Introduction to the Ancient World: Greece

Lecture 21

 

Buildings on the Acropolis; Oedipus again 

I. The Acropolis of Athens: Parthenon, Athena Nike, Erechtheum (see Lecture 20)

II. Oedipus at Colonus

A. Relation to the earlier play 
1. Oedipus' self-defense (278ff., 482ff., 613ff., 1103ff.); external circumstance ("gods") vs. inner integrity
2. Creon again (825-1190); Creon vs. Theseus
3. anger (Polyneices scene - 1441ff.)
4. savior, for real (426-28; 512ff.)
5. inversions: beginning/end; hunter/hunted; identity and insight sought and found; leans on Antigone/leads Theseus; enters palace/enters grove; equated with a god (Oed. line 31)/Oed. becoming a hero/god
6. a new dimension: Oed.'s spirituality (1731ff., 1832ff.) 

B. Athens again 

1. Theseus (628ff., 1034ff.])
2. the choral ode about Colonus (765ff.)
3. dejection and endurance (1410ff.)

(Line references are to the translation by David Grene, second edition, first printing)

Exams can be picked up again today; after today, they will be available at my office during office hours. Good Friday: yes, we will have class.

Lecture 21 Images

Forward to Lecture 22


modified Mar. 26, 2005
s_davies@mail.utexas.edu