Oedipus Rex

That he solves the Sphinx's riddle is the reason why Oedipus is considered the wisest man on earth in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Sphinx asks what life form moves on fours in the morning, twos in the afternoon and threes in the evening. No one can figure out the answer. But Oedipus figures out that it is a man crawling as a baby, getting around independently as an adult and needing assistance as a senior citizen.

It is in defending himself when outnumbered and in surviving shocking disappointment and disgrace that Oedipus is strong in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus draws upon his physical strength when he defends himself against six people who jostle and strike him in the intersection of the Delphi-Daulia crossroads of Phocis. He falls back upon that same strength when he takes on the responsibility of tracking down the guilty in the murder of his royal predecessor, King Laius. He relies on it again when he survives the shocking disappointment and disgrace of realizing that his life is exactly the way the Furies of fate want it to be, in every last horrifying detail.

Because of the reality of the situation and because of his culture, Oedipus ends up marrying his own mother in the play "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, according to the facts of the situation, Oedipus solves the riddle of the Sphinx and thereby saves the entire city of Thebes from destruction and death. The reward is marriage to widowed Theban Queen Jocasta and the throne of Thebes. But an additional explanation is that Oedipus' fate is being carried out inexorably despite all attempts to the contrary. In fact, according to prophecy, he will end up killing his father and sovereign and marrying his mother. That is exactly what happens.

That fate cannot be avoided is the central theme of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the story deals with the reactions of Theban monarchs Jocasta, Laius and Oedipus to horrendously prophesied fates. Each one makes an effort to sabotage the fate in question and to subvert divine will. But everything that the trio does serves only to hasten the complete unfurling of relentless fate in every single last dreadful detail.

fate!

It is in the opening scene with the priest of Zeus and the suppliants that the first signs of Oedipus' rashness are seen in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus has his brother-in-law and royal colleague Creon publicly announce the results of a sensitive visit with the Delphic oracle without first hearing the news in private. He learns that the pestilence in Thebes will end with the identification and execution or exile of the guilty in Laius' murder. Oedipus then takes it upon himself to extend the punishment to all who know but do not share relevant information as well as those who harbor or help the guilty even if the guilty and the accessories are members of the royal household. This rashly trespasses on divine decision making.

That it is a typical flaw in heroes is why Oedipus shows pride in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a hero shows himself to be powerful among humans through the great deeds that he does. It therefore is understandable how a hero's flaw tends to be pride, in a job well done. Oedipus is confident of his abilities and thinks that he can do just about anything, from outsmarting the monstrous Sphinx to escaping a divinely ordained fate. This is pride.

It is Oedipus who kills his father in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Laius is King Oedipus' father. A stranger murders Laius and gets away. But years later, a murder investigation reveals the stranger to be Oedipus.

Persuade Creon to reverse his bad decisions and actions and thereby end the current pestilence in Thebes are the purposes of the character Teiresias in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias is the blind prophet of Thebes. He is skilled in interpreting divine will, in identifying the causes of and solutions to problems in Thebes, and in advising every Theban ruler since the founding of Thebes by the city's first king, Cadmus. He therefore must get Theban King Creon to realize that issuing an edict contrary to divine will, refusing to honor the guarantee of all Thebans to proper Theban-style burials and funerary rites, and sentencing Theban Princess Antigone to death are all wrong and must be reversed.

Helmsman is the metaphor that Jocasta uses to describe Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term metaphor describes the comparison of what generally is unlike. The description fits Theban Queen Jocasta's characterization of her second husband King Oedipus when she makes a sacrifice to Apollo the god of prophecy. She says that Thebans fear as much as a ship's passengers do upon seeing the helmsman terrified.

it is Teiresias who says that Oedipus is Laius' murderer in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet is Thebes' wisest citizen. He also functions as royal advisor to all Theban kings. Theban King Oedipus calls for Teiresias' presence and advice. But he balks at Teiresias' charge that Oedipus is the murderer that all Thebes seeks in the murder of Theban King Laius.

It is no one that Creon advises Oedipus to send for in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, it is the chorus leader who advises Theban King Oedipus to send for Teiresias the blind prophet. It is Oedipus who advises Queen Jocasta to send for the Theban shepherd. Creon offers no such advice, but does suggest that Oedipus go consult with the Delphic oracle himself.

Yes, Creon genetically is related to Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Creon is Theban King Oedipus' uncle. He is the brother of Queen Jocasta, who is Oedipus' mother and wife. Creon and Oedipus share a common paternal ancestor in Thebes' founding King Cadmus.

Yes, Oedipus' conflict is universal in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus faces conflict when he hears his prophesied fate as his father's killer and his mother's husband. He has to resolve the conflict of whether to accept, avoid or react against an intolerable situation. It is a universal experience to be thrown into situations in which humans have to work things out with little experience, resources or time.

The summary cannot be made without the scene and line numbers of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, page numbers vary with editions. A more effective way of focusing on key passages requires the precise scene and line numbers. It also helps to reference the beginning and ending actions of the scene in question.

That Oedipus albeit unknowingly is attracted to his own mother is the example of the Oedipal complex in the play "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Oedipal complex gets its name from the story of Theban King Oedipus. It refers to a boy desiring his mother and hating his father. It is possible to outgrow the experience and move into mature, healthy, non-incestuous relationships. But it is not healthy to become stuck in the experience, as Oedipus does when he turns his fantasy into reality by killing his father, Theban King Laius, and marrying his mother, Theban Queen Jocasta.

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.

Its use as a bribe is the role that money takes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus does not like Teiresias the blind prophet's answers to questions about the guilty in King Laius' murder. Teiresias has a proven track record of integrity and a longstanding reputation for selflessness to all Thebes' kings since the city's founding by Oedipus' great-great-grandfather King Cadmus. But Oedipus is so panic-stricken by Teiresias' information that all he can think to do is make the countercharge that he accepts bribes to tell treasonous lies.

That the gods win even when they appear to lose is the cosmic irony in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, cosmic irony describes a situation of incomplete or incorrect understanding of the workings of divine and natural forces in the universe. The description fits the role of divinely ordained fate in the lives of Theban monarchs Jocasta, Laius and Oedipus. All three hear unacceptable prophecies which they believe to sabotage. But every step that each one takes away from unenviable fate is a regular contribution to that very destiny's fulfillment in all its horror.

Yes, "Antigone" is a full-length play by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, that assessment is made first and foremost in terms of the dramatic standards of the time of its writing. That time period is ancient Greece. A play was expected to last about 1-1/2 hours, to include a handful of main characters, and to have about twice that number in a chorus. The plot was to take place in one setting, where a problem would be presented and solved within no more than a day in the characters' life.

All of the preceding conditions are met in the play "Antigone."

It is unknown how long Oedipus is with the shepherd in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus is three days old when he is presented to and saved by the Theban shepherd. The Theban shepherd may have Oedipus for as long as six months, the length of time that the Corinthian shepherd grazes his flocks outside Thebes. The Corinthian shepherd then moves back to Corinth, where he presents Oedipus to the childless Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope.