Costume Design- Oedipus

Tiresias- Gold= because it is viewed as pure, but not like that of white and signifies the purity of the visions of Tiresias and the truth that he brings with him

Oedipus- Dark Purple= because the color of purple is often associated with royalty and nobility and the dark hue to represent him as the curse of his land and his dark deeds

Messenger- Blue= because the color invokes some tranquility, which the character of the messenger does and also blue also signifies the truth, which he also brings with him in the play

Shepard- Yellowish-Green= because the color green gives a feeling of sickness or distrust and the yellow gives it a touch of cautious signals, which the Shepard does portray because he is cautious to reveal the truth of Oedipus

Jocasta- Amber= because it has the colors of red and yellow with red signifying her passion and love with Oedipus prior to finding out who he is and the yellow to signify her later actions to stop Oedipus from finding the truth, by being cautious about who he is and not taking risks

Creon- Dark-Red= because red is mainly used to represent rage and anger, which complements his anger when he was arguing with Oedipus near the start of the play, and dark hue represents how cold he becomes to Oedipus nearing the end of the play when Oedipus requests he be able to stay with his daughters

Sin

Terza Rima appears throughout canto

Dante enters a sub-circle of the fourth. These damned souls are of manipulators, those who controlled others to satiate their sinful desires. In death they are eternally manipulated by the threads of their life, controlled to do the will of the demons that reside there as they had controlled others in life. They who saw no respect in their fellow man are now reduced to nothing doing the tasks of their masters.

Virgil told me to not be entranced
“For these souls are now puppets, for
They in life controlled others without a second glance.”

These souls that moved about abhor
the tasks of their demon lords.
The damned missed the control they used to adore.

Now the condemned manipulated by the hordes
Suffer to do the vilest of chores
Without any sight of rewards.

The souls forced to clean the floors
Of the circle they inhabit

Never able to see the holy shores.

As we traveled we came across an abbot

He told us his sinful tale

“I used my power to control the trade of rabbits

For which I kept the money from the sale

To lead a luxurious and extravagant life,

But now here I lie controlled by demons for eternity to wail”

As we left him I caught sight of a Florentine’s wife

As we approached she began to beckon us over

She told me her story “Please know my story of strife,

In life I was a licentious wife seducing passing rovers

Until my lovers quarreled for my attention.

Soon I was executed on white clovers.”

 We continued in the circle as I slowly felt tension

The circle became more like a puppet stage as we proceeded.

Though because of the demons it gave me a sense of apprehension

But continued on within this circle of puppets unimpeded.

Until I heard voices say “The papacy shall migrate

From its home to lands where its power becomes unneeded,

But shall be followed by a divided papal state.”

 At those words I grieved for the churches crisis

But soon this circle we would vacate.