OEDIPUS THE KING - PROLOGUE AND PARADOS

WHAT HAPPENS

- Prologue includes: Oedipus, Creon, Priest. 

- Oedipus laments to his people (refer to background info).

- Creon returns and tells Oedipus of the Oracle's prophecy = Oedipus decides to take it upon himself to find the killer of Laius, who is behind the plague.

ESTABLISHING OF BACKGROUND INFO

- Discuss how the plague has taken over the city, has sent Creon to consult the oracle to see why = which is that the city needs to rid itself of the murderer of Laius. 

- Oedipus takes it upon himself to bring the murderer to justice = will be his downfall. 

CREATION OF SYMPATHY/PATHOS

- Depiction of the plague through the priest, alike to the Greek audience's experience of the plague in 430BC = women dying in childbirth, children being born stillborn, cattle dying. 

- Priest also talks of Oedipus' past success in Thebes, makes his downfall greater = calls him the "best of men," that he was a savior when he saved Thebes from the sphinx - also important as the play starts IN MEDIUS RES so adds background information. 

DEPICTION OF OEDIPUS AS CARING

- Calls his people "my children" repeatedly throughout the prologue…