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Oedipus the King
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- The title Oedipus Rex is actually in Latin and directly translates to Oedipus the King. The name Oedipus means "swollen foot" in Greek.
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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...
Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex” - first performed around 429BCE. Translated by G. Theodoridis.
Literally "not to call them thine," but the Greek may be rendered "In order not to reveal thine." The Greek text that occurs in this place has been lost. The full text of Sophocles' ancient play Oedipus Rex.
Sep 24, 2024 · Oedipus Rex, play by Sophocles, performed sometime between 430 and 426 bce, that marks the summit of classical Greek drama’s formal achievement, known for its tight construction, mounting tension, and perfect use of the dramatic devices of recognition and discovery.
- 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?
Nov 5, 2022 · Oedipus Rex: The Beginning. The Rescue of the Infant Oedipus, by Salvator Rosa, 1663, via the Royal Academy of Art. Fate and Birth are two concepts that were intertwined in ancient Greek culture. The Greeks believed that when one was born, their soul was set for a particular destiny.
