Opening of Oedipus Rex

Today in class, we began reading the opening of Oedipus Rex and explored how Sophocles presents a city in crisis and a leader under pressure. Students examined Oedipus as both a noble and compassionate ruler who is determined to save his people, and as a man whose confidence in his own intelligence hints at potential pride. We discussed key literary ideas such as hubris (excessive pride), irony, fate, and piety, and noted how the audience knows more about Oedipus’s situation than he does—creating dramatic tension. Through guided discussion, students considered the essential question: Is a society held together better by force or by faith? This helped them reflect on how human reason, while powerful, can become dangerous when it attempts to replace the divine order. Next class, we will meet the prophet Tiresias and see this tension deepen.