The Sphinx is the monster that Oedipus defeats.
Specifically the Sphinx is a demonic combination of a woman's head, a lion's body, and a bird's wings. She stands guard over the city of Thebes. No one can pass her by without having to meet her challenge to answer a riddle. Those who answer the riddle get to pass on. Those who do not lose their lives.
Everyone before Oedipus loses their lives and is eaten alive. They do not know that "man" is the living being that crawls on fours in the morning of their infancy, on twos in the afternoon of their adulthood, and on threes in the evening of their old age. Once Oedipus gives the answer, he enters Thebes, and the Sphinx throws herself over a cliff.
"Rex" is Latin for "King". Oedipus Rex means "Oedipus the King".
Thebes is the setting of Oedipus Rex because it is the place where the story begins.
It is as the wisest of men that the priest describes Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the priest of Zeus characterizes Theban King Oedipus as the savior of Thebes. He describes Oedipus as divinely favored in wisdom. He gives an example Oedipus' defeat of the seemingly invincible Sphinx.
'King' is an English equivalent of 'Rex' in the play 'Oedipus Rex'.
The Sphinx is the name of the monster from whom Oedipus frees Thebes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Sphinx is a monstrous combination of assorted body parts from a woman and wildlife. She has no other name. She appears almost immediately after Theban King Laius is killed while away from Thebes and on a consulting trip to Delphi.
"Rex" is Latin for "King". Oedipus Rex means "Oedipus the King".
Thebes is the setting of Oedipus Rex because it is the place where the story begins.
It is as the wisest of men that the priest describes Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the priest of Zeus characterizes Theban King Oedipus as the savior of Thebes. He describes Oedipus as divinely favored in wisdom. He gives an example Oedipus' defeat of the seemingly invincible Sphinx.
'King' is an English equivalent of 'Rex' in the play 'Oedipus Rex'.
The Sphinx is the name of the monster from whom Oedipus frees Thebes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Sphinx is a monstrous combination of assorted body parts from a woman and wildlife. She has no other name. She appears almost immediately after Theban King Laius is killed while away from Thebes and on a consulting trip to Delphi.
The shepherd in Oedipus Rex is the person who rescues Oedipus Rex as a child. The shepherd also confirms the main character's fate.
Defeat of the Sphinx is the source of Oedipus' greatness in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the monstrous Sphinx asks Thebes a seemingly unanswerable riddle. She eats all Thebans who cannot give her the correct answer. But Oedipus figures out the answer and puts an end to the Sphinx before she puts an end to all Thebans.
Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone
Oedipus Rex is part of a four part collection of plays, three tradgedies and a comedy. We do not have the Comedy but the three tradgedies are "Oedipus Rex", "Oedipus at Colonus", and "Antigone".
Oedipus
Sophocles, an Ancient Greek playwright, wrote Oedipus Rex.
Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus