Oedipus Rex

Fortunate, powerful and wise are the qualities that the priest attributes to Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the priest of Zeus characterizes Theban King Oedipus as favored by the gods. He describes Oedipus as the most powerful of men. He also indicates that Oedipus is the wisest. He sums up all of Oedipus' qualities by calling him the savior of Thebes for defeating the Sphinx.

That it is up to the gods is the way in which Creon responds to Oedipus' request to be allowed to bring his children with him into exile in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, disgraced Theban King Oedipus does not want to be punished with execution instead of exile. He does not want to be sent into exile alone. He dares to ask Creon, his brother-in-law and royal successor, for what he wants. He gets no answer since Creon follows proper procedure and therefore awaits divine word on what to do.

The setting of the play, Oedipus' hometown, the Sphinx's favorite dining establishment, and the location of the pestilence are what Thebes is in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Thebes is the birthplace of Theban monarchs Oedipus and Jocasta and of their four children. It also is the birthplace of Jocasta's first husband Laius and of her brother Creon. Additionally, it is the location of two punishments from the gods. The first divine punishment takes the shape of the Sphinx, who gets to ask a seemingly impossible riddle and then kill and eat all Thebans who are clueless as to the correct answer. The second divine punishment takes the shape of the pestilence which will kill all of Thebes if Oedipus does not identify and punish with execution or exile the guilty in Laius' murder.

No, Oedipus does not have superhuman qualities in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus descends from Poseidon the sun god. But he is a mortal who just so happens to put his human powers to the best use. He receives the best of royal training and knows how to work his brains.

The Theban shepherd is the character who tells lies in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Theban shepherd is Queen Jocasta's most trusted servant and the eyewitness to the murder of Jocasta's husband, King Laius. He says that Laius is killed by a group of robbers. But in fact, the shepherd knows very well that Laius is killed by Oedipus, the native Theban whom the shepherd saves from death as a three-day-old infant and the Corinthian runaway who marries Laius' widow, Queen Jocasta.

The younger of twin sons, the younger half-brotherof his own father, the son-in-law of theArgive king, the rightful heir to the Theban throne, the parent of Thersander and the killer of his brother is the identity of Oedipus' son Polyneices in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Polyneices is the younger of Theban monarchs Oedipus' and Jocasta's twin sons. Because his parents are actually son and mother, he also is the younger half-brother of his own father. He is supposed to share the Theban crown and throne with Eteocles, who nevertheless grabs all the royal powers for himself and exiles Polyneices. Polyneices ends up marrying Princess Argea, Argive King Adastus' daughter and thereby winning Argive support for his royal claims to Thebes. He dies while killing Eteocles during the final battle in the civil war over the Theban royal succession. Nevertheless, Polyneices' son Thersander ascends the throne and therefore vindicates his father's royal claims.

Suicide and death from old age are what happened respectively to Theban Queen Jocasta and Theban King Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, Jocasta hangs herself once it is crystal clear to her that she is married to her own son. Oedipus blinds himself when he figures the distressing situation out. He loses his job, home, and friends when he is forced into exile. But ultimately, he dies from old age according to the play "Oedipus at Colonus."

The ancient Greek city of Thebes is the setting of the play "Oedipus Rex" by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the on-stage action takes place outside the main entrance to the royal Palace of Theban King Oedipus. Off-stage action takes place within the palace. There also are references to important actions and events at places other than the city, such as Teiresias' house, the shrines to Apollo and at Delphi, nearby mountains, and the city of Corinth.

It is the widowed queen and throne of Thebes that Oedipus is awarded for solving the Sphinx's riddle in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Sphinx can no longer depend upon an unlimited supply of freshly killed Thebans as her favorite food source. Oedipus defeats her by solving her seemingly unsolvable riddle. Thebans reward Oedipus for saving their city by offering their recently widowed Queen Jocasta as his wife and the throne recently vacated by the death of Jocasta's husband, King Laius.

That Laius' death place is the same as the place where Oedipus leaves five people dead and that he therefore may be a suspect is Oedipus' first anagnorisis in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus heads an investigation into the long unsolved murder of King Laius. He looks for clues. He listens to the account of Queen Jocasta, his wife and Laius' widow. He realizes that Laius dies in the same place and about the same time as when and where Oedipus kills an older version of himself and four of his five companions.

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

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus gets into a conflict with Teiresias the blind prophet. He then gets into a conflict with Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague. Additionally, he may be said to be in conflict with the gods because he defies a horrible prophecy and twice does not carry out purification procedures that are mandatory with murder.

Theban King Creon doesn't talk about tragic heroes be they effective or ineffective. He instead sees himself as the only hero in a world defined by obedience or disobedience to his will. The Theban who obeys is good, but still no more than a subject. The Theban who disobeys is evil and undeserving of balanced judgment, fair treatment or even fundamental acknowledgment as a fellow mortal let alone Theban.

But that isn't the categorical, limited world view of Creon's creator, Socrates [496 B.C.E.-406 B.C.E.]. And yes, the ancient Greek playwright identifies the heroes and villains among his characters in different terms. Those who are heroic do great deeds or have great powers of strength. But his heroes meet unheroic ends because of fatal tragic flaws within their personalities. So Sophocles' heroes are glorious because of the good that they do and yet inglorious because of poor choices and decisions that bring evil into their lives and the lives of others.

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

Specifically, Oedipus is born a prince of Thebes. He is raised a prince of Corinth. He receives the title of king from Thebes. He refuses the title of king of Corinth just before he becomes a disgraced royal.