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A Brief Summary of Oedipus Rex

A Brief Summary of Oedipus Rex. A tragedy written by Sophocles. Oedipus is born. Tiresias, a blind prophet tells Oedipus ’ parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta that their son will one day kill Laius and marry Jocasta. Laius orders the death of Oedipus.

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A Brief Summary of Oedipus Rex

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  1. A Brief Summary of Oedipus Rex A tragedy written by Sophocles

  2. Oedipus is born. Tiresias, a blind prophet tells Oedipus’ parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta that their son will one day kill Laius and marry Jocasta. Laius orders the death of Oedipus.

  3. A shepard takes the infant Oedipus out to kill him, but he can’t do it. He leaves him on the top of the mountain. A family finds young Oedipus and takes him in.

  4. When Oedipus is a young adult, he hits the road. He bumps into King Laius on the road. A fight ensues, and Oedipus kills the king (not realizing that, a) he was a king, and, b) he was Oedipus’ father). • Oedipus travels to Thebes. In order to get into the city, he must solve a riddle (or he’ll die). He solves the riddle, and becomes the king of Thebes, then marries the newly widowed Queen, Jocasta (his mother).

  5. They have four kids: Etocles, Polynices, Ismene, and Antigone.

  6. A terrible curse falls on Thebes. The only way to rid the curse, Oedipus learns from his Uncle Creon (Jocasta’s brother), is to discover who murdered Jocasta’s husband, the former King of Thebes, Laius (Oedipus’ father).

  7. Through a series of inquiries, Oedipus figures out that HE (unwittingly) killed his father (King Laius), AND that HE (unwittingly) married his mother (Queen Jocasta).

  8. Jocasta has a meltdown when she discovers this and kills herself.

  9. Oedipus symbolically stabs himself in the eyes (wanting to blind himself from his wrongdoings), and is self-exiled from Thebes. (He is TRULY a tragic character)

  10. Now, his children are cursed…

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