Oedipus Rex

That he is resourceful but that he is a loose cannon are reasons for keeping Oedipus on or firing him as king in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus draws on vast intellectual and physical resources. He alone figures out how to defeat the Sphinx. He along follows every lead to its horrible conclusion in investigating the murder of his royal predecessor, King Laius. But at the same time, he is difficult to control. He operates on his own and plays his cards close to the chest.

It is in the royal bedroom that Oedipus gets the closest to praying in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term prayer describes a confession, entreaty and gratitude. The description fits disgraced Theban King Oedipus' call to Apollo the god of prophecy after he finds his wife Queen Jocasta hanging by the threads of her own robes. Oedipus gouges out his eyes. He invokes Apollo in the sense that he blames Apollo for life's misfortunes but admits his own guilt in blinding himself.

Yes, the actors change costumes to show different characters in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, no more than one to three actors are involved in a stage production in ancient Greece. So an actor plays more than one character. Actors show different characters by different costumes and masks.

That he believes the crime scenes to be in different places is the reason why Oedipus is incapable of seeing the connection between his murder victim on the way to Thebes and the murdered Laius in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus believes that King Laius' death place is Thebes. He knows that his own murder victim dies in the Delphi-Daulia intersection in the land of Phocis. He therefore sees no connection between events that occur at about the same time but in very different places ... to his initial way of thinking.

It is to not be reminded of the true messiness of his life, not to have to look his parents in the eyes and not to experience similar misfortunes that Oedipus blinds himself in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus does not want to see the evidence of his prophesied and realized fate as his father's killer and his mother's husband. He does want to reunite with his parents in the Underworld of the afterlife but without the eternal eye contact of mutual shame. He seeks not to go through similar misfortunes by drawing on the heightened mental powers that recompense others such as Teiresias the blind prophet who are mentally sighted but physically sightless.

That he should be accompanied in exile with his daughters and that he should be exiled to the mountains outside Thebes are what Oedipus suggests should happen to him in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, disgraced Theban King Oedipus must be punished with execution or exile for killing King Laius, his father and his sovereign. The gods determine the punishment options and then choice of which to apply. Oedipus decides that he wants to put in a bid on how he views punishment options: Let him be exiled with his daughters and let that exile be to Cithaeron, the mountains of his intended death as an infant outside Thebes.

Role model personal and professional life of kings are the cultural values in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, kings have to be role models for their people. They must lead personal and professional lives that do not offend gods or mortals. They need to respect the fates that the gods have custom made to each mortal. When they do not meet divine and royal standards, they step down and punish themselves in anticipation of being punished by the gods.

That Corinthians want Oedipus as their king because Polybus is dead is what the messenger says to Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Corinthian messenger says that the Isthmian commons want Theban King Oedipus to accept the crown and throne of Corinth. He reveals that Corinthians make this offer in the aftermath of the death of the most recently reigning Corinthian monarch, the elderly King Polybus. The reason that the messenger conveys the offer is that Oedipus is known to Corinthians as the only child and heir apparent of the childless royal couple, King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth.

A rod is run through both ankles of the infant Oedipus in the play "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, the rod pins the infant's ankles together. It makes it easier to cast the infant on a hillside for death by wildlife, weather, starvation, exposure and dehydration. But the three-day-old infant is not cast on a hillside and therefore is freed from the rod. But as a consequence, Oedipus grows up with swollen feet, permanent scars, and a shuffling gait.

It is by committing murder and not undergoing mandatory purification procedures for that crime or demanding them for Laius' murder that Oedipus is arrogant to Thebans in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, arrogance refers to an exaggerated sense of self. That description matches Oedipus' confident, conceited personality. For example, Oedipus kills four people but neglects to carry out mandatory cleansing rituals for them or to demand them for the murder of his royal predecessor, King Laius. He has no excuse for the omission since he is a Corinthian royal and therefore knowledgeable of what must and must not be done to appease the gods and what the polluting consequences are for everyone when proper procedure is not followed.

