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Oedipus Rex
More than 2,420 years old but still studied today, the play ‘Oedipus Rex’ tells a tragic tale of mistaken identities, inescapable fates, and horrific human misdeeds. Contributors typically compare and contrast the play’s characters, storytelling techniques, and subject matter with similar pieces of literature from the same and different settings and time periods.
3,240 Questions
Why was burying Polyneices a tragic flaw for Antigone?
Burying her brother Polyneices was a tragic flaw for Antigone. The burial was a flaw, because it disobeyed the recent decree by Theban King Creon about the non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. The flaw was tragic, because it resulted in Antigone's death. Violation of the law was punishable by a capital sentence. Antigone was walled up in a dark, remote cave. Soon afterwards, she committed suicide by hanging herself with her halter.
How does Brutus from 'Julius Caesar' compare and contrast to Oedipus from 'Oedipus Rex'?
Marcus Junius Brutus [June 85 B.C.E.* - October 42 B.C.E.] is manipulated into killing his friend, Gaius Julius Caesar [July 13, 100 B.C.E.* - March 15, 44 B.C.E.]. Oedipus likewise can be said to be manipulated, by the gods, into killing his own father and sovereign. Brutus ultimately is tracked down by Marcus Antonius [c. January 14, 83 B.C.E.* - August 1, 30 B.C.E.], Oedipus by fate.
Both characters end up disgraced because of their acts. Brutus commits suicide after his defeat at the second battle of Philippi. He's given an honorable burial. But history doesn't forget that he betrayed his friend. And yet it indeed is the noble cause that draws Brutus astray. The assassins are motivated by the increasingly dictatorial and self serving hold of Caesar over Roman society.
In contrast, Oedipus doesn't commit suicide. Instead, he's allowed an honorable death in which his body is there one minute, gone the next. But like Brutus, his memorial is honorable. In fact, he's buried on sacred ground, and his presence is foretold and upheld as lucky to the area.
Unlike in the case of Brutus, history therefore is kinder to Oedipus. The disgraced Theban King is reinstated posthumously. And yet, ironically, Oedipus doesn't kill nobly. Instead, his murderous act results from a street brawl over a right-of-way.
*Before the Christian Era
Why does Antigone suffer in Antigone?
She is a tragic hero. More literally, in the beginning she suffers for having lost her brothers (her parents) and one not being given a funeral. she suffers because she buries her brother out of the respect she, as anyone, should pay to the dead. She suffers when she believes that no one will remember her when she is dead. King Creon is to kill her but instead only locks her up. Later he goes back to release her but she had already killed herself.
Are there supernatural events in 'Antigone'?
No, there are no supernatural events in 'Antigone'. The action in the play is straightforward, and the dialogue is clear. Everything is explainable in terms of the deeds and misdeeds of the main characters. For example, the chorus speaks of the staying nature and power of curses, and of the mischief of the gods. But the misfortune of the house of the Labadacidae may be explained through their own good and bad choices, be they consensual or unknowing.
Does Ismene help Antigone bury their brother?
No, Ismene doesn't help Antigone bury their brother Polyneices. According to god-given justice and traditions, a proper burial is the due of Thebans. But Antigone's uncle, Theban King Creon, issues a decree that contradicts the will of the gods. For he allows burial to loyal Theban dead alone, and demands exposure to the elements and scavengers for disloyal Theban dead. The King's niece Antigone considers the enmities and hatreds of a lifetiime as ending with death. Likewise, she considers the ties of blood, friendship, and love as carrying over from life into death. Additionally, she recognizes that no mortal can tamper with god-given rights. And so she decides to bury Polyneices. Antigone's sister, Ismene, defines her life by obedience to the sovereign and by submission to men. But she isn't respectful to a man who is disloyal to the state. Whether the disloyal Theban be any male in general or her brother in particular, she accepts the denial of god-given rights if the sovereign so decides.
What is Oedipus' curse in 'Oedipus at Colonus'?
Oedipus loses his job as King of Thebes, because of having killed his father and his king and for having married his own mother. He blinds himself, and goes into a miserable, beggarly exile. During that exile, he curses his brother-in-law, Theban King Creon. Specifically, he calls for all of the members of Creon's house to be miserable in their old age.
How does Antigone use reason in the opening scene with Ismene?
Antigone uses the reasons of loyalty to family, obedience to the gods, and respect for the dead in her opening scene with her sister Ismene. She believes that it's crystal clear how one leads one's life. For example, she owes her life to her parents, whom she will join in death. In fact, her earthly time with her parents is nothing in comparison to the lengthy existence that she will share with them in the underworld realm of the afterlife. Therefore, it's important for her to respect her family and her gods as much above ground and below. That means seeing to it that god given and guaranteed traditions are respected no matter what mortals say or do to the contrary.
Example of hamartia as it appears in the character Oedipus?
Hamaratia as it appears in the character Oedipus utters a curse condemning Laius's killer.
What are examples of imagery in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Imagery refers to the vivid pictures that are called up by the character's words. For example, the chorus speaks of the human heart as being on the rack and twisting thereon, in the first ode. Second, in his dealings with Teiresias the blind prophet, Theban King Oedipus calls the Sphinx a female dog. The Sphinx has a woman's head and a lion's body. Thus she more appropriately is called a cat. Third, in the second ode, the chorus compares the killer of Theban King Laius to a wild bull. Fourth, just after the third ode, Theban Queen Jocasta compares the Thebans to sailors who notice that their helmsman is terrified.
What is oedipus's reaction to hearing that Laios was killed in a place where three highways met?
He remembers that he had killed someone at the same place.
