Oedipus Rex Lines 700-1000

In today’s class, students read the scene where Oedipus and Jocasta discuss prophecy and fate. Jocasta claims that “chance rules our lives,” which leads the class to explore how Sophocles shows the danger of relying only on human reason while ignoring divine or moral truth. Students examined how Jocasta’s skepticism causes her to dismiss prophecy—without realizing she is confirming it—and how Oedipus begins to suspect the truth about his past. We introduced Aristotle’s idea of peripeteia (a sudden reversal), showing how this moment begins the turning point of the play. Students practiced close reading, discussed the tension between faith and reason, and reflected on how disbelief can sometimes blind us to truth.