Sophocles: Journal 1 (Part 2)

Literary Devices

"Our city reeks with the smoke of burning incense, rings with cries for the Healer and wailing for the dead" (159, 4-5), Imagery, appeals to smell and hearing, takes the reader into the story and shows the desperation of the city.

"I would be blind to misery..."(159, 14), Hyperbole, shows Oedipus' devotion to his people.

"And black Death luxuriates in the raw, wailing miseries of Thebes" (160,37-38), Personification, makes the black death seem resiliant, and it shows that the preist has little hope of it moving on.

"So now again, Oedipus, king, we bend to you, your power-" (161, 49-50), Tone, the tone is pleading and makes the priest more sicere and desperate.

Characterization, 161, Shows Oedipus' past accomplishments and how much his people believe in him.

"[...] the trail of the ancient guilt so hard to trace?" (165, 124), Metaphor, emphasizes the difficulty of the task.

Characterization, 167, shows Oedipus' passion and willingness to defend his people.

"Racked with terror-terror shakes my heart [...] I worship you in dread..." (168, 170-174), Repetition, gives a pleading and desperate tone to the people.

"Thebes like a great army dying" (169, 194), Simile, highlights the enormity of the situation in Thebes.

Tone, 169, Hopelessness, shows that the people of Thebes have no hope of overcoming this situation.