Oedipus Rex

13 Pages·2012·0.17 MB·English

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Oedipus Rex
The Eumenides. Euripedes's most influential works include
BBAACCKKGGRROOUUNNDD IINNFFOO
Medea,Electra, andThe Bacchae. A 20th-century theatrical
retelling of the Oedipus myth is Jean Cocteau'sThe Infernal
AUTHOR BIO Machine.
Related Historical Events:The story of Oedipus and the
Full Name:Sophocles
tragedies that befell his family were nothing new to Sophocles's
Date of Birth:496 B.C.E.
audience. Greek authors routinely drew their basic material
Place of Birth:Colonus, a village outside of Athens, Greece from a cycle of four epic poems, known as theTheban Cycle,
Date of Death:405–406 B.C.E. that was already ancient in the fifth century B.C.E. and is now
lost to history. TheTheban Cyclewas as familiar to Athenians as
Brief Life Story:Considered one of the three greatest
theThe IliadandThe Odyssey, so everyone in the audience
playwrights of classical Greek theater, Sophocles was a friend
would have known what was going to happen to Oedipus.
of Pericles and Herodotus, and a respected citizen who held
Sophocles used this common story but made Oedipus a
political and military offices in fifth-century B.C.E. Athens. He
contemporary character, a man of action and persistence who
won fame by defeating the playwright Aeschylus for a prize in
represented many of the ideals of Athenian leadership. It is
tragic drama at Athens in 468 B.C.E. Only seven of his complete
Oedipus's desire to find out the truth—a quality that, again,
plays have survived to reach the modern era, but he wrote
would have been admired by Sophocles's audience—that leads
more than 100 and won first prize in 24 contests. Best known
to his destruction.
are his three Theban plays,Antigone,Oedipus Rex, andOedipus
at Colonus. Sophocles's other complete surviving works are
EXTRA CREDIT
Ajax, Electra,Philoctetes, andTrachinian Women. He is credited
with changing Greek drama by adding a third actor, reducing The Oedipus Complex:Sigmund Freud used the Oedipus story
the role of the chorus, and paying greater attention to as an important example in his theory of the unconscious. He
character development. believed that "It is the fate of all of us, perhaps, to direct our
first sexual impulse towards our mother and our first hatred
KEY FACTS and our first murderous wish against our father." He referred to
these two urges as the "Oedipus complex."
Full Title:Oedipus Rex (or Oedipus the King)
Genre:Tragic drama
PPLLOOTT OOVVEERRVVIIEEWW
Setting:The royal house of Thebes
Climax:When Oedipus gouges out his eyes At the start of the play, the city of Thebes is suffering terribly.
Protagonist:Oedipus Citizens are dying from plague, crops fail, women are dying in
childbirth and their babies are stillborn. A group of priests
Antagonist:Tiresias; Creon
comes to the royal palace to ask for help fromOedipus, their
king who once saved them from the tyranny of the terrible
HISTORICAL AND LITERARY CONTEXT
Sphinx. Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law,Creon, to
When Written:circa 429 B.C.E. the oracle of the god Apollo to find out what can be done. (A
little background: before Oedipus arrived in Thebes, the
Where Written:Athens, Greece
previous king, Laius, was murdered under mysterious
When Published:circa 429 B.C.E.
circumstances and the murderer was never found. When
Literary Period:Classical Oedipus arrived in Thebes and saved the city, he was made king
Related Literary Works:Of Sophocles's surviving dramatic and married the widowed queen,Jocasta, sister of Creon.)
works,Antigone,Oedipus Rex, andOedipus at Colonustreat Now Creon returns with the oracle's news: for the plague to be
lifted from the city, the murderer of Laius must be discovered
different episodes of the same legend, using many of the same
and punished. The oracle claims that the murderer is still living
characters. Sophocles's writing career overlapped with that of
in Thebes.
