Sim, Arvee Luiz Z.

GED117A17
CE – 1 ASSIGNMENT 2/ 09/23/19
TOPIC: The Defense of Oedipus against Creon

Q1: Summarize the points presented by Oedipus to Creon when the latter went to
Colonus to bring Oedipus back to Thebes.
A1: a.) What does Oedipus want to point out from the First 9 lines – “O shameless…
‘Against mine and me’?
- Oedipus wants to point out that though he has committed sins that has scared
him for life, it should not be his weakness and do what is right. He wants to point to
Creon that he will not be weak as he was before and would not entertain the
demands of Creon.
b.) Copy the lines from the given defense that speak about the prophecy. Exact lines
only
- “My father . . . 'twas God's doom . . . should be struck dead, by his own son. Am
I to be believed?”
- “Like that, I met and slew, not knowing whom”
- “Incest and desolation, which I bore”
- “My mother, when I knew it not, nor she, and to her shame bore children to the
son, herself had borne. But thou, what hast thou done?”
- “If, here and now, some stranger came and sought, to kill thee, thee, so strict in
deed and thought,”
c.) What does Oedipus think of the prophecy? Why? What three words did he use in
his defense to show that his sin is gods will?
- Oedipus thinks that the prophecy is the fault of the Gods that he was innocent as
he did his deeds of ill blinded from the truth. Unbegotten, unconceived and unborn
were the words he used in his defense as it was like born for the prophecy doing
unwillingly actions as the Gods will.
d.) What feeling does Oedipus have about his marriage to his mother? ___________
- Oedipus felt shame and miserable as he said that he did an unspeakable deed
bearing children to his own mother. It was also said in Oedipus Rex by Iokaste that
both of them would feel miserable in the act of incest without knowing the truth.
Miserable as he said in these lines “whose shame with gibes thou harpest on, And
 seek'st to make me speak . . . Aye, speak I will, since thou of foulest talk hast had thy
fill. She was, she was, my mother . . . Misery! . .”

Q2: What are the important points by which Oedipus defended himself against the crime
he committed in the face of Creon? (Answer in bullets. Clue there are 4 points)
A2: a.) when Oedipus said “in me what evil can ye find, for which I should be cursed
with crimes so blind” as he was blind of reality when he committed the act of sin.
b.) as Oedipus pointed out that it was the Gods fault that he had committed such sins as he
was the Gods play thing because of hatred.

c.) when he pointed out that he did his deed of ill unwillingly deprived of sight from
the truth.
d.) the time when Oedipus and his father was in argue and intentionally killing him
in self-defense as he said.

Q3: How did Oedipus charge Creon? Explain.

A3: - In my opinion, Oedipus charge Creon relentlessly. Creon without any hesitation
asked Oedipus for his own sake to take the throne and position in Thebes accusing
Oedipus with all his deeds of ill from before and using it against him to make him
weak to finally go and follow Creon. Oedipus then focused on defending himself
that it was all not his fault as he reacted that he is right on what he is imparting. That
is why he charged Creon as he was being accused instantly for the cause of the
throne.