"Now my curse on the murderer. Whoever he is,
a lone man unknown in his crime
or one among many, let that man drag out
his life in agony, step by painful step—
I curse myself as well . . . if by any chance
he proves to be an intimate of our house,
here at my hearth, with my full knowledge,
may the curse I just called down on him strike me!"
Back in ancient Greece, most of the audience were probably already familiar with the outcome of the play. But still, there were probably some who lived under a rock for a while and were watching the play for the first time without any knowledge. I think the difference between the experiences of watching the play with familiarity and without it is tremendous. Most people loathe spoilers, but in the case of Oedipus Rex, I think is it a better watching and reading experience when one already knows the outcome. The dialogues, coupled with Oedipus' stubbornness and impulsiveness, create irony that is humorous and at the same time, satisfies the Aristotelian purpose of tragedy—to evoke pity and fear.
This particular mouse reminds me of Oedipus. First of all, he "just can't see it." Also, like the two meanings of mouse, Oedipus sort of has a double layer. The literal meaning is "swollen foot," which is a clue to his identity and past that he so desires to uncover. On the other hand, Oedipus is also the name of the king of Thebes. The relationship between the two layers represents Oedipus' blindness to truth, which ultimately destroys him.
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