Oedipus Rex

That it makes him overconfident in this thoughts, rash in his words and reckless in his actions is the way in which the flaw of pride affects Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus shows overconfidence and pride in thinking that he can outsmart the gods, escape a miserable fate and avoid the consequences of such divine disrespect. In fact, he is rash in speech and reckless in deed. For example, he does not mince words when he waxes eloquently about what he will do not only to the guilty but to any accessories to the guilty in the murder of Theban King Laius. But he cannot make that call since the gods alone who gets what on earth. Additionally, he acts disrespectfully to his royal advisor Teiresias and his royal colleague Creon; insensitively to his wife, Queen Jocasta; and threateningly to his information sources, the Corinthian and Theban shepherds.

A pestilence is the problem that the people of Thebes face at the beginning of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a pestilence afflicts all Thebes. It causes children to die, crops to fail and livestock to fail. The priest of Zeus and Theban suppliants gather outside the main entrance to the Theban royal palace since they do not know how to end the pestilence before it ends all life in Thebes.

That she deliberately breaks a Theban law and that the punishment is death is the reason why Antigone is to be put to death in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Theban law forbids the burial of those disloyal to Thebes in the recent struggle between the twin brothers Eteocles and Polyneices. Antigone buries Polyneices, whom Theban King Creon considers disloyal to Thebes in life and in death. Antigone knows the consequences of her disobedient acts and makes no attempt to save her life once caught by the guards and interrogated by Creon.

Adouble whip is the weapon used by Laius against Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles(495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus has the right-of-way at the Delphi-Daulis crossroads in the land of Phocis. But Theban King Laius' driver arrogantly claims that right and jostles Oedipus in the process. Laius then adds further insult to injury by striking Oedipus with a double whip, which really hurts and is very insulting in ancient Greece.

King of Thebes is Oedipus' role in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus thinks that he is King of Thebes because he marries beautiful widowed Queen Jocasta. But he really is king because the position becomes vacant with the murder of King Laius, Jocasta's first husband. There is a job opening because Oedipus kills an older version of himself, and that older look-alike turns out to be Laius.

It is in interrogating the Theban shepherd that Oedipus discovers who Laius' murderer is in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus hears from his wife Queen Jocasta that there is one survivor to the murderous attack on her first husband King Laius and his escort party. He learns that the individual is her most trusted servant and now lives as a shepherd outside Thebes. Oedipus meets with the shepherd who under questioning identifies the identity of Laius' killer.

That the rescue does not save him from his prophesied fate is the reason why Oedipus curses the man who saves him from an infant death in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a Theban shepherd is Theban Queen Jocasta's most trusted servant. Jocasta makes the request that her three-day-old son Oedipus be killed rather than grow up to his predicated fate as his father's killer. The shepherd instead presents Oedipus to a Corinthian shepherd heading back to the Corinth where the royal couple is childless. But Oedipus turns out to be exactly what the Furies of fate predict despite the efforts of Jocasta, Laius, Oedipus and the shepherd to the contrary.

That he blames him for the miserable years of exile is the reason why Oedipus curses Polyneices in "Oedipus at Colonus" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, disgraced Theban King Oedipus blames his twin sons Eteocles and Polyneices for the pain and shame of exile. He insists that he is morally innocent of his criminal acts and immoral behavior. He maintains that support is something that he gets from his daughters, the sister Princesses Antigone and Ismene, but that he lacks from his sons. He pays his sons back by wishing them conflict in their joint royal power sharing arrangement and death at each other's hands.

Incest is what is taboo about "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, taboo refers to what is forbidden, not to be emulated or imitated. The description fits incest. In ancient Greece, mother-son incest falls into the category of blasphemous offenses against the gods. It can only be done by the gods since the mother-son incest of Gaia and Uranus is the way in which the universe starts.

Yes, Antigone accompanies Oedipus in exile after "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the audience does not know whether or not Oedipus is punished with execution or exile at the play's end. But from other sources, such as "Oedipus at Colonus" by the same ancient Greek dramatist, the audience learns that Oedipus is punished with exile and that the exile is shared with his elder daughter, Princess Antigone. According to other sources, Oedipus and Antigone also are accompanied by the disgraced king's younger daughter Ismene.

That he distrusts him, must make an example of him and needs to kill before being killed are the reasons why Oedipus insists that he must kill Creon in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus believes himself the intended victim of a planned coup by Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague, and Teiresias the blind prophet. He concludes that Creon covets all the royal powers. He therefore decides that Creon must be made an example of, to prevent future treachery by Creon and others who are like-minded in wanting what Oedipus has. He also fears for his own life if he does not kill Creon first.

It is Jocasta's most trusted servant who leaves town when Oedipus becomes king in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta's most trusted servant accompanies King Laius and four others on a visit to the Delphic oracle. But all of the royal party's escort members except for the servant get killed in a street brawl at the Delphi-Daulia intersection in Phocis. The servant makes it back to Thebes, only to find the widowed Jocasta now the consort of Laius' killer. Without saying a word about what he knows, the servant requests and receives permission to take up shepherding outside Thebes.

There is nothing that William Shakespeare (Baptized April 26, 1564 - April 23, 1616) directly has to do with "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, William Shakespeare authored tragedies, but "Oedipus Rex" is not one of them. But he lived during the time of English Queen Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533 - March 24, 1603). It was an age of great literary output and knowledge of the classics, such as "Oedipus Rex" and other ancient Greek tragedies.

Thebes is the city in which the play "Antigone" is set.

Specifically, the city is located in Greece. It is still in existence. Its ruins testify to an ancient past, during which the city played a prominent part in ancient Greek civilization. In fact, the play "Antigone" focuses on a critical stage in the history of ancient Thebes.

A stubborn personality is what Oedipus reveals in his exchange with Creon in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus has no grounds for hurtling conspiracy charges and violent threats against Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague. But he does not accept any part of Creon's logical, spirited self-defense. Stubbornness characterizes all of Oedipus' thoughts, speech and actions. It becomes his biggest fault, but also his greatest virtue. Stubbornness acts to give him hope when he has no hope and to head a murder investigation down the most uncomfortable of paths.

Because he plans to kill his wife Jocasta, Oedipus asks for a sword in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus learns that he is his father King Laius' killer, his wife Queen Jocasta's son, and his children's half-brother. He is absolutely furious over her albeit unknowing role in his miserable fate as criminal and sex offender. He follows Jocasta into their apartments within the royal palace because he plans to kill her with his own sword. But he finds Jocasta already lifeless and hanging from the threads of her own robes.

Brutal is the way that Oedipus treats those who are reluctant to obey him in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus contradicts, insults and threatens Teiresias the blind prophet, his brother-in-law Creon, and an elderly shepherd. In each case, the individual tells the truth, but it is not what Oedipus wants to hear. He therefore responds with insults againt their integrity and threats of bodily harm.

That to err is human is what is universal about Oedipus' fate in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus makes mistakes because he is mistaken about his self-identity. An inability to see people and all things clearly falls outside the range of human powers. That Oedipus' mistakes catch and trip him up can be generalized to the turns that any and all human lives take between birth and death.