Question

In 7-10 sentences, explain what theme is represented in your script and how it is made clear for the reader.

Oedipus steps out of the royal palaces of Thebes and is greeted by a procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverishes and sorrowful citizens of Thebes. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end it.

Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. The priest responds that the city is dying and asks the king to save Thebes. Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than him. He sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how too stop the plague. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. Creon asks Oedipus if he wants to hear the news in private, but Oedipus insists that all the citizens hear.

Creon then tells what he has learned from the god Apollo, who spoke through the oracle: the murderer of Laius, who ruled Thebes before Oedipus, is in Thebes. He must be driven out in order for the plague to end.

Answer 1

The theme represented in this script is the inevitability of fate. It is made clear for the reader through the dialogue between Oedipus and the priest, where they discuss the plague that has befallen Thebes. Oedipus mentions that he understands the terrible fate of Thebes, which foreshadows what is to come. The arrival of Creon and the oracular message emphasizes further the theme of fate. The words spoken by Apollo through the oracle also reveal to the reader that Oedipus is destined to kill his father and marry his mother, therefore fulfilling the prophecy. The audience is left with a sense of foreboding as they realize that Oedipus cannot avoid his destiny, despite his efforts to do so. The theme of fate is reinforced throughout the play, culminating in the tragic end for Oedipus and his family.