Oedipus at Colonus - Summary and analysis of Section 1

Summary "XAfter years of wandering in exile from Thebes, Oedipus arrives in a grove outside Athens. "XBlind and frail, he walks with the help of his daughter, Antigone. "XThe grove in which they sit bears the marks of holy ground. "XA citizen of Colonus approaches and insists that the ground is forbidden to mortals and that Oedipus and Antigone must leave. "XOedipus tells Antigone, that earlier in his life, when Apollo's oracle prophesied his doom, …

…must be rectified with liberation and with prayers, and it is. At the same time, it seems odd that a play dedicated to piety begins with trespass on holy ground. "XOedipus does not apology for his trespass. "XThe odd tension between piety and pride will not cease but increase as the play progresses. "XWhat Oedipus has gained in wisdom, he has lost in enthusiasm - he is now a much less dynamic and heroic character