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Q: Why is the shepherd so relcutant to identify Oedipus as the child he gave to the messenger?
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Who gives baby Oedipus to Polybus' messenger in 'Oedipus Rex'?

The Theban shepherd gives the baby Oedipus to Polybus' messenger 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. She hands her three-day-old son, Oedipus, over to the shepherd to kill and thereby prevent Oedipus from growing up to his prophesied fate of killing his father. The shepherd then gives Oedipus to a Corinthian shepherd who fosters the infant into the childless Corinthian royal house and who later becomes Corinthian King Polybus' messenger.


How do the shepherd and the messenger know each other in Oedipus the King?

When Oedipus was exposed on the mountain as a baby in an effort to thwart the prophecy that he would one day kill his father and marry his mother, the shepherd gave him to the messenger who then brought him back to the people Oedipus believed to be his parents.


What is the final puzzle piece provided by the shepherd in 'Oedipus Rex'?

Oedipus' parentage is the final puzzle piece provided by the shepherd in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd hold the pieces to the puzzle of Theban King's Oedipus. The Corinthian messenger is a shepherd who comes from Corinth to tend his flocks outside Thebes at the time of Oedipus' birth. He knows that Oedipus is not the biological son of Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope. His colleague, the Theban shepherd, knows that Oedipus is the biological son of Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta and the killer of Laius, who therefore is both Oedipus' father and sovereign.


What news does the messenger bring Oedipus?

The messenger from Corinth arrives to Thebes to tell Oedipus that Oedipus' father Polybus is dead. And the people of Corinth wish Oedipus to be their new king. The messenger reveals to Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents. He also reveals that the Shepherd gave him a baby as a gift to the King and Queen of Corinth.


How does Oedipus find out the truth in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is from the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd that Oedipus finds out the truth in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger indicates that Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope are not Oedipus' biological parents. He informs Oedipus of his birth in Thebes. His information is corroborated and expanded upon by the Theban shepherd. The shepherd mentions that Oedipus is actually the son of Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta. He reveals that Oedipus' parents arrange to have him killed because of a prophecy that he will grow up to kill his father.

Related questions

Who gives baby Oedipus to Polybus' messenger in 'Oedipus Rex'?

The Theban shepherd gives the baby Oedipus to Polybus' messenger 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. She hands her three-day-old son, Oedipus, over to the shepherd to kill and thereby prevent Oedipus from growing up to his prophesied fate of killing his father. The shepherd then gives Oedipus to a Corinthian shepherd who fosters the infant into the childless Corinthian royal house and who later becomes Corinthian King Polybus' messenger.


Who identifies the old shepherd as the man who spares the infant Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is the Corinthian messenger who identifies the old shepherd as the man who spares the infant Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger is in a position to know. At the time of Theban King Oedipus' infancy, the messenger is working as a shepherd. He gets to have his flocks graze in Thebes between spring and fall. He accepts Oedipus from the Theban shepherd who cannot bring himself to carry out royal orders to kill the three-day-old infant.


How do the shepherd and the messenger know each other in Oedipus the King?

When Oedipus was exposed on the mountain as a baby in an effort to thwart the prophecy that he would one day kill his father and marry his mother, the shepherd gave him to the messenger who then brought him back to the people Oedipus believed to be his parents.


What is the final puzzle piece provided by the shepherd in 'Oedipus Rex'?

Oedipus' parentage is the final puzzle piece provided by the shepherd in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd hold the pieces to the puzzle of Theban King's Oedipus. The Corinthian messenger is a shepherd who comes from Corinth to tend his flocks outside Thebes at the time of Oedipus' birth. He knows that Oedipus is not the biological son of Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope. His colleague, the Theban shepherd, knows that Oedipus is the biological son of Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta and the killer of Laius, who therefore is both Oedipus' father and sovereign.


What news does the messenger bring Oedipus?

The messenger from Corinth arrives to Thebes to tell Oedipus that Oedipus' father Polybus is dead. And the people of Corinth wish Oedipus to be their new king. The messenger reveals to Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents. He also reveals that the Shepherd gave him a baby as a gift to the King and Queen of Corinth.


How does Oedipus find out the truth in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is from the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd that Oedipus finds out the truth in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Corinthian messenger indicates that Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope are not Oedipus' biological parents. He informs Oedipus of his birth in Thebes. His information is corroborated and expanded upon by the Theban shepherd. The shepherd mentions that Oedipus is actually the son of Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta. He reveals that Oedipus' parents arrange to have him killed because of a prophecy that he will grow up to kill his father.


How does the messenger know what he does about Oedipus?

Knowing Oedipus in Thebes and in Corinth is how the messenger knows what he does about the Theban King. Long ago, the messenger works as a shepherd in Thebes. Heis entrusted with Oedipus' care by a fellow shepherd who's supposed to leave the three day old baby to die. The messenger takes Oedipus back to Corinth with him. He gives the baby to the childless Corinthian monarchs, King Polybus and Queen Merope.That's why the messenger knows that Oedipus is the adopted son of the Corinthian monarchs. That also is why he knows that a man who's fated to kill his father and marry his mother safely can go back to Corinth. And that's why he knows that Oedipus' real hometown is Thebes.


When does a messenger announce Oedipus' self-blinding in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is after Oedipus runs from the Thebanshepherd's testimony and into the palace that the messenger announces Oedipus' self-blinding in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Theban shepherd admits that Queen Jocasta is Oedipus' mother. Oedipus goes into the palace after Jocasta, whom he finds already hanged. He grabs her brooches and blinds himself with them. The messenger tells the chorus about the suicide and the self-mutilation.


How does Oedipus know the truth in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is from the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd that Oedipus knows the truth in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, it is true that King Oedipus is not the biological son of Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope. It is true that Oedipus is the killer of Theban King Laius, not of some random stranger, during a street brawl over the right of way at a fateful crossroads. But Oedipus does not know the first truth until he interviews the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd. He does not know the second until the Theban shepherd confirms that Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta are Oedipus' biological parents.


How does the shepherd identify Oedipus as the baby he rescues in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is by Oedipus' scarred ankles that the shepherd identifies Oedipus as the baby he rescues in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the three-day-old infant Oedipus has a rod run through both ankles. The rod is removed when the Theban shepherd prevents Oedipus' death by exposure on the mountains outside Thebes. But the piercing leaves Oedipus with scarred and swollen ankles as well as with a shuffling gait.


When does the shepherd reveal Oedipus' identity in 'Oedipus Rex'?

It is during Oedipus' interrogation that the shepherd reveals Oedipus' identity in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the Theban shepherd is Queen Jocasta's most trusted servant and the Corinthian messenger's former colleague. His presence is requested to tell what he remembers about the fatal attack on Jocasta's first husband King Laius. But he also knows about Oedipus' true parentage, which is the topic of conversation when he finally gets to the palace.


Who comes to see Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'?

Teiresias, the Corinthian messenger and the Theban shepherd come to see Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).Specifically, the presence of Teiresias the blind prophet is requested for help in identifying the killer of Oedipus' royal predecessor, Theban King Laius. The Corinthian messenger appears unexpectedly with news of the death of Oedipus' presumed father, Corinthian monarch Polybus. The presence of the Theban shepherd is requested by Theban monarchs Oedipus and Jocasta to verify the number of people involved in killing Laius.