Oedipus Study Guide
Section Il-pg 18 bottom to end of 27
MfS, EfpatfldiS
Facts to remember:
•
Oedipus sent Creon to the Oracles at Delphi to find a solution to the city's woes
•
Creon is away for quite a while before he returns with his news
•
Under Creon's advice, Oedipus has also sent for Tiresias who is a blind prophet who can
hopefully shed some light on helping Oedipus find a solution to the troubles plaguing the
Thebeans
•
Creon's main message: the plague will end only when Laius' murderer has been discovered
•
Tiresias has not answered Oedipus' call for help until now and reluctantly agrees to share his
wisdom
Sophocles provides us with the chain of events which does reveal Oedipus as the murderer. It does
not matter, in Greek Tragedy, that he did not know he was killing his father. The action must be
punished.
1. Where and why is disease imagery further used in this scene?
2.
Explain the dramatic significance of Tiresias' line: "Wisdom is a dreadful thing when it bring no
profit to its possessor. " (19)
3. Tiresias' is reluctant to share "his knowledge" about the plight of Thebes. Explain what Oedipus
reaction to T further reveals about his character.
pg. 19
PR. 20-21
PR. 22-23
PR. 24-26