Step Two Oedipus Exercise
Use lines 511-1086 of the Oedipus Tyrannus to answer the following questions:
How might descriptions of the plague and suffering echo the experiences of Athenian audiences?
What major events have shaped cultural identity or social memory in the contemporary world? Are there different responses to the same events? How are these different responses connected to different types of leadership or political identities?
Consider the engagement of the chorus in this play. Where does it stand in relation to the ‘leaders’? Does it take sides? What might the effect(s) of the chorus be on the audience?