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What role does the Necklace of Harmonia play in Jocasta's life in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
That it keeps Theban Queen Jocasta beautiful and young enough to get married a second time is the role that the Necklace of Harmonia plays in "Oedipus Rex."
The necklace is a gift from Hephaestus the blacksmith god to Harmonia upon her marriage to Cadmus, founder and first king of Thebes. The gift keeps the wearer from aging and becoming unattractive, but at a high price. The price is an unlucky life.
Hephaestus is the maker of the necklace. He knows what the necklace will do to the wearer. He sees it as just punishment for the infidelities of his perpetually beautiful, young wife, Aphrodite the love goddess. Specifically, Harmonia is the child of Aphrodite's extramarital affair with Ares the war god.
The necklace seems to bring initial luck into Jocasta's life by keeping her attractive enough to get married a second time after the tragic death of her first husband, Theban King Laius. But at the same time, the necklace brings bad luck because the man that Jocasta attracts turns out to be her very own son, Oedipus.
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∙ 13y ago
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Is life unfair to Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Yes, life is unfair to Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, Oedipus gets a fate that he does not deserve. His fate is determined before he is born. Once he learns of his fate as an adult, he makes efforts to outrun it and outwit the gods.
Why are the details of Oedipus' life not presented in chronological order in 'Oedipus Rex'?
It is to increase audience involvement, heighten the dramatic impact and emphasize the tragedy that the details of Oedipus' life are not presented in chronological order in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, interest is increased by the audience relating to how Theban King Oedipus feels as he unravels the riddle of his existence. The dramatic effect is heightened by the uncluttered re-visit to the turning points in Oedipus' life. The tragedy is emphasized by the close contrast between Oedipus at the height of personal happiness and professional success and Oedipus angry and embittered about the true nature of his life and misdeeds.
Is Oedipus controlled by fate in 'Oedipus Rex'?
No, Oedipus is not controlled by fate in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, a life controlled by fate is one in which the outcome is predetermined and that choice makes no difference. The description does not fit Oedipus' life in the sense that Oedipus hears his fate and makes choices to keep his life from going the prophesied way. Oedipus chooses badly -- to avoid talking things out, escape what he does not understand, kill an older version of himself, marry an older woman, and not to follow proper procedure after he commits a crime and a crime is committed -- and that is why his life ironically turns out exactly the way it is prophesied to.
What are the Oedipus plays?
Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone are the Oedipus plays. The three plays tell how the curse on the House of Labdacus plays out on Oedipus, in his own life and in those of his children. They all are written by Sophocles [c. 496 B.C.E. - c. 406 B.C.E.].
What evidence is there that 'Oedipus Rex' is a typical tragedy?
That his life takes an unfortunate turn is evidence that "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) is a typical tragedy.Specifically, a tragedy deals with the unfortunate turn that a hero's life takes. The description fits what happens to Theban King Oedipus. Oedipus is a hero, because he does great deeds and is the main character. But his life takes an unfortunate turn, and Oedipus ends up friendless, homeless, jobless, sightless and wifeless.
What is the meaning behind the circle of life necklace?
The circle of life necklace's meaning is having no beginning and no end. The circle of life pendant necklace is a circle of diamonds, thus it's name.
Is life unfair to Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Yes, life is unfair to Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, Oedipus gets a fate that he does not deserve. His fate is determined before he is born. Once he learns of his fate as an adult, he makes efforts to outrun it and outwit the gods.
Why are the details of Oedipus' life not presented in chronological order in 'Oedipus Rex'?
It is to increase audience involvement, heighten the dramatic impact and emphasize the tragedy that the details of Oedipus' life are not presented in chronological order in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, interest is increased by the audience relating to how Theban King Oedipus feels as he unravels the riddle of his existence. The dramatic effect is heightened by the uncluttered re-visit to the turning points in Oedipus' life. The tragedy is emphasized by the close contrast between Oedipus at the height of personal happiness and professional success and Oedipus angry and embittered about the true nature of his life and misdeeds.
