does not require a change of scene. Throughout the play, the skene with at least one door represents the facade of the royal palace of Thebes. http://ablemedia.com/ctcweb/netshots/oedipus.htm

19. Prologue (1-150) - Oedipus, Priest and Creon Read (1)

20. Prologue (Priest, Oedipus, Creon) • The priests of Thebes appear before Oedipus as suppliants, entreating him to find some end to the plague. • Oedipus has already sent Creon to Delphi, who arrives to report that the killer of Laius must be sought out and banished. • Oedipus vows to find the killer and summons the people of the city.

21. Prologue: Oedipus, Priest and Creon • What is the dramatic purpose of the prologue? • How does Oedipus characterize himself (8)? • What is his attitude toward the suppliants (13-14)?

22. Pollution/ miasma • blood pollution that infects the family, and for a royal family the city itself • The Plague of Thebes, oil on canvas,Charles François Jalabeat (French, 1819-1901)

23. Oedipus • "Oidi-pous“ in Greek means "swollen footed” • But we can also analyze Oedipus in at least two other ways: • oidi- to a Greek sounds like oida, oide = "I know, he knows" (a central theme in the play) • -dipous to a Greek means the "two-footed one," with obvious associations to the riddle of the Sphinx (another central theme)

24. Oedipus • Man of action, caring but haughty: 7ff, 71ff etc. • Revealer of the truth: 150 • Solver of riddles: 443ff (e.g.)

25. Parodos • The Chorus of Theban citizens offer prayers to Zeus, Apollo, Athena for release from the plague.

26. Parados (151-215) • What is the reaction of the Chorus to the advice of Apollo ('the Delian Healer') to Thebes (154-157)? • What conditions in Thebes does the Chorus describe)?

27. Delphi The Pythia was the priestess at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus.

28. Priestess of Delphi (1891) by John Collier

29. chorus is an "act-dividing song": • allows for entrances and exits • allows for the scene to change • marks the passage of time • chorus comments directly or indirectly on what is going on

30. First Episode Part two

31. First Episode • Oedipus appeals for information and pronounces his curse on the murderer. • Teiresias is summoned: at first he refuses to tell what he knows, but aroused by Oedipus' taunts he declares Oedipus the murderer. • Oedipus declares a conspiracy by Creon. Teiresiasdeclares that the murderer is present, and will be found son and husband to his mother.

32. First Episode (216-462) - Oedipus, Chorus and Teiresias • Irony • Why does Oedipus summon Teiresias (278-287)? What is Teiresias's reaction to Oedipus's request for help (316-344)?

33. I must know. Know thyself! • But knowing is itself problematized in the Oedipus the King: central to the text is not only what is known and by whom, but what it means to "know"-- what is "true" knowing. • Insight and blindness

34. Apollo versus Oedipus: • divine versus human knowledge • Apollo • sun, day, clear, blazing, burning • fever, blazing, burning: sender of plague and the Healer • intelligence, clear, seeing • brilliance, poetry • truth (knowledge), clear, seeing • divine prophecy, clear, seeing

35. Prophet/ Tiresias • Teiresias, the seer of Oedipus the King: Sophocles’ and Seneca’s versions http://www.leeds.ac.uk/classics/lics/2003/200305.pdf • South Italian Red-figure bowl. Detail: Tiresias seated holding sacrificial knife as Odysseus (left) stands by him

36. First Stasimon • What is the Chorus’s view of Teiresias's accusations against Oedipus?

37. Suffering= pathos • What has Oedipus done to deserve such awful suffering? Why must he suffer?

38. Tragedy=an aesthetic question mark • The dramatic expression of an enquiry into suffering, an aesthetic question mark performed in enacted pain. • While representing an instance of suffering in dramatic form, always asks why it has occurred. • Pathology= the study of diseases • Etiology= the causes of diseases or a study of causes

39. hubris • "ungodly pride" (hubris) or "tragic flaw" (hamartia)

40. p. 9 • Know thyself, Oedipus. You denounce me, but you do not yet know yourself.

41. Second Episode (Creon, Oedipus, Chorus; Jocasta) Part three

42. Second Episode , 513-862. (Creon, Oedipus, Chorus; Jocasta) • Creon is indignant at Oedipus' accusations. • They argue over the charge. Jocasta tries to intervene. Kommos. • The Chorus advise restraint and Oedipus lets Creon go, though he declares him an enemy. Oedipus tells Jocasta the source of the dispute. • Jocasta tells the story of Laius' death, and Oedipus recognizes many details: but he was a lone killer, whereas a band of killers was reported. • Oedipus worries about the oracle; Jocasta denounces its veracity, adducing the prophesy about her son.

43. Second Stasimon (Chorus) • Ode to the sanctity of divine law. • The tyrant who ignores justice and reverence for the gods will fall. • The oracles must be true.

44. Third Episode , 911-1085. (Jocasta, Messenger, Chorus; Oedipus) • A messenger arrives from Corinth announcing the death of Polybus and Oedipus' ascension. • He allays Oedipus' fear of the oracle (that he will marry his mother) by telling him of his true birth. • Over Jocasta's objections Oedipus vows to continue his search for the truth. Jocasta runs into the palace.

45. Third Episode and Third Stasimon Part four

46. Third Stasimon , 1086-1109. (Chorus) • Ode to Mt. Cithaeron: we will soon know the parentage of Oedipus.

47. Part Fifth: Fourth Episode (Oedipus, Shepherd, Chorus) • The shepherd arrives who exposed the infant of Laius and escaped when Laius was killed. Oedipus' parentage becomes clear. Oedipus rushes into the palace.

48. Fourth Stasimon (p.27) (Chorus) • No man is blest: happiness is but an illusion, for even the great power and blessings of Oedipus have come to a fall. • Your example, Oedipus, Your example, your fate, your disaster, Show that none of us mortals Ever knew, ever felt what happiness truly is.

49. Fifth Episode and Exodos The sixth part: p.28-32

50. Exodos , 1223-1530. (Messenger, Chorus; Oedipus, Creon) • A messenger announcesthe suicide of Jocasta and the self-inflicted blinding of Oedipus. Oedipus appears to lament his fate. Creon appears. • Oedipus begs him to take care of his children; Antigone and Ismene (mute) arrive to comfort their father. Creon persuades Oedipus to return to the palace, and assumes the kingship.