Question

Read the following passage and answer the question.

OEDIPUS: Mock my excellence, but you will find out I am truly great. TEIRESIAS: That quality of yours now ruins you. OEDIPUS: I do not care, if I have saved the city. TERESIAS: I will go now. Boy, lead me away. OEDIPUS: Yes, let him guide you back. You’re in the way. If you stay, you’ll just provoke me. Once you’re gone, you won’t annoy me further.

What can we infer about Oedipus from this passage?

a. A) that he likes Teiresias
b. B) that he is proud, but also committed to protecting Thebes
c. C) that he’s tired of taking care of Thebes
d. D) that he wants Teiresias to stay

Answer 1

Option (B), Oedipus is characterized by his pride and sense of duty in protecting Thebes, which is shown through his confrontation with Teiresias.

Step-by-step explanation:

From the passage provided, we can infer that Oedipus's character is defined by pride and his dedication to the city of Thebes. His interaction with the prophet Teiresias reveals his sense of responsibility towards his city and his willingness to protect it at any cost. Oedipus's retort to Teiresias, "I do not care, if I have saved the city," indicates his prioritization of his role as a protector over any personal cost.

Furthermore, his comments towards Teiresias reveal his impatience and disdain towards those he perceives as obstructive, which indicates arrogance and the potential of his hamartia, a tragic flaw common in Greek tragedies, and a theme extensively explored in Sophocles' plays. Teiresias's remark, "That quality of yours now ruins you," suggests that Oedipus's pride will ultimately lead to his downfall, which aligns with the classic structure of the Greek heroic narrative.