Consider to what extent Teiresias’ observations of his king are true assessments of his qualities as a ruler.

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  • Consider to what extent Teiresias’ observations of his king are true assessments of his qualities as a ruler.
    • Oedipus’ initial presentation in his opening speech
      • What positive qualities does he have as a ruler?
        • "I did not think it fit that I should hear of this from messengers but came myself, - " - Oedipus (6)
      • What characteristics does he exhibit as a character?
        • "I Oedipus whom all men call the Great" - Oedipus (8)
    • Oedipus’ legacy as a riddle solver – his status as a ‘hero’
      • "because we thought of you as of a God" - Priest (32)
      • "This you did in virtue of no knowledge we could give you, in virtue of no teaching; it was God that aided you, men say, and you are held with God's assistance to have saved our lives" - Priest (37)
      • "For now this land of ours calls you its saviour since you saved it once." - Priest (47)
      • "by what act or word I could save this city" - Oedipus (72)
      • "The clue is in this land; that which is sought is found; the unheeded thing escapes" - Creon (110)
      • "I stand forth a champion of the God and of the man who died." - Oedipus (245)
      • "I solved the riddle by my wit alone" - Oedipus (397)
      • "But it is in riddle answering you are strongest." - Teiresias (440)
    • The archetype of the tragic hero – according to Aristotle
      • To what extent dies he conform to the model at the start?
      • To what extent does he deviate from the model?
    • His potential hamartia or tragic errors – looking at his dialogue with Creon and Teiresias
      • How does he illustrate a lock of foresight?
        • "What is the rite of purification? How shall it be done?" - Oedipus (98)
        • "I have not seen him" - Oedipus (105)
        • Were are they in the world? Where would a trace of this old crime be found?" - Oedipus (108)
        • "I will bring this to light again ... "And justly you will see me an ally, a champion of my country and the God. For when I drive pollution from the land"" - Oedipus (132)
        • "Whoever he was that killed the king may readily wish to dispatch me with his murderous hand; so helping the dead king I help myself." - Oedipus (138)
        • "I say as one that is a stranger to the story as stranger to the deed" - Oedipus (219)
        • "Upon the murderer I invoke this curse - whether he is one man and all unknown, or on of many - may he wear out his life in misery to miserable doom!" - Oedipus (246)
        • "Was this your own design? Or Creon's?" - Oedipus (378)
        • "you think you will find a place by Creon's throne. I think you will be sorry, both you and your accomplice, for your plot to drive me out"
      • What characteristics does he have that could point to his downfall?
        • "King Phoebus in plain words commanded us to drive out a pollution from out land, pollution grown ingrained within the land; drive it out, said the God, not cherish it" - Creon (96)
        • "You would provoke a stone!" - Oedipus (335)
        • "Had you had eyes I would have said you alone murdered him."
        • "I say you are the murderer of the king whose murderer you seek" - Teiresias (362)
    • The imagery shared by the Chorus and Oedipus to characterise the state of Thebes and the rule of Oedipus
      • "The town is heavy with a mingled burden of sounds and smells, of groans and hymns and incense;" - Oedipus (4)
      • "glorious Thebes" - Chorus  (152)
      • "I became a citizen among you, citizens -" - Oedipus (222)
      • "I command ... I forbid ... I invoke ... " - Oedipus (227)
      • Repetition of "save" - Oedipus (312)
    • Motifs of sight and blindness, if relevant
      • How can they be used to illustrate characteristics of Oedipus' rule and his judgement?
      • "O ruler of my country, Oedipus, you see our company around the altar; you see our ages;" - Priest (14)
      • "You have no eyes but in your mind you know with what a plague our city is afflicted" - Oedipus (303)
      • "You are blind in mind and ears as well as in your eyes" - Oedipus (373)
      • "You have your eyes but you see not" - Teiresias (410)
  • "Had you had eyes I would have said you alone murdered him."

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