Oedipus Rex

Part I
1. Aristotle: There is singing as well as the traditional straight line delivery. The six elements of tragedy are: plot, characters, verbal expression, thought, visual adornment, and song-composition. Fated plays instead of episodic plays are good, and are "artistically superior." Peripety is when a shift occurs from what is previously stated to the opposite.
Freud: Oedipus is a tragedy of destiny. Oedipus moves us because we can identify with him. We direct our first sexual impulse toward our mother and our first hatred toward our father, as shown and followed through with Oedipus.
Knox: The true equation for man is found. Oedipus, the epitome of man, is found for what he truly is: a murder, something that tainted.
Poole: Oedipus resembles Athens in his expediency and in his love for the public. Oedipus also represents the enlightenment from barbarity to civility as had just been seen to pass in Athens.

2. Oedipus will expose his own downfall, with the murder of his father on his hands. Despite the fact that he is a beloved king that has brought the kingdom out of the dark ages, he will be set to destroy himself for the "tragedy of fate."

Part II
1. Whether you come in dread, or crave some blessing: Tell me, and never doubt that I will help you (p. 961, line 12-13). I know that you are deathly sick; and yet, Sick as you are, not one is as sick as I. (p. 962, line 62-63).

2. The people that he leads are sick and need help. He is doing everything in his power to help them, and includes himself in any punishments that are needed to rid the defiler who has caused the sickness.

3. The fact that he talks so that all of the people can hear shows that he is a good king who really cares about his people.

4. Oedipus loves his people, and cares for them, and will do anything for them.

5. The chorus sings about how Oedipus remembers how the gods are powerful and mighty and how he hopes that they will come and help the people of his kingdom.

Part III
1. But there is one man who may detect the criminal. This is Teiresias, this is the holy prophet (p. 968, lines 81-81). You are all ignorant. No; I will never tell you what I know. Now it is my misery; then, it would be yours. (p. 969, lines 111-113). I do not intend to tortre myself, or you. Why persist in asking? You will not persuade me. (p. 969, 116-117)

2. Oedipus wants to know who the defiler of the land is to help his people, but Teiresias does not want to tell.

3. Oedipus is too high and mighty to think to be named the murderer of Laios; therefore, someone (Creon) must be trying to undermine him, even though he proudly said that the murderer would be cast out and cursed, something he obviously didn't truly think would fall upon him.

4. The seer is blind. Oedipus seeks to find the murderer but thinks conspiracy is haunting him when he is indicated.

5. Teiresias, the blind prophet, has seen the truth; yet Oedipus, who's not blind, cannot see.

6. Oedipus is fighting against the gods and fate, for he believes that the heroic seer lies.