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Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus (Ancient Greek: Οἰδίπους Τύραννος, pronounced [oidípuːs týrannos]), or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed c. 429 BC. [1] Originally, to the ancient Greeks, the title was simply Oedipus (Οἰδίπους), as it is ...
- Sophocles
- 1885
- Date and Historical Background
- Characters and Setting
- Summary of Oedipus Rex
- A Brief Analysis
- Oedipus Rex Sources
It is not known when Oedipus Rex was first performed, but the prominent theme of the infestation early in the play seems to suggest a date shortly after the plague that had devastated Athensin 430, at the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. Most classical scholars argue for 429 as the most probable date, with some others suggesting a year between 4...
Characters
• Oedipus, King of Thebes, and the supposed son of Polybus and Merope, the King and Queen of Corinth • Jocasta, Queen of Thebes, widow of Laius, the former King, and now wife to Oedipus • Creon, Jocasta’s brother • Teiresias, the most famous Theban prophet • Priest of Zeus • Messenger from Corinth • Theban herdsman • Messenger from the Palace • Chorusof the Elders of Thebes
Setting
Before the royal palace at Thebes.
Prologue
Many years after Oedipus has become the King of Thebes by saving the city from a vicious monster called the Sphinx, a plague of infertility has stricken “the fruitful blossoms of the land, the herds among the pastures, the barren pangs of women.” In the name of a group of suppliants, a Priest of Zeusapproaches the city’s favorite son with a plea: “Oedipus, king glorious in our eyes, we, your suppliants, beseech you to find some defense for us, whether you hear it from some divine omen, or lea...
Parodos
The Chorus of Theban Elders enters and, after bewailing the effects of the plague, calls upon a host of Olympian gods to protect and aid Thebes in these times of trouble.
First Episode
In answer to the Chorus’ prayer, Oedipus announces the commencement of the city-wide manhunt and invokes a curse upon the unidentified murderer of Laius: “I pray solemnly that the slayer, whoever he is, whether he alone is guilty or he has partners, may, in the horrible way he deserves, wear out his unblessed life. And for myself I pray that if he should, with my knowledge, become a resident of my house, I may suffer the same things which I have just called down on others.” At Creon’s suggest...
In his Poetics, Aristotle refers to Oedipus Rex repeatedly as the best example of different aspects of the genre of tragedy. Many concur, calling it “the masterpiece of Attic tragedy” (Jebb) or “the greatest extant Greek play” (Whitman). The reasons are numerous—the exploration of the fate vs. free will subject, the imagery of light vs. dark, the i...
There are many translations of Oedipus Rex available online, both in verse and in prose; if you are a fan of the latter, you can read Richard Claverhouse Jebb’s translation for Cambridge University Press here. If, however, you prefer poetry, feel free to delve into Francis Storr’s blank verse adaptation here. See Also: Sophocles, Oedipus, Laius, Oe...
Oct 18, 2024 · Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Homer related that Oedipus’s wife and mother hanged herself when the truth of their relationship became known, though Oedipus apparently continued to rule at Thebes until his death.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mar 10, 2021 · By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University) The myth of Oedipus is one of the most famous tragedies in all of classical mythology. But how did this Greek myth come about? And what does it mean?
Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles that tells the story of Oedipus, a man doomed to fulfill a prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother.
Nov 5, 2022 · Oedipus Rex was the unfortunate protagonist who took part in one of the greatest tragedies of Greek mythology.
Definition. Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus the King, is a tragedy by Sophocles that explores themes of fate, free will, and tragic flaw. The play follows Oedipus, the King of Thebes, as he unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that foretold he would kill his father and marry his mother.