Aeschylus and Euripedes, the other great tragic playwrights of
fifth-century Athens. Among Aeschylus's best-known tragedies Oedipus curses the unknown murderer and swears he will find
areSeven Against Thebes,Agamemnon,The Libation Bearers, and and punish him. He orders the people of Thebes, under
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punishment of exile, to give any information they have about
CCHHAARRAACCTTEERRSS
the death of Laius. Oedipus sends forTiresias, the blind
prophet, to help with the investigation. Tiresias comes, but
OOeeddiippuuss– Long before the play begins, Oedipus became king
refuses to tell Oedipus what he has seen in his prophetic
of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx. His sharp mind
visions. Oedipus accuses Tiresias of playing a part in Laius's
and quickness to action have made him an admired and
death. Tiresias grows angry and says that Oedipus is the cause
successful leader. When the priests come to petition him after a
of the plague—he is the murderer of Laius. As the argument
plague strikes the city, he has already set into motion two plans
escalates, Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting with Creon to
to deal with the city's crisis. Throughout the play, he makes
overthrow him, while Tiresias hints at other terrible things that
decisions boldly and quickly, if not always wisely. In his attempts
Oedipus has done.
to discover the truth about the murder of Laius, he falsely
Convinced that Creon is plotting to overthrow him, Oedipus accusesCreonandTiresiasof treachery, and even forces the
declares his intention to banish or execute his brother-in-law. reluctant shepherd to tell his story, which publicly reveals
Jocasta and the chorus believe Creon is innocent and beg Oedipus to be the murderer and husband of his own mother.
Oedipus to let Creon go. He relents, reluctantly, still convinced The same leadership skills that have brought him fame and
of Creon's guilt. Jocasta tells Oedipus not to put any stock in success—decisive action, a desire to solve mysteries using his
what prophets and seers say. As an example, she tells him the intellect—drive him to his own destruction.
prophecy she once received—that Laius, her first husband,
CCrreeoonn– Brother ofJocasta. WhereasOedipusis the
would be killed by their own son. And yet, Laius was killed by
charismatic leader who speaks openly in front of his people,
strangers, and her own infant son was left to die in the
Creon is more political and perhaps more scheming. Creon is
mountains. But her description of where Laius was killed—a
offended and alarmed when Oedipus accuses him of treason,
triple-crossroad—worries Oedipus. It's the same place where
but he speaks calmly and tries to show the error of the
Oedipus once fought with several people and killed them, one
accusation by appealing to Oedipus's sense of reason. At the
of whom fit the description of Laius. He asks that the surviving
end of the play, however, he is more than willing to step into the
eyewitness to Laius's murder be brought to him. He tells
power vacuum after Oedipus's terrible fate has been revealed.
Jocasta that oracles have played a big part in his life as well—he
Even then, however, he cautiously makes sure to follow the
received a prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with
dictates of the gods, rather than to trying to resist fate as
his mother, which is why he left Corinth, the city he was raised
Oedipus has done.
in, and never returned.
TTiirreessiiaass– The blind prophet or seer. He knows that the terrible
An oldmessengerarrives from Corinth with the news that
prophecy ofOedipushas already come true, but doesn't want
Oedipus's father, King Polybus, has died of old age. This
to say what he knows. Only when Oedipus accuses him of
encourages Oedipus. It seems his prophecy might not come
treachery does Tiresias suggest that Oedipus himself is guilty
true, but he remains worried because his mother is still alive.
of the murder of King Laius. He leaves Oedipus with a riddle
The messenger tells him not to worry—the king and queen of
that implies, plainly enough for the audience to understand,
Corinth were not his real parents. The messenger himself
that Oedipus has killed his father and married his mother.
brought Oedipus as a baby to the royal family as a gift after a
shepherdfound the boy in the mountains and gave him to the JJooccaassttaa– Wife ofOedipus. Also, mother of Oedipus. When the
messenger. The shepherd was the same man Oedipus has play begins, she no longer believes in the prophecies of seers.
already sent for—the eyewitness to Laius's murder. Jocasta She tries to convince Oedipus not to worry about whatTiresias
begs Oedipus to abandon his search for his origins, but says. As more evidence points toward the probability that
Oedipus insists he must know the story of his birth. Jocasta Oedipus has in fact fulfilled a terrible prophecy, she begs him
cries out in agony and leaves the stage. The shepherd arrives not to dig any further into his past. He will not be persuaded.
but doesn't want to tell what he knows. Only under threat of Realizing that her son killed her first husband, that she is now
death does he reveal that he disobeyed the order to kill the married to her son, and that Oedipus is about to bring all of this
infant son of Laius and Jocasta, and instead gave that baby to to light, Jocasta takes her own life.
the messenger. That baby was Oedipus, who in fact killed his TThhee CChhoorruuss– In this play, the chorus represents the elder
father Laius and married his mother. Oedipus realizes that he citizens of Thebes, reacting to the events of the play. The
has fulfilled his awful prophecy. Queen Jocasta kills herself and chorus speaks as one voice, or sometimes through the voice of
Oedipus, in a fit of grief, gouges out his own eyes. Blind and its leader. It praises, damns, cowers in fear, asks or offers
grief-stricken, Oedipus bemoans his fate. Creon, after advice, and generally helps the audience interpret the play.
consulting an oracle, grants Oedipus's request and banishes
AA PPrriieesstt– He comes to the royal house to tellOedipusof the
him from Thebes.
city's suffering and to ask Oedipus to save Thebes once more.
