Potential Topics for Final Essay

English 1102 - final exam: 12/12/2012 - 10:30-12:30 in our classroom

Please note: these are topics that could be addressed on the final essay; I WILL BE ADDING TO THIS LIST as we discuss the play in class. Do come back to this post from time to time, for clarification and to see what new topics have been added.For the sake of understanding, Oedipus Rex  (meaning Oedipus the King) will refer to the drama; Oedipus will refer to the character

There is constant word play concerning "sight" throughout the drama. Many times the dramatist, Sophocles, uses deliberate puns dealing with "seeing" or with "sight" to emphasize the two-fold blindness of Oedipus vs. the blind seer and the oracle at Delphi, as well as reference to the god of light, Apollo. Discuss the use of this word play as Oedipus moves from one form of blindness to another. 

Aristotle wrote of specific traits that he believed a tragedy should have. Which of those characteristics are illustrated in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex? Discuss both the characteristics and the examples in the play.
Greek society attended performances because the plays reinforced their own values and beliefs. For example, Greek culture upheld and revered the superiority of the gods, believed that man could not escape his destiny, and relied on moderation and reason to govern his life. In what way does Oedipus serve as a cautionary tale to the Greeks who held these beliefs?

Whether Oedipus falls due to his fate, as it was foretold by ancient prophecies or because of his own flawed character, he does display evidence of arrogance in regard to the gods and to their prophecies, anger toward those who would be his allies, and obsession in his desire to discover the truth, though it could mean his doom. Discuss these flaws and how each contributes to the fall of Oedipus.

The audience attending the festivals and the plays were very well aware of the myth or story of Oedipus. It was well known that Oedipus was cursed, that he would kill his father, marry his mother, and live the remainder of his life in misery. Nevertheless, Oedipus was a popular drama, in large part because it did reinforce the beliefs of the audience. It also entertained the audience who would "catch" words or phrases that the characters would presumably not know. This form of irony is called dramatic irony. Using specific examples from the play, discuss the use of dramatic irony.

Does Oedipus bring about the fulfillment of his destiny by his own hand--or is he simply cursed, from the day he is born to inadvertently bring his own doom? Does Oedipus become a blind beggar (essentially), who wanders, homeless, forlorn because he was fated by birth--or does the former king use his own free-will into play and fall from grace due to his own actions.  Is it FATE or FREE-WILL or both?  EXPLAIN.