Oedipus Journal 1

Summary:Oedipus greets his people and assures them he is there to help them. The priest tells Oedipus that all the people come to tell him that the city is in grave trouble. He says that they have witnessed Oedipus' greatness, and that now they need him to show his power again to save them. Oedipus assures them that he is trying to do something about their plight by sending his brother-in-law, Creon to the oracle at Delphi to find out what they should do. Creon reports that Apollo of the oracle at Delphi has told him to cleanse the city of the murderer of Laius-the former king- and that this will help the city. Creon and Oedipus discuss who the murderer could be. Creon tells Oedipus how Laius was killed and why they couldn't catch the killer. Oedipus decides to go and find the killer to avenge the murder of Laius. The chorus comes in and chants, asking the news from the oracle. They sing of the events that have occured, wreaking havoc in Thebes. They chant for each God to do something different to rid their city of its troubles.

Literary Techniques:
metaphor: "[...]new blood of ancient Thebes"(159): Oedipus uses this metaphor to refer to the young men of Thebes, emphasizing both the youth and vigor of the men and the age of Thebes.
metaphor: "Boys too weak to fly from the nest"(160): The priest compares the boys' youth to baby birds in the same sentence that he describes old men to describe the range of people who have come looking for Oedipus' help.
imagery:"red waves of death"(160): gives an image of how great the problems of the city are-and how grand they seem to the people-red could also represent blood or death.
personification:"Black death"(160): gives death a feeling of being soulless and cruel, heartless
characterization: "Speak out, speak to us all. I grieve for these, my people, far more than I fear for my own life"(163): this line characterizes Oedipus as an altruistic man who wants to help his people, and who wants them to think him a very good king.
metaphor:"[...]root it out!"(164): Creon relates what he learned at the oracle-this metaphor indicates that the evil in the city is something deep-rooted, and something not on the surface or obvious.
metaphor:"hurled the flame of pain"(168):the chorus sings this to emphasize the power Apollo is supposed to have and how they are asking him to use it to help them.
hyperbole:"numberless deaths upon deaths"(169): The chorus uses this hyperbole simply the emphasize the sheer numbers with which people have died.
similie and characterization:"radiant as the kindness in your eyes!"(169)" The chorus uses this both to describe the help they need and a characteristic of the "golden daughter of the gods", kindness.
metaphor: "thunder death to nothing"(17O): The chorus pleads Zeus to use his ability to prevent death.