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AA MMeesssseennggeerr– The messenger from Corinth informsOedipus marrying his mother without knowing it—in fact, when he is
that King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth were not his trying toavoiddoing these very things. Does he have free
actual parents. The messenger himself gave Oedipus as a baby will—the ability to choose his own path—or is everything in life
to the Corinthian king and queen. He got the baby from a predetermined? Jocasta argues that the oracles are a sham
Thebanshepherdwhom he met in the woods. Oedipus's ankles because she thinks the prediction that her son would kill her
were pinned together at the time—in Greek, the name husband never came to pass. When she finds out otherwise,
"Oedipus" means "swollen ankles." she kills herself. InOedipus Rex, Oedipus has fulfilled his terrible
AA SShheepphheerrdd– The former servant of King Laius who took pity prophecy long ago, but without knowing it. He hasalreadyfallen
on the babyOedipusand spared his life. The shepherd was also into his fate. One could argue that hedoeshave free will,
an eyewitness to the death of King Laius. When Oedipus however, in his decision to pursue the facts about his past,
commands the shepherd to tell him what he knows about despite many suggestions that he let it go. In this argument,
Oedipus's origins, the shepherd refuses, and only relents under Oedipus's destruction comes not from his deeds themselves
punishment of death. but from his persistent efforts to learn the truth, through which
he reveals the true nature of those terrible deeds. Oedipus
AAnnttiiggoonnee– Daughter ofOedipusand half-sister of Oedipus.
himself makes a different argument at the end of the play, when
Still a small child inOedipus Rex, Antigone appears at the end to
he says that his terrible deeds were fated, but that it was he
bid farewell to her father. She is the main character of
alone who chose to blind himself. Here, Oedipus is arguing that
Sophocles'sAntigone.
while it is impossible to avoid one's fate, how you respond to
IIssmmeennee– Daughter ofOedipusand half-sister of Oedipus. Like your fate is a matter of free will.
Antigone, Ismene is a small child and appears only at the end of
the play when her father says goodbye to her.
2 GUILT AND SHAME
The play begins with a declaration from the oracle at Delphi:
TTHHEEMMEESS Thebes is suffering because the person guilty of the murder of
King Laius has not been brought to justice.Oedipussets
In LitCharts each theme gets its own color and number. Our himself the task of discovering the guilty party—so guilt, in the
color-coded theme boxes make it easy to track where the legal sense, is central toOedipus Rex. Yet ultimately it is not
themes occur throughout the work. If you don't have a color legal guilt but the emotion of guilt, of remorse for having done
printer, use the numbers instead. something terrible, that drives the play.
After all, one can argue that neither Oedipus nor Jocasta are
1 FATE VS. FREE WILL
guilty in a legal sense. They committed their acts unknowingly.
The ancient Greeks believed that their gods could see the Yet their overwhelming feelings of guilt and shame for violating
future, and that certain people could access this information. two of the basic rules of civilized humanity—the taboos against
Prophets or seers, like blindTiresias, saw visions of things to incest and killing one's parents—are enough to make Jocasta
come. Oracles, priests who resided at the temples of commit suicide and to make Oedipus blind himself violently.
gods—such as the oracle to Apollo at Delphi—were also
believed to be able to interpret the gods' visions and give 3 SIGHT VS. BLINDNESS
prophecies to people who sought to know the future. During
WhenOedipuspublicly declares his intention to solve the
the fifth century B.C.E., however, when Sophocles was writing
mystery of King Laius's murder, he says, "I'll start again—I'll
his plays, intellectuals within Athenian society had begun to
bring it all to light myself." Oedipus's vision and intelligence
question the legitimacy of the oracles and of the traditional
have made him a great king of Thebes—he solved the riddle of
gods. Some of this tension is plain to see inOedipus Rex, which
the Sphinx and revitalized the city. But he is blind to the truth
hinges on two prophecies. The first is the prophecy received by
about his own life. It takes the blind prophet,Tiresias, to point
King Laius of Thebes that he would have a son by Queen
out his ignorance and to plant the first seeds of doubt in
Jocastawho would grow up to kill his own father. The second is
Oedipus's mind. When Oedipus mocks Tiresias's blindness,
the prophecy that Oedipus received that he would kill his
Tiresias predicts that Oedipus himself will soon be blind. And
father and marry his mother. Laius, Jocasta, and Oedipus all
indeed, when Oedipus learns the full story—that he has killed
work to prevent the prophecies from coming to pass, but their
his father and married his mother—he gouges out his eyes. He
efforts to thwart the prophecies are what actually bring the
learns the nature of fate and the power of the gods, but at a
prophecies to completion.
