Oedipus the King

[niece]

How is that Oedipus did not figure out that he was his father's son
after line 873 or so? Shouldn't he have understood it after he
realized he was the one to kill Laius? I can see why this is called a
comedy even though it is not ha ha funny.

I had an appreciation for the way Creon or Kreon dealt with the king.
He was respectful of the hierarchy yet he did not simply cower to the
king. He did plead with his sister to put some reason into her
husband. This is reasonable though rather than like a young child
telling on his sibling or a bully. That's what I thought of it at
first because of the exchange after Tiresius' riddle and denouncement
of the king. I suppose it was reasonble too because he was fighting
for his life. He was innocent and did not want to die for nothing. He
did not want to die.

This epic has been the readable for me of all the epics we've read so
far. Maybe because it is not lot in this to creep me out. Though the
thought of marrying your mother and fathering children with her is
quite a concept difficult to swallow. In the epic Jocasta illudes to
the idea that all sons want their mothers in that way. Creepy. Still
this was the most readable.

[niece]

I did not think that this was tragedy because the main character, the
protagonist did not die at the end. But he did have a profound
downfall and the outcome of his actions and decisions was tragic.
Also it makes more sense to me that he continued to miss the clues
that he was the son of Laius and Jocasta since he was full of himself
and his own ability and pride. I realize from the discussion in class
that he really did not have any faith in anything than himself. That
perhaps is the main reason for his down fall rather than fate or
destiny.

[brittany boven]

I agree. I thought that Oedipus was fairly dense to not realize who
his actual parents were sooner. But I suppose that is probably the
reason that he is refered to as being 'blind' so often. I also
thought that it was very readable as well! I enjoyed how conversation
was more normal in it and they seemed to be having an actual
conversation, instead of, one person making a 2 page comment. Also, I
have seen a movie on Oedipus and Antigone, so I was able to picture
what I was reading.
This has definitely been one of my favorites!