Oedipus Rex

That she believes her son dead, the she is distracted by her grief over her first husband's death and that everything about Oedipus screams Corinthian are the reasons why Jocasta does not realize that Oedipus is her son in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta believes her son to be dead because she gives the three-day-old infant Oedipus to her most trusted servant to kill. Either she never checks up or she does and the servant lies, because Oedipus survives and is fostered into the Corinthian royal house. Jocasta does not seem to either notice or process the similarities between her first husband, King Laius, and her second husband, Oedipus. It may be that in her grief she is comforted, instead of analytical about and threatened, by the likeness. It also may be that Oedipus being so much the product of a Corinthian raising causes her to see or never think or searching for anything Theban within him or his looks.

Suicide by hanging is the way in which Oedipus' mother dies in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta is Theban King Oedipus' mother. But he only learns of his true parentage many years after he is the respected ruler of Thebes by marrying his royal predecessor's widow. What he does not learn until just before Jocasta's death is that she is the biological mother who gives him up three days after delivering him.

It is Teiresias that the chorus leader advises Oedipus to consult in finding Laius' killer in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus leader identifies Teiresias the blind prophet as a valuable resource. He indicates that Teiresias has the gift of prophecy. He suggests that Teiresias' vast storehouse of past, present and future knowledge are invaluable in collecting clues and details for the investigation that Theban King Oedipus heads.

If he has no intent or previous knowledge then Oedipus is clear of guilt in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus commits five criminal acts right in a row when he kills Laius and four of the king's five member escort party. He commits the first murder in self-defense. He most likely commits the next four murders in self-defense since he is outnumbered. He then goes on to commit incest with Laius' widowed queen since Jocasta is his mother. But Oedipus has no idea of the incest since he believes his foster parents, Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope, to be his biological parents.

Killing his father and marrying his mother is Oedipus' fate in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus hears his fate from the Delphic oracle. The oracle is respected throughout ancient Greece for her insights into divine will and fate. She says that Oedipus is fated to kill his father and marry his mother.

Creon is the person whom Oedipus assumes to be behind Teiresias' claims in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet says that Theban King Oedipus is King Laius' killer. Oedipus is angered, horrified and terrified at being charged with killing someone whom he never remembers meeting and for which the penalty is execution or exile. He therefore assumes that the claim is made up so that Creon, who stands the most to gain with Oedipus' overthrow, is behind Teiresias' charges.

Craftiness versus straightforwardness and condemnation versus pardon are the differences between Sisyphus and Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" and "Oedipus at Colonus" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Ephyrian King Sisyphus cannot be trusted. He does not say what he means and vice versa when he goes about tricking the gods. He ends up with an eternal punishment of rolling a boulder up a hill, only to see it fall back down to be pushed back up again, etc. This is in stark contrast to Theban King Oedipus who is pardoned for his unknowing crimes before he dies a special death.

That she is mother to her own son's children is the situational irony regarding Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, situational irony refers to an inaccurate or incomplete understanding by a character of a context or situation. The description fits the maternal role that Theban Queen Jocasta plays. She becomes the mother that she always desires to be through her second marriage to Oedipus. But in actuality she acts as mother and grandmother to her four children with King Oedipus, who albeit unknowingly is her only child from her first marriage to King Laius.

End the pestilence in Thebes is what the priest wants of Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the priest of Zeus is concerned about the suffering of Thebans. Food is scarce because of failing harvests and ailing livestock. Population levels are dropping because of stillborn deliveries. The situation needs to be dealt with before there are no Thebans left.

That she is the mother who believes in infant killing and who marries her own son are reasons why Oedipus plans to kill Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus learns that he is the biological son of his wife, Queen Jocasta. He realizes that he is alive because Jocasta's most trusted servant does against orders and does not kill the three-day-old infant Oedipus as he is ordered to do. He sees that Jocasta has the greater blame in the incest since she gives birth to him and should have recognized him as her only child from her first marriage.

Compassionate, impatient, inconsistent and practicaldescribes Oedipus' character in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus demonstrates compassion in his interactions with his people and his daughters. He exhibits impatience in his arguments with Creon, Teiresias and the Theban shepherd. He expresses inconsistency in his attention to detail during the murder investigation but his neglect of mandatory cleansing rituals. He manifests practicality in defeating the Sphinx and in organizing the murder investigation.

That Creon recommends Teiresias' presence and that Teiresias is late are what Oedipus says about summoning Teiresias in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon asks the chorus leader for help in finding the guilty in King Laius' murder. The chorus leader mentions Teiresias the blind prophet as a valuable information source. Oedipus says that Teiresias' presence already is requested due to Creon's prior recommendation. He also states that Teiresias still is not there despite the sending of two messengers.
That he is late is what Oedipus says about summoning Teiresias in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus leader advises Theban King Oedipus to consult with Teiresias the blind prophet on finding the guilty in King Laius' murder. Oedipus answers that two messengers already have been sent to Teiresias' residence. He indicates that Teiresias already should have been at the palace by now.

His own evasive actions against a horrible fate cause Theban King Oedipus' misery. Specifically, Oedipus grows up considering himself the much beloved only son of King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth. Then he's hears the rumor that he isn't the biological son of his parents. He's confused further by his parents' lack of cooperation in answering his understandable questions.

So Oedipus tries to find out the truth from the Delphic Oracle. But his reactions quickly go from confusion to horror. The Oracle tells him of his unenviable fate to kill his father and marry his mother.

Oedipus tries to avoid the playing out of such a ghastly fate by running away from home. But he isn't thinking straight. He visits the Oracle because of his questions over adoptive versus biological parents. Yet when he learns about the prophecy, he forgets about his questions and just accepts the fate as applicable to the Corinthian monarchs.

He runs off to Thebes. But there's a crossroads between Delphi and Thebes. At the crossroads, he allows himself to be drawn into a fatal street brawl with a man who's old enough to be his father and whom he resembles. Once in Thebes, he allows himself to marry, and have children with, a grieving royal widow who's old enough to be his mother and whom he may or may not resemble in certain features or mannerisms.

It's a nightmarish example of the playing out of fate despite, and most ironically because of, the free will actions of the affected individual.

Antigone is the static character in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a static character does not change. Theban Princess Antigone is the only main character who never budges from what she believes, does, says and thinks. She is that way in the course of the play, and Creon characterizes her as always being the same and unchanging foolish self since birth. In contrast, all the other main characters are dynamic in that they undergo changes in behavior and beliefs.

That he tries to change his destiny is the reason why Oedipus is tortured by the Erinnyes, or Furies of fate, in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus hears that he is fated to kill his father and marry his mother. He makes the decision not to stand idly by and let such a horrifying fate unfurl. But the Furies produce custom designed fates and take it very personally when mortals take arms against destiny.