How did Oedipus' encounter with the sphinx save thebes?
Oedipus answered the sphinx's riddle and sphinx killed herself. Once the sphinx was gone the people of Thebes were safe.
What did Creon issue for Antigone's brothers?
Theban King Creon issued a decree for Eteocles and Polyneices, who were his nephews and Antigone's brothers. The decree allowed Eteocles to receive proper funerary procedures since he was loyal to Thebes in the battle against Argos. At the same time, the decree denied those same god-given rights to Polyneices, who was disloyal to Thebes in the conflict.
Where did Sophocles get the inspiration for his plays?
His childhood and his education may have been the inspiration for the plays that Sophocles [c. 496 B.C.E. - c. 406 B.C.E.] wrote. Specifically, Sophocles' family were residents of Colonus. The city was famous as the reputed place of death of Theban King Oedipus, whose story became the subject of three famous plays by Sophocles.
Additionally, Sophocles had the best of educations available in his hometown, and then in the sophisticated capital of Athens. He would have been well versed in ancient history, literature and religion. So it was easy for him to draw on any one of the disciplines in peopling his plays with figures from the cultural heritage of ancient Greece.
What is the effect of authors craft in the play Oedipus Rex?
The author tries to show that the book is stupid
Whose death does Antigone refer to as being likened to her own?
Antigone likens her death sentence to that of Danae. Danae was the daughter of King Acrisius and Queen Eurydice of Argos. The king was warned that death would come to him by way of his own son. The king therefore had his daughter Danae imprisoned in a remote cave or bronze tower. But Zeus, the king of the gods, managed to get into Danae's bedroom by assuming the form of a golden rain. The resulting interaction led to the birth of the hero Perseus. When King Acrisius learned of the successful delivery of a male child, he had mother and son locked inside a wooden chest. The chest was put into the ocean. But Zeus didn't want the mother of his child, or the child, to be hurt or die. And so he convinced the sea god, Poseidon, to calm the waters and let the chest drift to safety.
Why does Oedipus fear Polybus?
Theban King Oedipus fears Corinthian King Polybus because of the prophecy of the Delphic Oracle. The Oracle identifies Oedipus' fate as the unenviable one of killing his own father and marrying his own mother. Oedipus is afraid that he somehow will end up a father and king killer if he remains in Polybus' presence. So he flees what he thinks is his hometown of Corinth and tries to start life afresh in Thebes. But unbeknownst to him, Oedipus actually is a hometown boy of Thebes. Additionally, he actually is the son of Theban King Laius, whom he kills in self defense; and of Theban Queen Jocasta, whom he unknowingly marries as the reward for ridding Thebes of the Sphinx.
How does Creon convey fear and pity to the audience?
It's by the issuing and the enforcing of a harsh decreethat Theban King Creon causes fear in the audience. Specifically, the decree denies the god given rights of all Thebans to proper burial if any Theban dies disloyal to the city.
It then is by showing himself to be vulnerable that Creon causes pity in the audience. Specifically, Creon loses everything that gives his life meaning. In response, the audience is moved to pity because of Creon's willingness to give public expression to all of his private disappointments, griefs and sorrows.
Who is the royal predecessor of Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Theban King Laius is the royal predecessor of Theban King Oedipus in 'Oedipus Rex'. But neither one of them expects that to be the case. Laius leaves his hometown of Thebes, for a trip to consult with the Delphic Oracle. Oedipus leaves what he thinks is his hometown of Corinth, to do likewise.
Understandably, Oedipus doesn't like what the Oracle says. So he doesn't go back home. Instead, he heads towards a crossroads between Delphi and Thebes. That's at the same time that Laius leaves Thebes for the crossroads, and Delphi. The two paths meet. There's a street brawl over right of way. Laius ends up dead.
Oedipus goes on to claim Laius' job, residence, and wife. But there's a problem. Unbeknownst to the two of them, Oedipus is Laius' long lost son.
How does Haemon kill himself in 'Antigone'?
With his own sword Haemon kills himself in 'Antigone'. He's distraught by the suicide of Antigone, his first cousin and bride-to-be. He tries to kill Theban King Creon, his father and Antigone's uncle, for having sentenced his beloved to death. When he fails, he turns the sword on himself and dies holding onto Antigone.
How did Creon act in 'Antigone'?
Theban King Creon acted ruthlessly throughout most of the story about Antigone. He had taken the throne as the closest relative to the previous rulers, his power-sharing nephews Eteocles and Polyneices. The King was determined to consolidate his rule by focusing on strict obedience to harsh laws and severe punishment to violators. Creon allowed no input from his family, his friends, or his people in deciding which laws were needed for his government program of law and order. Neither did he tolerate any discussion, dissent or opposition. And so he also could be described as acting arrogantly, coldly, and inconsiderately towards other.
How was Creon honest and dependable and caring in the play?
In the play, Theban King Creon was honest in the sense that he was straightforward about what he expected and wanted from the people of Thebes. For example, there was no doubt about what he found acceptable or unacceptable in the burial or non-burial of the war's dead. The King was dependable in the sense that he could be counted on to carry out his word. For example, he demanded and exacted punishment for violation of the previously mentioned law. And Creon was caring in the sense that he felt Antigone wasn't a good choice as fiancee to his son Haemon. But all of these characteristics must be situated in the context of his blind devotion of an unfair, unjust law; and to his valuing of an inhumane system over the feelings, pains, sorrows, and wishes of his own people and even of his own family.
Yes, Creon is the tragic hero.
His flaw is his hubris (of course)
and his recognition is after Tiresias comes
and his reversal is when he buries Polynices and then goes to try to get Antigone back.
Too late..
