Oedipus Flashcards
Summary of Oedipus
The play starts with the plague that is endangering the city of Thebes. Oedipus wants to find a way to end the plague that is endangering the lives of his people. Creon goes to Apollo for insight, and he is to stop the plague. The person who killed Laius needs to be exiled or killed. Oedipus says he is going to find the killer, not knowing (audience does) that the killer is he. Tiresias comes in and argues with Oedipus. Then comes Creon, who is talking about how his name was mentioned negatively by Oedipus. Then he talks with Jocasta about her ex-husband, who was killed by multiple robbers. Oedipus becomes scared that maybe he killed Laius, but Jocasta tries to ease his mind by saying that it was done by multiple people. A messenger comes to tell Oedipus is dead, and now he no longer needs to worry about completing the prophecy, yet he is unsure about the prophecy of bedding his mother can still be accomplished. But the messenger tells him the truth that those who think they are his biological parents are not his parents. The messenger was given baby Oedipus and gave it to his adoptive parents. Oedipus then sends to get the herdsman who gave him away to find the truth. He then finds out that the prophecy came true that he is the son of Laius and Jocasta, killed his father, and married his mother. Jocasta will then kill herself by hanging. Oedipus will then blind himself. Oedipus then talks about the events and how he can’t stand his actions. He then talks with Creon and hopes for a good future for his kids. He wants to be exiled to the mountains away from civilization.
Who wrote Oedipus Tyrannos?
Sophocles
Who founded the city of Thebes?
Cadmus
Who is Laius?
The king of Thebes before Oedipus
The biological father of Oedipus
The first husband of Jocasta
Who is Jocasta?
Queen of Thebes
Wife and mother of Oedipus
Who is Tiresias?
The blind Theban prophet
Context of the tragedy
Plague in Athens: 430 BCE
Peloponnesian War began 431 BCE, between Athens and Sparta
What is a Sphinx?
A lion/eagle/serpent/woman
Who gave the riddle to Oedipus that he answered correctly to become king of Thebes
In Sophocles, the sphinx is never named and her riddle is never quoted
What is Oedipus myth in general?
Laius of Thebes heard a prophecy that his son would kill him, so he exposed him on the local mountain (Cithaeron), piercing his feet/ ankles.
Years later, Oedipus met his father where three roads met, and killed him, then traveled to Thebes, solved the riddle of the Sphinx and became ruler, marrying the queen.They had children.
When the truth came out, the queen hanged herself. Later, their sons killed each other, in the first phase of the mythical Theban wars.
What made Sophocles’ play different from other takes on the Oedipus myth?
No clear exposition of the back story
No clarity about the will or intentions of the gods
Multiplies prophecies and riddles and messengers/ messages/ things to interpret
Focuses on the process of discovery
Makes Oedipus blind himself
What is the plot sequence of who Oedipus encounters?
- Oedipus and the Priest (CITY)
- Oedipus and Tiresias (GODS)
- Oedipus and Creon
- Oedipus and Jocasta (WIFE/ MOM) [this is where you’ve got to!]Interlude: Jocasta and Apollo
- Oedipus and the Corinthian Messenger
- Oedipus and the Theban Herdsman
- Second Messenger speeches
- Oedipus and Chorus
- Oedipus and Creon
Who is Creon?
Oedipus brother in law and uncle
Brother of Jocasta
Becomes ruler of Thebes after Oedipus blinds himself
How does Apollo communicates with morals?
Oracles, prophecies, priests, prophets
Messages (there are 3 different messengers in this play, which is super unusual)
Words from a drunken man
Signs from birds and other natural phenomena
Plague
Dreams
Names
Puns
Dramatic irony
What is pollution?
Mother-son sex
Contagion, stain or pollution incurred by a violation of natural laws
What does Oedipus blinds himself with?
Jocasta’s dress peplos
which fastens her dress at her shoulders