great cost. And though he is blinded, he has learned to see
This raises a question at the heart of the play: does Oedipus something he could not see before.
have any choice in the matter? He ends up killing his father and
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4 FINDING OUT THE TRUTH TRIPLE CROSSROAD
The terrible deeds that areOedipus's undoing actually took Oedipuskilled King Laius at a place "where three roads meet,"
place long before the play begins. King Laius has been dead for or a triple crossroad. Typically, crossroads symbolize a choice to
many years, Oedipus has ruled for some time, and his marriage be made. Yet because the murder of Laius occurred in the
to Jocasta has produced four children. They might have all distant past. Oedipus's choice has already been made, and so
remained happy in their ignorance had the plague not come to the triple crossroads becomes a symbol not of choice but of
Thebes and the oracle not commanded that the murderer of fate.
Laius be found. Good king that he is, Oedipus swears he will
find the murderer. Every step of the way, people are reluctant
SWOLLEN ANKLES
to speak and try to tell him that it would be better if the past
were left alone.Creonsuggests that they discuss the oracle As an adult,Oedipusstill limps from a childhood injury to his
behind closed doors, not in front of everyone, but Oedipus ankles. This limp, and his very name—which means "swollen
wants to show that he is open to the truth and keeps no secrets ankle," and which was given to him because of a childhood ankle
from his people.Tiresiasrefuses to say what he knows, and injury—are clues to his own identity that Oedipus fails to
only speaks when he has been insulted and accused of notice. As such, Oedipus's ankles become symbols of his fate.
treachery. Jocasta begs Oedipus to cease his investigations. His ankles, literally, are the marks of that fate.
The oldshepherdgives Oedipus the final pieces of the puzzle
only when threatened with death. In his desire to seek out the
QQUUOOTTEESS
truth and save his people from the plague, Oedipus becomes
his own prosecutor, and then his own judge and punisher.
The color-coded boxes under each quote below make it easy to
track the themes related to each quote. Each color corresponds
5 ACTION VS. REFLECTION to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this
In his quest for truth,Oedipusis a man of constant action. LitChart.
When thepriestscome to ask for his help, he has already
dispatchedCreonto the oracle to find out what the gods LINES 1-340 QUOTES
suggest. When thechorussuggests that he consultTiresias,
Here I am myself—
Oedipus has already sent for him. Oedipus decides quickly and
you all know me, the world knows my fame:
acts quickly—traits his audience would have seen as admirable
I am Oedipus.
and in the best tradition of Athenian leadership. But Oedipus's
(7-9; Fagles)
tendency to decide and act quickly also leads him down a path
to his own destruction. He becomes convinced that Tiresias ••SSppeeaakkeerr: Oedipus
and Creon are plotting to overthrow him, though he has no
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Sight vs. Blindness
evidence to prove it.
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
At several stages where he might have paused to reflect on the
outcome of his actions—where he might have sifted through 11 33
the evidence before him and decided not to pursue the
question further, or not in such a public way—he forges
onward, even threatening to torture the reluctantshepherdto If ever, once in the past, you stopped some ruin
make him speak. And it is the shepherds words that irrefutably launched against our walls
condemn Oedipus. Even here, his will to act doesn't end. you hurled the flame of pain
Discovering Jocasta, his wife and mother, dead, Oedipus far, far from Thebes—you gods,
quickly takes his punishment into his own hands and gauges out come now, come down once more!
his eyes. (186-189; Fagles)
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
SSYYMMBBOOLLSS ••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Finding
Out the Truth
Symbols appear inred textthroughout the Summary & Analysis
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
sections of this LitChart.
