Second Episode of Oedipus Rex

In the second episode of Oedipus Rex, I thought the dialogue but significantly impacted the development of the scene or play was when Oedipus had asked Tiresias to help him find the killer of Laius in order to end the plague. Although Oedipus asked kindly Tiresias does not want to answer and asks if he could go home. “Just send me home. You bear your burdens. I’ll bear mines. It’s better that way” I feel like this significant because Tiresias seems to try to protect Oedipus by staying silent about who the murderer is.

Although Oedipus does not know he is being protected by Tiresias he gets angered by not getting an answer putting Oedipus and Tiresias in a conflict. It shows how desperate Oedipus is in trying to help save his people. Oedipus begins to assume that Tiresias is trying to over throw him. Oedipus insults Tiresias by mentioning his blindness, then calls Tiresias a fraud prophet, Tiresias gives Oedipus a warning, tell him that he is the actual blind man in the room. Oedipus is blind that he is destroying his own life. We see that Oedipus is a character that likes to take action.

Oedipus lacks seeing what is going on and what might become the out come of it, in the scene where Tiresias and Oedipus are arguing, it develops conflict. Tiresias being a Character of being able to see the truth and Oedipus calling him a fraud shows the how close minded he is. Oedipus shows that he will fight with anything and anyone who he does not agree with. With Oedipus and Tiresias not agreeing, Oedipus makes a statement saying “I’ll start again — I’ll bring it all to the light myself” he sees himself with so much pride that it does help his character show why he is a leader. As Oedipus and Tiresias continue to disagree, Tiresias tell Oedipus that he will soon find out who his parents are. By the time Oedipus finds out who his parents really are this will completely crushed him because he fell back into his fate. This shows what makes up most of the story of how Oedipus was trying so hard to run away from his destiny.

Tiresias makes a small riddle for Oedipus to figure out with this little riddle it will give the big clue of who the killer really is. “No man will ever be rooted from the earth as brutally as you” this riddle is similar to the riddle Oedipus was famous for figuring out when he faced Sphinx. At this point it seems that Oedipus is not very willing to figure out what the answer of the riddle is. “ but whether a mirror man can know the truth, weather is here seer can fathom more than I- there is no test, no certain proof through matching skills for skills and men can outstrip a rival night. No not—- change provide wall I side with his accusers” with this the chorus help the audience understand that the people of the city are still on Oedipus side, they seem to still have faith and hope in him. There is no actual proof against Oedipus yet. This is Scene and dialogue significant, it impacts the development, of not only the characters but the story it adds more to the conflict and why each character takes that certain role, in addition it helps the reader understand why the character is the way they are.

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