At his sanctuary on Mount Telphosion is where the blind prophet Teiresias lives in "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, the mountain is in the area of ancient Greece called Boeotia. The region's most significant city is Thebes, where most of the action takes place in the play by Sophocles (c. 496 B.C.E. - c. 406 B.C.E.). The distance between the city and the sanctuary is the reason why Theban King Oedipus becomes impatient with the delayed arrival of Teiresias at the royal palace.

That he is arrogant and frightened is the significance of Oedipus' distrust of Teiresias in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, arrogant people are proud and have an exaggerated sense of self. Theban King Oedipus has an exaggerated sense of self when he thinks that he can mistreat his royal advisor, Teiresias the blind prophet, when the latter merely carries out his job of giving his sovereign requested information. He reveals his basically frightened nature by his panic stricken insults and threats to information that he dislikes and fears.

That he likes to share and then that he does not are Creon's respective attitudes toward being king in "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Creon argues that he prefers to rule as the subordinate member of a team. That is what he says while his brother-in-law and nephew Oedipus is king of Thebes. But Creon likes acting alone once he becomes sole king after the first civil war over the Theban royal succession.

It is to see for himself that Creon is telling the truththat Creon tells Oedipus to go to Python in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus accuses Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague, of conspiring with Teiresias the blind prophet to grab all royal powers to themselves. He charges that they hope to seize power by framing Oedipus for the unsolved murder of King Laius. Creon defends himself by saying that the Delphic oracle, who presides at Python, insists that the current pestilence will end in Thebes only with the finding and punishing of the guilty in Laius' murder. He suggests that Oedipus go and consult with her himself.

Yes, the ancient Greek audience was familiar with the legend before seeing "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the life and times of disgraced Theban King Oedipus is part of Athenian history. Colonus is the birthplace of the play's author and deathplace of Oedipus, whose birthplace is in Thebes. Athens, Colonus and Thebes share geographic proximity as well as a common culture and history as places in the life and times of one of the area's most famous kings.

Outgoing but secretive and methodical but impatient are words that describe Oedipus' personality in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus is interactive with his family and his people. But at the same time, he keeps important secrets, such as rumors about his parentage, murders on his way to Thebes, and inattention to mandatory purification procedures. One of the reasons that Oedipus is so good at keeping secrets is because he is detail-oriented, methodical and persistent, such as in defeating the Sphinx and investigating King Laius' murder. But at the same time, Oedipus is impatient since he is so results-oriented.

Embrace Antigone is what Haemon does before he dies in the play "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon finds his first cousin and bride-to-be Antigone hanging from the halter by which she kills herself. He first tries to kill his father, Theban King Creon, whom he blames for Antigone's death. He is unsuccessful, turns the sword on himself and makes sure that he dies embracing the love of his love and death.

Yes, Teiresias the blind prophet of Thebes knows the truth about Oedipus' life in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias has held down the job of advisor to the king and prophet of Thebes ever since the city's founding four generations before Oedipus' birth. He knows all, through a combination of divinely given knowledge and through skilled reading of ritual sacrifices. But he can tell all only upon the request of the reigning king. That is why he sits on his knowledge of Oedipus' misdeeds until sent for.

Suicide and blinding are the violent actions committed offstage respectively by Jocasta and Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Queen Jocasta and King Oedipus of Thebes are upset about finding out that they are not only wife and husband and but also mother and son. Jocasta locks herself in the bedroom and hangs herself with the threads from her own robes. Oedipus blinds himself with two golden brooches from Jocasta's robes.

It is from ancient Greek creation stories, legends, and myths that the Greek tragedies discussed by the choir originate in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus situates the play's events in the context of the history and lore of the ancient Greek past. The members excel at identifying parallel happenings and relevant precursors. They also call to mind the role of the gods in the daily lives of mortals.