Oedipus Rex

It is possibly because of Laius' murder that the Sphinx tortures Thebes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, no reason is given in the play as to why the Sphinx terrifies Thebes with her ravenous appetite for freshly killed Thebans. But she shows up immediately after Theban King Laius' death, which is not solved and for which no mandatory cleansing rituals are carried out. Other sources suggest that she is Laius' illegitimate daughter and that she arrives because the environment is polluted from the lack of mandatory purification procedures being carried out for Laius' murder.

Teiresias the blind prophet's revelations and accusationslead Theban King Oedipus to believe that he's being framed. The prophet reluctantly identifies the King as the murderer of the royal predecesor, Theban King Laius. This is such an unexpected charge that Oedipus believes uncle and brother-in-law, Theban King Creon, and Teiresias to be fellow conspirators.

Oedipus thinks that they want to frame him for the murder so that Creon may have the Theban throne all to himself. At this point in the play, Oedipus is in a power sharing arrangement with Creon and with wife and mother Theban Queen Jocasta. Oedipus actually seems to like to play his cards close to his chest. So he may have wanted to have all of the royal powers for himself. With such ambitions, it may have been easy for him to attribute the same motivations and motives to others.

Near the entrances at the front of the royal palace of Thebes is where the action takes place in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, all onstage action takes place near the side or main entrances to the Theban royal palace. Flashbacks and conversations bring in events that take place elsewhere in ancient Greece, in and around Thebes, and inside the palace. But the play still respects the ancient Greek ideal of the dramatic unity of time, plot, and place: all onstage action takes place in one location within a 24-hour period during which a problem is raised and resolved.

To bring them to him, to function as guardian and to let them accompany him in exile are what Oedipus asks of Creon in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, disgraced Theban King Oedipus asks his brother-in-law and royal successor King Creon to allow him visit with his young daughters, the sister Princesses Antigone and Ismene. He then asks Creon to function as guardian of the young girls. He finally asks Creon to let him take the girls with him into exile.

Jocasta, Laius, Merope, and Polybusas well as the Theban and Corinthian shepherds and Oedipus himself are responsible for what happens to Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban monarchs Laius and Jocasta are responsible for arranging for their three-day-old infant son Oedipus to be killed. They cannot do it themselves so they turn the murderous responsibility over to a Theban shepherd, who also is incapable of killing a defenseless baby. The Theban shepherd gives Oedipus to a Corinthian shepherd, who fosters Oedipus into the childless royal house. Just like everyone before them, Polybus and Merope keep quiet. Consequently, Oedipus makes the panic-stricken choices of someone who does not grasp reality and does not know who he really is.

Turn himself in is what Oedipus wants the murderer to do in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus looks for the guilty in the murder of his royal predecessor, King Laius. He seeks quick results, because his city's pestilence will end with the murderer's identification and punishment. He suggests that the murderer make things easy and surrender.

It is a pestilence that threatens to destroy Oedipus' city in the beginning of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a pestilence brings about a serious decline in Thebes' population. It causes children to be born dead and livestock to ail. It also is accompanied by failing crops. So the people of Thebes suffer from a famine.

PLAGUE

This is a quote from lines 742-743 of Oedipus Rex.

Jocasta spoke them; here Oedipus realizes he may have murdered Laius.

The modern phrasing would be "a robber band of aliens slew him" which is not what happened. Oedipus killed Laius in a quarrel, not realizing who he was.

A fault is a defect or weakness in an individual's character or personality. In terms of Antigone, her main fault is her uncontrolled passion that disrespects the feelings of others. She's so convinced of the correctness of her beliefs and actions that she doesn't want to hear or reconcile opposing beliefs and actions. As a result, related faults that Antigone shows are pride and stubbornness. She also shows a certain lack of forgiveness in not giving her sister Ismene a chance to make up for earlier disappointments.

But there are a number of faults that Antigone lacks. She isn't covetous, envious, or jealous. Neither is she cowardly, deceitful or greedy. Nor is she lazy, lustful, selfish or vain.

Send Creon to consult the Apolline oracleis what Oedipus does to solve the problem at the beginning of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus does what any royal is raised to do in Thebes and throughout ancient Greece: find out what divine will is in all this. An environmental problem such as pestilence usually indicates an offensive commission or omission by mortals. Oedipus sends Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague, to find out what Thebans are or are not doing and what they need to be doing or to stop doing.

His compassion, patriotism and proactiveness are Oedipus' qualities that are emphasized in the first scene of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus demonstrates compassion in his heartfelt concern over the suffering of Thebans. He exhibits patriotism in his dedication to righting whatever wrong his city faces. He manifests proactiveness in anticipating the city's needs and keeping current of developing situations.

A boy who is drawn to the mother figure and alienated from the father figure is a Freudian Oedipus.

Specifically, Sigmund Freud (May 6, 1856 - September 23, 1939) linked this stage in a boy's development to the ancient Greek story of Theban King Oedipus, who kills his father, marries his mother, and therefore becomes both father and half-brother to his own children. Killing the father symbolizes the great emotional and physical distance between son and father. Marrying the mother symbolizes her great emotional and physical appeal as the main information source in the early years of a boy's life.

A healthy outcome is possible when the boy passes into later boyhood and adolescence and the father becomes the role model regarding making one's way through the world, holding down a job and settling into family life. But there also is the possibility of unhealthy outcomes, ranging from symbolic to actual attachments and alienations.