11 22 44
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Thebes, city of death, one long cortege ••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Tiresias
and the suffering rises
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Sight vs. Blindness, Action
wails for mercy rise
vs. Reflection
and the wild hymn for the Healer blazes out
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
clashing with our sobs our cries of mourning—
O golden daughter of god, send rescue 11 33 55
radiant as the kindness in your eyes!
(211-217; Fagles)
No man will ever
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
be rooted from the earth as brutally as you.
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame (488-489; Fagles)
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Tiresias
11 22 ••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Sight vs.
Blindness
Now my curse on the murderer. Whoever he is,
a lone man unknown in his crime ••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
or one among many, let that man drag out
11 22 33
his life in agony, step by painful step—
(280-283; Fagles)
Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich,
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Oedipus
he will grope his way toward a foreign soil,
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Sight vs.
a stick tapping before him step by step.
Blindness, Finding Out the Truth
(517-519; Fagles)
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Tiresias
11 22 33 44
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Sight vs.
LINES 341-708 QUOTES
Blindness
Just send me home. You bear your burdens, ••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
I'll bear mine. It's better that way,
11 22 33
please believe me.
(364-366; Fagles)
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Tiresias But whether a mere man can know the truth,
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus whether a seer can fathom more than I—
there is no test, no certain proof
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Sight vs. Blindness, Finding Out the Truth
though matching skill for skill
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee: a man can outstrip a rival. No, not till I see
these charges proved will I side with his accusers....
33 44
Never will I convict my king, never in my heart. (563-568, 572;
Fagles)
Did you rise to the crisis? Not a word,
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
you and your birds, your gods—nothing.
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
No, but I came by, Oedipus the ignorant,
I stopped the Sphinx! With no help from the birds, ••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Guilt and Shame, Sight vs. Blindness, Finding
the flight of my own intelligence hit the mark. Out the Truth
(449-453; Fagles) ••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Oedipus 22 33 44
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LINES 709-997 QUOTES ••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Sight vs. Blindness
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
Look at you, sullen in yielding, brutal in your rage—
you will go too far. It's perfect justice:
11 33
natures like yours are hardest on themselves.
(746-748; Fagles)
LINES 998-1310 QUOTES
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Creon
They are dying, the old oracles sent to Laius,
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
now our masters strike them off the rolls.
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Guilt and Shame, Action vs. Reflection Nowhere Apollo's golden glory now—
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee: the gods, the gods go down.
(994-997; Fagles)
22 55
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Sight vs. Blindness, Finding
You who set our beloved land—storm-tossed, shattered— Out the Truth
straight on course. Now again, good helmsman,
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
steer us through the storm!
(765-767; Fagles) 11 33 44
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus Man of agony—
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Guilt and Shame, Sight vs. Blindness, Action that is the only name I have for you,
vs. Reflection that, no other—ever, ever, ever!
(1176-1179; Fagles)
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Jocasta
22 33 55
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Finding
Listen to me and learn some peace of mind: Out the Truth
no skill in the world,
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
nothing human can penetrate the future.
(780-782; Fagles) 11 22 44
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Jocasta
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus If you are the man he says you are, believe me
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Sight vs. Blindness, Finding you were born for pain.
Out the Truth (1304-1305; Fagles)
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee: ••SSppeeaakkeerr: A Shepherd
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus, A Messenger
11 33 44
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Finding
Out the Truth
Great laws tower above us, reared on high
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
born for the brilliant vault of heaven—
Olympian Sky their only father, 11 22 44
nothing mortal, no man gave them birth,
their memory deathless, never lost in sleep:
LINES 1311-1680 QUOTES
within them lives a mighty god, the god does not
grow old. "...is there a man more agonized?
(957-962; Fagles) More wed to pain and frenzy? Not a man on earth,
the joy of your life ground down to nothing
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
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O Oedipus, name for the ages—" corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes
(1331-1334; Fagles) section of this LitChart.
LINES 1-340
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus The play begins in the royal Oedipus limps because Laius and
house of Thebes. The stage Jocasta (who he doesn't know
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Finding
directions state thatOedipus are his parents) pinned his ankles
Out the Truth
solved the riddle of the Sphinx together when he was an infant
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
many years earlier and has to thwart the prophecy that he
11 22 44 since ruled as king of Thebes. would kill Laius (they failed). The
As the play begins, a limp marks Oedipus's fate, even
procession of miserable- though he does not know it yet.
My destiny, my dark power, what a leap you made!(1448; lookingpriestsenters.
