Can someone help me with this what is a tense or exciting moment in Oedipus Rex? What would also be a literary device or convention that the author use to develop such specific moment?I have read it over and over and I am having difficulty with it.
There are several tense moments in this play.
1. Right after hearing from the old seer, "Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. Oedipus’s wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laius’s murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. As proof, she notes that the Delphic oracle once told Laius he would be murdered by his son, when in fact his son was cast out of Thebes as a baby, and Laius was murdered by a band of thieves. Her description of Laius’s murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius."
http://www.sparknotes.com/drama/oedipus/summary.html
Can you imagine how angry Oedipus was after hearing what the old seer had to say? Can you imagine his taking his anger out on his brother-in-law, Creon? Can you imagine how confusing all this was to his wife, Jocasta? And then can you imagine how stunned and confused Oedipus was when the reality of all this began to dawn on him?
It's hard for us to read plays and understand the emotions that go on, but we can do so if we use our imaginations and put ourselves into the different characters' places.
Once you find that particular place in the play itself, see what kinds of literary devices are around there. And there will be many because that's how the Greek playwrights wrote. For one thing, Teiresias is portrayed as a blind seer -- but he sees (understands) reality better than any of those around him who aren't physically blind. (irony)
Read it through again. Put yourself in the characters' places. Imagine the emotional sides to all this.
Please repost if you come up with an answer and if you want someone here to critique your thinking.
=)
Certainly! In "Oedipus Rex," a tense and exciting moment can be found in the revelation of Oedipus' true identity. The play reaches a climax when Oedipus discovers that he has unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother. This moment is filled with tension, as it overturns Oedipus' previous beliefs about his origins and sets the stage for the tragic downfall that follows.
To explore the literary device or convention used to develop this moment, we can look at the concept of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony occurs when the audience or reader knows something that the characters do not. In "Oedipus Rex," the audience is aware of Oedipus' true identity long before he is. This creates a sense of anticipation and tension as we watch Oedipus tirelessly search for the truth, while knowing the inevitable outcome. This dramatic irony intensifies the emotional impact of the revelation, heightening the complexity and suspense of the moment.
Additionally, another literary device utilized in this specific moment is the use of foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is a technique wherein the author hints or suggests events that will occur later in the story. In "Oedipus Rex," the entire play is built upon multiple instances of foreshadowing, leading up to the climactic moment of revelation. Examples of foreshadowing include the prophecies given to Oedipus in his youth and the cryptic remarks made by various characters throughout the play. These foreshadowing elements add to the tension and excitement, as they create a sense of anticipation and unease in the audience.
By examining the use of dramatic irony and foreshadowing in the play, we can better understand how the author skillfully develops the tense and exciting moment of Oedipus' true identity being revealed in "Oedipus Rex."