Pericles’ legacy
- driving force behind Athens ‘golden age’
- Thucydides wrote of Pericles with great respect and admiration
- some viewed him as a tyrant who misused public money and monopolised power in what was supposed to be a democratic state
When was the play produced ?
429 BC during the 2nd Peloponnesian War, the death of Pericles and a plague in Athens
What sort of king was Odepius described to be ?
Odepius is described as tyrannus king rather than basilieus as he was ‘less legitimate’. Tyrannus was seen negatively
Parallel’s between Oedpius and Pericles
- They both experienced a plague
- both seen as seekers of knowledge
- power rested in intelligence
What is prothumia ?
A quality of acting swiftly. Desired quality of athenian leaders
Isegoria
Good quality in speech
List some characteristics of Odepius
- Prothumia
- Loving Husband
- Intelligent and Wise
- Inquisitive
- Arrogant
- Boastful
- Pride/Hubris
- Short tempered
- Blind
- Tyrannical
- Disrespectful
Themes highlighted through Oedipus
- Family
- Sight vs Blindess
- Irony
- Fate and Destiny
What is Oedipus Hamartia
- His trust in his own intelligence
- His need for knowledge
What is Oedipus peripeteia ?
From king to exiled, blindness
What is his angonarsis ?
- When he blind’s himself he can truly see as he knows and accepts the truth
What is Oedipus Hubris ?
His quick temper
What is Oedipus Fate
To marry his mother and kill his dad.
This pollutes his Oikos
Predestined
Oedipus Similarities to other Characters
Creon in Antigone: as kings they have a duty towards their people and Oikos - (tries to ensure sovereignty after civil war) - tyrannical like Oedipus
Creon in Medea: same as above ( exiles Medea in order to protect family)
Tiresias: always know the truth unlike Oedipus and Creon
Jason: doesn’t consider the Intrests/feelings of others to some extent self-interested
Medea: driven by own interests (revenge towards Jason)
What role does Tiresias play ?
- Shed’s light on Oedipus’ secret
- Blind vs Sight
- a good foil character
- ” you are the king… I am your equal”
What is Jocasta role in the play?
- her death
- she’s queen and wife of Oedipus ‘ought to be’
- ## as she is mature she
