The Joy of a play

I found the play Oedipus to be a very well written play that was filled with tragic events and quite a bit irony. It was sad that although Oedipus tried so hard to do what was right, it did not turn out the way he had hoped. That no matter what he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. At the end of the play you could almost picture his anguish at seeing his wife and mother hanging. Knowing he had caused her so much anguish in what he had done that he blinded him self from ever seeing anything good or joyful. In the end he punished himself for all that he had unknowingly done because he was actually a good man who loved his people and family enough to do what he knew he had to save them from the plague.

The Irony Of Arsenic and Old Lace

Arsenic & Old Lace is a wonderful dark comedy full of ironies.  First of all, define:  irony.  Secondly, list and briefly discuss as many examples if irony that you can find and/or remember in the movie. 
 
1. The definition of irony is the incongruity or the inconsistency between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result. (dictionary.com)


2. At the beginning of the movie we learn that Mortimer Brewster is getting ready to marry Elaine Harper, Although he is the author and newspaper writer who disagrees with the idea of marriage. So its a little ironic that someone who was so against marriage in the beginning is married himself. Then we found out that his sweet caring aunts are actually killing lonely old men. Everyone believes them to be almost saintly but turns out they are murders, sweet ones at that. Then in the end Mortimer realizes what he thought about his family before was not true. He realizes that he comes from a family of crazy people.

Oedipus

1. Who wrote the play?

-The play was written by Sophocles

2. Briefly define the Oedipal Complex.

-The Oedipal Complex is when a child seems to fall in love with one parent and hate the other.

3. What is the setting of the story, specifically, the where?

-The setting of the play takes place in front of the royal palace

4. As the play opens, what horrible thing is going on?

-As the play opens the towns people have come to see Oedipus because their city has been plagued by sickness, death, unfertile fields and infertile women.

5. Whose death must be avenged in order for the horrible thing from number 4 to end?

-King Laius' death must be avenged in order to end the plauge.

6. Who is Oedipus’ wife?

Odeipus' wife is Jocasta, who is the sister to Creon and actually his own mother.

7. Who is Oedipus’ mother?

His wife is Jocasta the wife of his father and his mother.

8. Who is Oedipus’ father?

His father is Laius, the king of Thebes.

9. Who killed the King of Thebes (the answer for #5)?

Oedipus, his own son.

10. What is Oedipus’ tragic flaw?

His tragic flaw is that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Although once he had learned that was what he was destined to do, he left the man, who he had thought to be his father to protect him from that fate but unknowingly he fulfilled the prophecy anyway.

11. As you read through Oedipus, you'll note that sight/vision/seeing (including "second sight") is very important to the overall story--in the literal as well as the metaphorical/symbolical aspect.  You don't have to do this in complete sentences if you don't want---
12. Describe/discuss/explain/list how sight/vision/seeing/"second sight" is/are used in the play to advance the plot--to advance the story as a whole.  Include an explanation of why it's important as well as how it helps you (the real audience) understand (get) what others on the stage and in the play don't understand.

Through out the play the use of sight/vision/seeing plays a vital role because it helps us to see or understand what is happening to the characters. It helps us to see what the gods have planned for them and the bad things that are happening even off stage.

13. As a play, there's a lot that can and can not be done on the stage.  Explain why you think some things within this play in particular are done on stage while others are done off stage.

I think that the things that are done on stage are done so because it is important for us to see those things happening in order for the play to continue and for us to be able to understand what is happening to that particular character.

14. Do you believe in fate?  Explain fully your answer.

I believe in fate in some ways but I think that we still have the ability to change it if we so choose. Although there somethings that we can not control, it does not mean that we can't control how our lives turn out.

15. Explain how fate plays a role in Oedipus.

Fate plays a role in the fact that although Oedipus has tried to save himself , his father and his mother from the fate the gods have planned, in the end he still ended up doing what he tried so hard to avoid.

16. Have you ever thought how ironic this play is? It's weird how the events come together and make everything happen the way it does. If things were to happen just a little bit different the story would be completely changed.

This play is sadly ironic due to the fact that despite all of Oedipus' efforts to be a good man by trying to avoid killing his father, he did so anyways. Another irony is that he saved the city from the evil sphinx, only to cause a plague to be brought upon it because him unknowingly killing his father, the king of Thebes.

"Annabell Lee" by Edgar Allen Poe p869

I really enjoy this poem by Poe. He is usually really dark and disturbing in his most of his works, but this poem is not as dark although its about love and sadness. I have read this poem before many years ago when I was a child but I did not quiet understand it then as I do now. It is still one of my favorite poems and one of my favorite written by Poe. He was a very talented man I have to say and I enjoy some of his work but I often some of it too depressing.

"A Letter Sent to Summer" by Jane Shore p713

I really like this poem because this is exactly how I feel in the winter when it's cold and dreary. I know that I often complain about it being so hot in the summer but I sure miss it when it's cold. I really enjoyed the light hearted and playfulness of this poem. I could not help but to smile while I was reading it.

"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" by Christopher Marlowe p709

I enjoyed this poem about love. It is very sweet and endearing how the speaker is telling the listener what it would be like to be with him. I think it is romantic poem that is not overly emotional but more straight forward as to what he wants.

"The Loveliest of Trees, the Cherry Now" by A.E. Housman

I enjoyed reading this poem although it is about cherry trees. The way that Housman describes them in his poem makes you look at them differently. I could almost see the trees as he was describing them. I think that it is a very well written poem. I enjoyed this poem because it is very descriptive and flowed well. I like the outdoors and nature so that added to my enjoyment.