PSYCHOLOGISTS

In this first reading that we were assigned to finish after school, we recognize our **tragic hero**, Oedipus. His downfall, ultimately his marriage to his mother, is caused by his **harmartia**, his lack of curiosity. He never questions that the king, his unknown father, was traveling and killed at the same time he himself was traveling and killed another traveler. When presented with his mother as a prize, he does not question where this dead king is, even answering “I know of him by hearsay” when asked how much he knows about Laius Part I line 119). This absence of questions leads to an absence of answers and knowledge. In this ignorance, confusion is sparked that will become the basis for the play.

In the next section of Oedipus, the truth about Oedipus's past and Laius's murder are starting to come out. This is the very start of Oedipus's **downfall**. Oedipus is now in a situation where he has committed both of the largest crimes in Greek times unknowingly; killing your father and incest. Oedipus speaks with Teiresias, a blind prophet. Teiresias does not want to tell Oedipus that he is the murderer at first, but through persuasion and a few insults, he tells Oedipus that he has killed Laius, who was his father, and that he has married his mother, Jocasta. Oedipus does not believe him and sends him away. This scene is very ironic because while Teiresias is blind and cannot physically see, he "sees" and understands more of what is truly happening than Oedipus, who still has the gift of sight.

Oedipus begins to suspect that Creon is trying to frame him for the king's murder because he was the one who sent the prophet. Oedipus thinks that Creon told Teiresias to say that he is the murderer, because then Creon could rule. Oedipus confronts Creon on the subject and decides to kill him for treason, but the chorus (who portray the townspeople in this scene) beg him not to punish Creon, and Oedipus yields to their request. Jocasta tries to comfort Oedipus, saying that prophecies don't always come true. She recalls the son of herself and Laius who was prophesized to marry Jocasta and kill Laius, but whose feet were "pierced and fettered" (Part II lines 1128-1129). She then goes on to say that Laius was killed by robbers on a trip, so that particular prophecy couldn't possibly be true. As Oedipus realizes that the murder occured when he was on the road, he begins to think that he might actually be the King's murderer and asks Jocasta to send for the messenger who witnessed the murders to either condemn or absolve himself.

From what we had just recently read, a messenger from where Oedipus's foster parents live comes to him. The messenger says he knows the man who gave Oedipus to him as a baby. Oedipus sends for this man and asks him (more like threatens him) to tell him the truth: “You’re a dead man if I ask you again” (Part II lines 1274-1275). The guy doesn't want to, but in the end tells him that he is the son of Laius. This is the **anagnorisis**; Oedipus realizes that he is the man that killed Laius and is his son. He married his own mother. This is Oedipus's change from ignorance of the truth to knowledge of it. After Oedipus finds out what he has done he stabs his eyes out with a brooch of his mother's, and Jocasta kills herself. Oedipus becomes the blind man now, not wanting to be able to see the horror he has caused anymore. We also have known for some time that Oedipus has had a **hubris** related to his tragic flaw. Other then being ignorant, he later on also becomes arrogant, believing that he could not be the murderer of the old king. Oedipus wouldn't believe the oracle's prophecy or Teiresias's prophecy.

The **nemesis**, a fate that cannot be escaped, is the prophecy that a few oracles have told. The oracle told Jocasta and Laius that their baby (Oedipus), was going to kill his father (Laius) and marry his mother (Jocasta). The King and Queen were horrified so they stabbed the baby's feet and sent him away to die on the top of a mountain. The servant, however, was too kind to let the baby die, so he gave the child to another King in another country. In this separate country, another oracle passes on the same prophecy to Oedipus, who flees his foster parents in fear of his harm to them. Despite the family's attempt at preventing the oracles' words, the prophecy did come true when Oedipus unknowingly killed his father while trying to escape this same prophecy and married his mother.


 * Catharsis** is when you feel bad for a character but dont like him as well. We feel bad for Oedipus because his life is planned out horribly for him and theres nothing that he can do about it. He accidentally did all of the bad things. But then again he murdered his father and married his mother so the reader feels disgusted by him.

How is the anagnorisis also a peripeteia?

In what ways do Oedipus and Jocasta act in a similar manner when faced with the same situation?

How do the reactions of different people to the telling of Oedipus’s future result in peripeteia?

In what ways did Jocasta and Laius fall into the trap of fate?

How did catharsis in Oedipus differ from that in books you've read?

- First shown by his father: his own son would kill him and marry his own mother, so he sends his son away. - The second time the prophecy was heard, it was told to Oedipus himself. According to the oracle, he would kill his own father and marry his mother. This disturbing news causes him to leave the foster kingdom in Corinth. - The third time it occurs is when Oedipus is King of Thebes, is the murderer of his father, and the husband of his own mother. The truth causes cause him to stab his eyes out and Jocasta to kill herself.
 * Nemesis**: His fate that cannot be escaped is the prophecy. The nemesis in this play is shown three different times:

-when Oedipus is a baby, his parents send him off to be killed; however, the shepherds take pity on him and instead send him away to another kingdom -in foster parents' kingdom, Oedipus is disgraced when called the bastard son of his foster parents, runs away, amd becomes king of his original birth town -Jocasta’s death changes Oedipus’s perfect family life; with his wife dead, he abandons his children in shame -Jocasta and Laius have a baby (happy) -> they hear the oracle’s prophecy and try to kill baby (sad/angry)
 * Peripeteia**: When Oedipus goes from being a respected king to shamed and disgraced by the public, his fortune is completely reversed

-Teiresias is the oracle of Apollo; If Oedipus doesnt believe Teirsesias, he doesnt believe Apollo, which could lead to the dire consequences that happen.
 * Hubris:** Oedipus's arrogance forces him to disbelieve Teiresias


 * __Definitions

Tragic Hero-__** someone that is usualy born of high birth. This person is not 100% good but, is not 100% evil. The tragic hero plays out their fate and usually brings their downfall by a mistake they have made.


 * __Hero's Downfall-__** the downfall of a tragic hero is usually broght on by the tragic flaw of the tragic hero. Their downfall is a mistake, an act of misjudgement, and usually the tragic flaw made by the tragic hero.


 * __Harmartia-__** is nothing more than the tragic flaw of our hero. Their weakness helps in the coming role out of fate.

__**Hubris-**__ when the tragic hero has arrogance and pride. This pride also makes go against the gods


 * __Anagnorisis-__** when the tragic hero discover the truth and the ignorance that the hero had is turned into knowledge


 * __Peripeteia-__** a point or a few points in the story when the tragic hero has a reversal in fortune


 * __Nemesis-__** the fate placed in on the tragic hero that can not be escaped

__**Catharsis-**__ what you feel toward a character that is usually fear and pity. After the emotions the viewer is both relieved and happy. Not many clear examples of this appear in //Oedipus Rex//.