Oedipus Rex

1. Oedipus Rex By Eyanna Gruver

2. Story Basics • Title: Oedipus Rex • Author: Sophocles • Literary work: Play • Genre: tragedy • Published: Recently in 1977 but first published in fifth century B.C. • Setting: Ancient Thebes

3. About the author • Born in 496 B.C. at Kolonos, a norhtern suburb of Athens • At twenty-eight, he won the prize of the tragedy competition, with his first entry • Was a well-established public figure in Athens • He was also nominated to compete at the annual Festival of Dionysoson approximately thirty occasions, and won the first prize eighteen times. • Wrote Oedipus Rex between 430 and 420 B.C.

4. Characters • Oedipus Rex • Protagonist • King of Thebes, married to Jocasta • Known for his intellect and ability to solve riddles • His real parents were told by an oracle that he was to destined to sleep with his mother and kill his father, so they abandoned him to prevent this from happening. • Oedipus hears this prophecy many years later, and leaves his foster parents (who he believes to be his real parents) to prevent this from happening. • He discovers later that he has found and married his mother by chance, and killed his father on the road without knowing who he was.

5. Characters • Jocasta • Oedipus’s wife/mother • Before marrying Oedipus, she was married to Laius, Oedipus’ father • She is the first one to figure out Oedipus’s true identity • She commits suicide at the end of the play • Tireseas

6. Characters • Creon • Prince brother of Jocasta • Was thought by Oedipus early in the story of committing treason towards him. • Shows his loyalty by reciting a speech detailing his devotion.

7. Characters • Tiresias • Blind prophet • Tells Oedipus that he is the man that is the cause of Thebes's current state. • Shows how the truth can blind someone.

8. Characters • Choragos • Leader of the chorus. • Has minimal parts but adds to explaining and resolving events.

9. Characters • The messenger • Helps to reveal the truth to Oedipus about his origin. • Tells Oedipus that he was given to the messenger from a “Sheppard”. • Freed Oedipus from his imprison as a child (Shackle around his foot).

10. Characters • The Sheppard • Was used as a vessel to take Oedipus out of Thebes as a child. • Gave Oedipus to the messenger.

11. Characters • The Chorus • Acts as an interpreter between scenes. • Shows how the audience should view or react to the writing.

12. Plot • The story begins with Oedipus worrying about his kingdom of Thebes. • He sends Creon to go to Apollo’s messenger to find out how to fix this problem. • When Creon returns, he gives word that in order to fix Thebes, the one that murdered the king before Oedipus must either be exiled or killed. • Oedipus vows to solve the riddle, seeing that he enjoys solving them and is very intelligent. • Oedipus hears of a blind prophet that can tell him who the murderer is and sends Creon to retrieve him. • When the prophet arrives he is hesitant to reveal who the murderer is. • After a commotion, the prophet reveals that Oedipus is the murderer of the king before him. • This enrages Oedipus and he blames both the prophet and Creon for treason.

13. Plot • The kings wife, Jocastathen comes in and tells him in depth more about how the old king was killed. • Jocasta explains to him that the murder was committed at a three road crossway, which she knows because one of their old servants was the only surviving witness. • To Oedipus’s surprise He realizes that he remembers an event similar to this. • Oedipus then tells Jocastaof his origins, that he ran away from his previous home in fear that the prophecy that he was to kill his father and sleep with his mother would dome true. • After he ran away he wandered and ran into the kings caravan. He slaughtered both the king and all of his men. • To confirm his suspicion he sends for the Sheppard that previously worked for them. • The Sheppard arrives, explaining to Oedipus that he was born in Thebes and was given to the messenger to go to another kingdom because of the prophecy.

14. Plot • This proves that Oedipus did in fact kill the old king just like the blind prophet Tiresias had predicted.It also proves that he slept with his mother, Jocasta, and that all of the prophecy had come true. • This causes an explosion of emotion in Jocasta, who flees to her chambers. • In a sudden fury, Oedipus requests a sword and curses Jocasta as he bursts through her door. • He finds that Jocastahas committed suicide by hanging herself. This begins the end of Oedipus’ sanity. • He hugs Jocasta, sobbing. He then takes the brooches from her dressings and stabs himself in the eyes, no longer wanting to see the world around him.

15. Plot • Oedipus then comes goes to see Creon, asking him for forgiveness. He also asks to see and speak with his daughters before he is exiled. • As a last request before he leaves, he asks that Creon take care of his daughters, Antigone and Ismene.

16. Quotes • “No more, No more shall look on the misery about me”- Oedipus. This is when Oedipus stabs his eyes out. This shows how he is sick of seeing the truth. • “Cursing the wife who was not his wife, the mother whose womb carried his children and himself” -second messenger. This is said to describe Jocastaand how she bore Oedipus and his children.

17. Motifs/Themes • Sight • The oracle, Tiresias – Although he is blind, he is the only one who can truly “see” the situation because he can predict the future. • Tiresias foresees that although Oedipus is now strong and can physically see, he will soon be weak and blind. • Oedipus’ blindness, first mentally, then physically– Oedipus is blind to the fact that the oracle’s predication had came true. After he discovers Jocasta dead, Oedipus realizes that he doesn't want to see what he's done, or any other evil in the world. He takes Jocasta’s brooches off of her corpse and impales his eyes with them, becoming physically blind just as Tiresias predicted.

18. Motifs/Themes • Light / Darkness • Being “in the dark” - Oedipus and all the other characters, are “in the dark” about his own origins and the murder of Laius • Coming “into the light” – Oedipus finally is “brought into the light” after he discovers exactly what he has done • Youth and age • The sphinx's riddle – “Man” is the answer to the sphinx's riddle, which is “what