11
Fagles) Oedipus follows soon after,
walking with a slight limp and
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Oedipus
attended by guards.
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will
Oedipusasks thepriestswhy The reference to the Sphinx
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee: they have come. He knows reminds the audience that
that the city is sick with plague. Oedipus is a genuine hero.
11
He tells them they can trust Oedipus saved Thebes from the
him to help in any way he can. Sphinx by answering the Sphinx's
In a moving speech, apriest riddle. In other words, he became
Take me away, far, far from Thebes,
tellsOedipusthe city's woes: a hero by figuring out the truth.
quickly, cast me away, my friends—
the crops are ruined, cattle are
this great murderous ruin, this man cursed to heaven,
44 55
sick, women die in labor and
the man the deathless gods hate most of all!
children are stillborn, and
(1477-1480; Fagles)
people are perishing from the
••SSppeeaakkeerr: Oedipus plague. The priest begs
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Finding Oedipus to save Thebes, just
Out the Truth, Action vs. Reflection as Oedipus once saved it from
the Sphinx.
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
Oedipussays he knows of the Oedipus is a vigorous and active
11 22 44 55
trouble and has been trying to leader. He has already
think of a solution. He has anticipated the priests' request
already sentCreon, his for help and has done what a
Now as we keep our watch and wait the final day,
brother-in-law, to the oracle at good Greek ruler should do—seek
count no man happy till he dies, free of pain at last.
Delphi to find out what the god advice from an oracle.
(1683-1684; Fagles)
Apollo advises. Just then, the
44 55
••SSppeeaakkeerr: The Chorus priestnotices that Creon is
returning from this mission.
••MMeennttiioonneedd oorr rreellaatteedd cchhaarraacctteerrss: Oedipus
••RReellaatteedd tthheemmeess: Fate vs. Free Will, Guilt and Shame, Sight vs.
Blindness, Finding Out the Truth
••TThheemmee TTrraacckkeerr ccooddee:
11 22 33 44
SSUUMMMMAARRYY && AANNAALLYYSSIISS
The color-coded boxes under "Analysis & Themes" below make
it easy to track the themes throughout the work. Each color
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CreontellsOedipusand the As when he faced the Sphinx, Oedipusorders anyone who Oedipus acts quickly to find the
assembledprieststhe words Oedipus is presented with a knows anything about Laius's killer. He thinks he knows what
of the god Apollo, according to puzzle to solve: the identity of murderer to speak, in happened—thieves killed
the oracle. Before Oedipus Laius's murderer. Shame was exchange for light treatment Laius—but is actually blind to the
became king, the previous believed to have real-world and possibly a reward. But, truth. Acting blindly, he curses
king, Laius, was murdered, and consequences. The plague results Oedipus declares, if anyone himself. Greek audiences would
his murderer was never from the shame of not punishing has useful information and have known the Oedipus story,
discovered. According to the Thebe's former king's murderer. does not speak, the citizens of and so in this scene Oedipus
oracle, the killer lives in Thebes must banish this would seem to be describing his
11 22 44
Thebes. He must be caught person. Oedipus curses the own fate, or even bringing this
and punished in order to stop murderer—"Let that man drag fate upon himself.
the plague. out his life in agony, step by
11 33 44 55
painful step." He adds that
OedipusasksCreonabout the Oedipus is a hero and a man of
even if the murderer ends up
circumstances of Laius's death. action. Had his king been
being a member of his own
Creon says that Laius left the murdered, nothing would have
family, he or she should receive
city to consult the oracle of stopped him from finding the
the same harsh banishment
Apollo and never returned. murderer, just as he is promising
and punishment.
Only one eyewitness to the to let nothing stop him now.
murder survived and returned Creon is more pragmatic and less Oedipuscriticizes the people Another example of Oedipus's
to Thebes. This man claimed inclined to take action. Having for not hunting more strong leadership. He's one step
that a band of thieves killed just escaped the Sphinx, vigorously for Laius's killer. He ahead of the suggestions his
the king. Oedipus asks why no searching out Laius's murderer says he will fight for Laius as if subjects make to him and has
one tried to find the seemed impossible to Creon. Laius were his own father. already sent for Tiresias. Yet in
murderers. Creon responds Oedipus curses anyone who saying he would fight for Laius as
44 55
that, at the time, Thebes was defies his orders. The leader of if he were his own father,
under the Sphinx's curse. thechorussuggests that Oedipus further displays his own
Oedipus then promises that Oedipus send forTiresias, the blindness to the truth.
he'll take on the task of finding blind seer. Oedipus announces
11 33 44 55
the murderer. that he has already done so.