Is Oedipus controlled by fate in 'Oedipus Rex'?
No, Oedipus is not controlled by fate in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, a life controlled by fate is one in which the outcome is predetermined and that choice makes no difference. The description does not fit Oedipus' life in the sense that Oedipus hears his fate and makes choices to keep his life from going the prophesied way. Oedipus chooses badly -- to avoid talking things out, escape what he does not understand, kill an older version of himself, marry an older woman, and not to follow proper procedure after he commits a crime and a crime is committed -- and that is why his life ironically turns out exactly the way it is prophesied to.
What are the Oedipus plays?
Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone are the Oedipus plays. The three plays tell how the curse on the House of Labdacus plays out on Oedipus, in his own life and in those of his children. They all are written by Sophocles [c. 496 B.C.E. - c. 406 B.C.E.].
What evidence is there that 'Oedipus Rex' is a typical tragedy?
That his life takes an unfortunate turn is evidence that "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) is a typical tragedy.Specifically, a tragedy deals with the unfortunate turn that a hero's life takes. The description fits what happens to Theban King Oedipus. Oedipus is a hero, because he does great deeds and is the main character. But his life takes an unfortunate turn, and Oedipus ends up friendless, homeless, jobless, sightless and wifeless.
What character has direct memory of what happens to Oedipus as a baby in 'Oedipus Rex'?
It is the Theban shepherd who has direct memory of what happens to Oedipus as a baby in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Theban shepherd is Theban Queen Jocasta's most trusted servant. He has direct memories of two critical events in Jocasta's and her second husband Oedipus' life. The first direct memory concerns the sparing of the life of Jocasta's son Oedipus.
What does the oracle say to Oedipus about the end of his life in the play 'Oedipus at Colonus'?
That his death place is sacred to the Furies is what the oracle says to Oedipus about the end of his life in "Oedipus at Colonus" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, Theban King Oedipus is in exile with his daughters, Princesses Antigone and Ismene. They come to a grove that is sacred to the Furies. Oedipus calls to mind that the Delphic oracle prophesied that Oedipus would kill his father, marry his mother, and merit a good death at a place sacred to the Furies of fate.
What are the prophecies in 'Oedipus Rex'?
One set of prophecies has to do with Theban King Oedipus' life. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will kill his own father and marry his own mother.Another set of prophecies has to do with Oedipus' downfall and death. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will become blind and end up being driven into exile.
What role does the Messenger have in Oedipus' life history in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Contributing to Oedipus' mistaken self-image and delaying fate are the roles that the Messenger has in Oedipus' life history in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger gets the three-day-old infant Oedipus from a fellow Theban shepherd. The messenger gives Oedipus a home until he returns to Corinth. Then he hands Oedipus over to the childless royal couple, Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope. But he never informs Oedipus of the true circumstances of his birth. By relocating him to Corinth, he makes it possible for Oedipus to reach adulthood before realizing an inescapable fate as his father's killer and his mother's husband.
Where was 'Oedipus Rex' written?
Athens is where Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) wrote "Oedipus Rex."Specifically, the ancient Greek dramatist was born in Colonus, Theban King Oedipus' death place. But Sophocles spent his adult life in nearby Athens, which was a cultural, economic and political center in ancient Greece. It was in his adopted city of Athens that Sophocles wrote his three plays on the life and times of Oedipus and of Oedipus' children.
Who is the author of the trilogy 'Oedipus Rex' and 'Oedipus at Colonus' and 'Antigone'?
Sophocles was the author of the trilogy "Oedipus Rex," "Oedipus at Colonus" and "Antigone."Specifically, Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) was an ancient Greek playwright who was born in Colonus, but spent much of his professional life in nearby Athens. He did not write the plays specifically as a trilogy. They just happened to all be plays about the life and death of Theban King Oedipus and his children.
