Beautiful Quote
"Fear? What should a man fear? It’s all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. Better to live at random, best we can. And as for this marriage with your mother—have no fear. Many a man before you, in his dreams, has shared his mother’s bed. Take such things for shadows, nothing at all— Live, Oedipus, as if there’s no tomorrow!"
I chose this quote because it is full of irony. By Jocasta saying that "chance rules our lives" and that Oedipus should "live like there's no tomorrow" it shows irony compared to situations throughout the story. If it was true that everyone's actions should be random and that they believed chance ruled their lives, then many of the situations that did happen wouldn't have.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Beautiful Quotation
Beautiful Quotation
"Let every man in mankind's frailty consider his last day; and let none presume on his good fortune until he find life, at his death, a memory without pain"
I thought this was a good quote because it can relate to the passage we analyzed in class on Tuesday discussing scars. A scar, as talked about from the passage, is representative of something that happened and what is permanently left behind to remember what happened. How does the memory of life in this particular excerpt from Oedipus Rex relate to the scars talked about from the passage?
"Let every man in mankind's frailty consider his last day; and let none presume on his good fortune until he find life, at his death, a memory without pain"
I thought this was a good quote because it can relate to the passage we analyzed in class on Tuesday discussing scars. A scar, as talked about from the passage, is representative of something that happened and what is permanently left behind to remember what happened. How does the memory of life in this particular excerpt from Oedipus Rex relate to the scars talked about from the passage?
Discussion Question
Discussion Question
How does Oedipus's obsession with keeping his pride effect his decisions throughout the play?
How does Oedipus's obsession with keeping his pride effect his decisions throughout the play?
Discussion Question: Oedipus Rex
In this story, the legend says that King Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads. A crossroads is a place where a decision needs to be made, as different paths can be taken that will lead to different places. So, a crossroads basically represents choices. Do you think that Sophocles used the idea of the crossroads to symbolize how our choices affect us, or to show how decisions are overpowered by fate?
In this story, the legend says that King Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads. A crossroads is a place where a decision needs to be made, as different paths can be taken that will lead to different places. So, a crossroads basically represents choices. Do you think that Sophocles used the idea of the crossroads to symbolize how our choices affect us, or to show how decisions are overpowered by fate?
Passage Analysis:
The conversation between Oedipus and Tiresias makes many references to blindness. On page 15, Tiresias warns Oedipus, "you have your sight, and do not see what evils are about you". In what other ways does Sophocles use the idea of blindness in this passage to show how Oedipus is lying to himself to avoid the truth?
The conversation between Oedipus and Tiresias makes many references to blindness. On page 15, Tiresias warns Oedipus, "you have your sight, and do not see what evils are about you". In what other ways does Sophocles use the idea of blindness in this passage to show how Oedipus is lying to himself to avoid the truth?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Oedipus Rex: Discussion Question
Tiresias the Prophet says on page 13, "I am Free! for I have in me the strength of the truth." Meanwhile, Oedipus is uncovering the truth of his past, and it proves to be his undoing. Truth versus ignorance is a strong theme throughout Oedipus Rex. Trace it through the text and analyze its significance. What is Sophocles saying about the place, role, or implications of Truth in society?
Oedipus Rex: Discussion Question
Dramatic irony occurs when the audience has a greater understanding of a character's situation than the does character themself. Since the audience already knows the story of Oedipus Rex's destiny while Oedipus himself is in the process of uncovering it, dramatic irony is extremely prevalent in Sophocles's representation of this story. How and why does Sophocles use dramatic irony? What does it add to the meaning or effect of the myth?
Monday, February 18, 2013
Connection: Star Wars
I know what your all thinking. How is Oedipus Rex related to Star Wars, Zach?? Well lemme tell ya!
Both Oedipus and Luke Skywalker were raised by people other than their fathers. Both Luke and Oedipus also go one to learn about their real fathers and both have their biological fathers try to kill them. Both go on to fight their fathers, with Oedipus killing his, and both are faced with trying to find out their true identities. Another similarity is their love. Oedipus marries and fathers kids with his mother before he knew she was his mother, and Luke falls in love with and kisses his sister, Princess Leia before he knew that she was his sister. Obviously you would have to switch sister with mother but you basically got the point. And finally another connection is the similarity between the force and fate. The force runs deep within the Skywalker family just as fate controls the lives of Oedipus and his family. The force in Star Wars plays the same importance as fate in Oedipus Rex. And lastly one can see that in both Star Wars and Oedipus Rex is that both characters have or don't have is the lack of control over their lives. Oedipus could have just lived his life and have a happy relationship with his mother without ever knowing about their biological relationship, just as Luke could have gone through life without ever knowing that his single biggest enemy was his own father. But what kind of story would that make? Neither character controlled the way they went through life, instead they were forced to live in a world based on fate. They couldn't decide their own life, instead is was set and ready before either was ever even born.
Both Oedipus and Luke Skywalker were raised by people other than their fathers. Both Luke and Oedipus also go one to learn about their real fathers and both have their biological fathers try to kill them. Both go on to fight their fathers, with Oedipus killing his, and both are faced with trying to find out their true identities. Another similarity is their love. Oedipus marries and fathers kids with his mother before he knew she was his mother, and Luke falls in love with and kisses his sister, Princess Leia before he knew that she was his sister. Obviously you would have to switch sister with mother but you basically got the point. And finally another connection is the similarity between the force and fate. The force runs deep within the Skywalker family just as fate controls the lives of Oedipus and his family. The force in Star Wars plays the same importance as fate in Oedipus Rex. And lastly one can see that in both Star Wars and Oedipus Rex is that both characters have or don't have is the lack of control over their lives. Oedipus could have just lived his life and have a happy relationship with his mother without ever knowing about their biological relationship, just as Luke could have gone through life without ever knowing that his single biggest enemy was his own father. But what kind of story would that make? Neither character controlled the way they went through life, instead they were forced to live in a world based on fate. They couldn't decide their own life, instead is was set and ready before either was ever even born.
Discussion Question: Fate v Freewill. Which one dominates?
As portrayed through Oedipus Rex one can clearly see that both free will and fate/destiny plays a major role in the text. So, discuss the conflicts that arise between fate and free will. Which one is more important? And how does each character manage with their limited free will?
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Poetry: Oh Captain! My Captain!
O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills; 10
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up--for you the flag is flung--for you the bugle trills; 10
For you bouquets and ribbon'd wreaths--for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You've fallen cold and dead.
My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor'd safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.
Walt Whitman
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