Soon, blind Tiresias arrives, led
Thechorus, which has not The chorus, which represents the
by a boy.
heard the news from the elders of Thebes, appeals to the
oracle, enters and marches gods as the agents of fate and LINES 341-708
around an altar, chanting. The rulers of the world to save the
OedipusasksTiresias, the The blind seer sees the truth, but
choruscatalogs the city.
prophet, to help Thebes end tries to protect Oedipus by
misfortunes of Thebes and
11 the plague by guiding him to remaining silent. This puts him
calls on many gods by name to
the murderers of King Laius. into conflict with Oedipus, who is
come to the city's aid.
But Tiresias does not want to merely trying to be a good leader
tell Oedipus what he knows. and save his city.
He asks to be sent home and
11 33 44
says he will not tell his secret.
Oedipus insults Tiresias, but
the prophet still refuses to
speak.
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Now angry,Oedipusaccuses Oedipus, thinking he Creonenters, upset that he Creon perhaps protests too
Tiresiasof plotting to kill Laius. understands more than he does, has been accused of treachery. much when he says he has no
This upsets Tiresias, who tells is too quick to judge Tiresias. Oedipusenters. He launches desire to be king (as his actions at
Oedipus that Oedipus himself Though Tiresias is a noted seer, further accusations at Creon. the end of the play and in
is the cause of the Oedipus is too angry to listen to Creon tries to defend himself AntigoneandOedipus at
plague—Oedipus is the him. against the charges. He claims Colonuswill show). However, he
murderer of Laius. As the he has no idea whatTiresias is right that Oedipus is making
11 22 33 44 55
insults fly back and forth, was going to say, and has no strong accusations without
Tiresias hints that Oedipus is desire to be king. He suggests evidence. Oedipus appears quite
guilty of further outrages. that Oedipus is being unreasonable, overcome by
unreasonable and paranoid. anger and the desire to take
Oedipusconvinces himself Oedipus, a man of action,
Oedipus refuses to listen, and some decisive action.
thatCreonhas putTiresiasup describes blindness as an
says he wants Creon dead.
to making these accusations in inability to see. Tiresias, the seer, 33 44 55
Jocasta—Oedipus's wife and
attempt to overthrow him. He describes it as an inability to see
Creon's sister—approaches.
mocks Tiresias's blindness and the truth. In calling Tiresias a
calls the man a false prophet. false prophet, Oedipus shows his LINES 709-997
The leader of thechorustries willingness to fight against any
JocastatellsOedipusand Oedipus remains in a high state
to calm the two men down. prophecy he disagrees with.
Creonthat it's shameful to of agitation. He is defensive and
Tiresias warns Oedipus that
11 22 33 44 55 have public arguments when still inclined to see a conspiracy.
Oedipus is the blind one—blind
the city is suffering. When she Some critics have argued that
to the corrupt details of his
learns that Oedipus wants to Oedipus is so quick to see
own life.
have Creon banished or killed, conspiracies because he actually
As the men continue to argue, The riddle is a reference to the Jocasta begs Oedipus to senses his own guilt, but is trying
Tiresiasprophesies that riddle of the Sphinx. Solving that believe Creon. Thechorus to hide from it.
Oedipuswill know who his riddle gave Oedipus his fame. echoes her plea. Oedipus
22 44 55
parents are by the end of the Solving this one will destroy him. thinks that this means the
day, and that this knowledge In other words, Oedipus's own Chorus also wants to see him
will destroy him. He leaves qualities doom him. This riddle is overthrown. The chorus
with a riddle: the killer of Laius pretty obvious, but Oedipus is swears they don't.
is a native Theban whom many not ready or willing to solve it.
Moved by thechorus's Oedipus seems willing to listen to
think is a foreigner; he will
11 22 33 44 55 expression of loyalty,Oedipus his subjects in this scene, though
soon be blind; he is both
allowsCreonto go free, he doesn't take the advice of
brother and father to his
though he says that he still those who tell him not to pursue
children; he killed his own
doesn't believe that Creon is the story of his birth.
father. Both men exit.
innocent. Creon exits,
44 55
Thechorusenters, chanting The chorus helps the reader and declaring that Oedipus is both
about the murderer of Laius, the audience interpret the play. wrong and stubborn.
pursued now by the gods and Here, the reader understands
Jocastaasks howOedipus's Jocasta declares outright that
the words of a prophecy. The that the people of Thebes are still
argument withCreonstarted. prophecy is a sham. She doesn't
chorus concludes that it will on Oedipus's side. He is still their
Oedipus tells her that Creon believe in the truth of oracles or
not believe the serious charges champion.
sentTiresiasto accuse prophecies, which, by extension,
brought againstOedipus
11 22 44 Oedipus of Laius's death. implies that she does not believe
without proof.
Jocasta responds that Oedipus in the gods.
shouldn't worry about the
11
seer's accusation because the
revelations of prophets are
meaningless.
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Jocasta tells a story from her Jocasta once believed in oracles Terrified,Oedipusnever When he realizes that he may
past: When Laius andJocasta enough to sacrifice her infant returned to Corinth in order to have killed Laius, Oedipus
were still married, an oracle son. But now that she's sure the ensure that the prophecy worries that the punishment of
told Laius that he would be prophecy didn't come true, she would not come true. As he exile that he promised for Laius's
killed by his own son. In no longer believes in prophecies. wandered, he one day reached killer will fall on his own head.
response, when Jocasta and But in explaining why she doesn't the place whereJocastasays That would be bad enough—by
Laius's son was three-days-old, believe in prophecies, she King Laius was killed. There he his own decree, he would be
hisankleswere pinned provides the details that make had an incident with a group of banished. But because he still
together and one of Laius's Oedipus suspect the prophecy men who pushed him off the thinks he thwarted the prophecy
servants left him to die on a might be true. Like Oedipus, she road and tried to kill him. He by leaving Corinth, however, he
mountain. Laius was not killed dooms herself. defended himself, and ended doesn't realize that the gods will
by his son, but instead by up killing them. Oedipus now punish him as well.
11 33 44
strangers, at a place where fears one of the men he killed
11 22 44
three roads meet. So, Jocasta was Laius, and the curses that
concludes, seers don't know he himself showered upon the
what they're talking about. old king's murderer will now
come down upon his own
Jocasta'sstory troubles While Oedipus was quick to
head.
Oedipus, so he asksJocasta accuse Creon, he is just as quick
for more details about the to abandon his conspiracy theory ThechorustellsOedipusto Oedipus gets some reprieve from
murder of Laius. He grows once new evidence arises. Now remain hopeful until he his fears and doubts. If he
even more concerned when he's back in detective mode. questions the witness he has investigates no further, he can
she tells him that the murder sent for. Oedipus takes walk away believing that he isn't
11 44 55
took place just before Oedipus heart—after all, the witness, a the murderer of Laius. Yet in
arrived in Thebes, and shepherd, had said that a believing that the prophecies
describes what Laius looked group of thieves killed Laius, have not come to pass he too is
like and how many men not just one man.Jocastaalso now dangerously close to
accompanied him. Now truly tells him not to worry, because denying the power of the gods.
worried, Oedipus asks Jocasta the murder of Laius does not
11 22 33
to send for the lone survivor of fit the prophecy anyway.
the murder of Laius and his Apollo said that her son would
men to come to Thebes and kill her husband, and her son
tell them what he saw that day. was left to die in the
mountains. They exit.
Jocastaasks to know what's Oedipus reveals the second
troublingOedipus. Oedipus major prophecy of the Oedipus Thechorus, alone on stage, The chorus suggests that the
tells her his life story. His story. The first prophecy, given to chants about the gods who stakes are very high. At this
father Polybus and his mother Laius and Jocasta, mentions only rule the world from Olympus, moment the prophecies look
Merope were king and queen that the son would kill the father. striking down those who gain unlikely, and if these prophecies
of Corinth. One day, at a The prophecy given to Oedipus power by disregarding the don't come true, why should
banquet, he heard gossip that brings up the other shameful gods' laws and protecting people believeanyprophecies? If
the king and queen were not atrocity: incest. those men who faithfully serve the words of the gods aren't true,
really his parents. To learn the the state. But then the Chorus doesn't that call into question
11 22 44
truth he went to the oracle at goes on to say that if a sinner is the existence of the gods?
Delphi, where he received a not punished or if the
11 44 55
prophecy that he would sleep prophecies and oracles of the
with his mother and kill his gods turn out to be untrue,
father. then there is no reason to
worship or have faith in the
Gods.
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