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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
How does Creon disrespect the gods in 'Antigone'?
In 'Antigone', Theban King Creon disrespects the gods by overturning the time-honored burial practices. He decides that the rites and rituals of proper burial may be adhered only in regard to the loyal Theban dead. He refuses to allow the same adherence to proper burial procedure in regard to the enemy. Contrary to tradition and the interpreted will of the gods, the King requires the dead Argive enemy and their dead Theban allies to be left above ground and exposed to the elements, dogs, and birds.
What are the prophecies in 'Oedipus Rex'?
One set of prophecies has to do with Theban King Oedipus' life. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will kill his own father and marry his own mother.
Another set of prophecies has to do with Oedipus' downfall and death. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will become blind and end up being driven into exile.
What was the flaw of Oedipus the King?
His flaw is said to be Pride, but the theory that ancient playwrights put tragic flaws in their characters the same way Shakespeare did is a misunderstanding based on a mistranslation. Oepidus was said to have suffered tragedy because of Hamartia a Greek word which then meant 'A mistake made in ignorance'. Later translators misread the word as meaning 'Sin' or 'Flaw'.
What rising action leads to the climax of Oedipus Rex?
The revelation that Oedipus' father was killed at a crossroads around the time Oedipus showed up in the city, which calls for Tiresias to be rbought to the city, who then reveals info which leads to Oedipus discovering that he (himself) is the one who killed his father.
How is Thebes tortured by the Sphinx in 'Oedipus Rex'?
The Sphinx forces the city of Thebes to pay a heavy tax. The situation ends with subsequent Theban King Oedipus solving the previously unsolvable riddle to which the Sphinx subjects all passersby. No one before Oedipus realizes that it's man who moves about on fours in the morning [youth], twos in the afternoon [adulthood], and threes in the evening [old age].
Under which category of drama does 'Antigone' fall?
Greek tragedy is the category of drama under which the ancient, classical Greek play 'Antigone' falls. Antigone the hero foredooms her own tragedy by the unrestrained passion of her convictions. Her convictions are correct in her respect for the gods and the underworld realm of the dead. But the ways in which she expresses and defends her convictions disrespect the gift of life and the mortals with whom she must get along. The errors of her ways, and of the ways of her uncle Theban King Creon, set in motion tragic consequences that are felt by the suffering of the entire city of Thebes and by the suicides of Antigone, her first cousin and fiance Haemon, and her aunt and intended mother-in-law Theban Queen Eurydice.
How does Haemon die in 'Antigone'?
Killing himself is how Haemon dies in 'Oedipus Rex'. He turns his own sword on himself after trying unsuccessfully to kill his father, Theban King Creon. He dies holding onto the corpse of Antigone, the cousin and fiancee who hangs herself instead of execution by being walled up in a remote cave.
How are Creon and Haemon compared and contrasted in 'Antigone'?
Oh, dude, Creon and Haemon in 'Antigone' are like night and day. Creon is all about that power trip, being the king and laying down the law, while Haemon is more chill and just wants to marry his girl, Antigone. They clash because Creon's like, "I'm the boss," and Haemon's like, "But, like, love, man." It's a classic father-son showdown, Greek tragedy style.
A law that only respects the rights of the loyal dead to god given burial and funerary procedures is what Theban King Creon passes. Previously, all Thebans are guaranteed by the gods of below ground burials and funeral services. Creon decides to punish in death those Thebans who die disloyal to their hometown in the recent civil war between Creon's nephews, Kings Eteocles and Polyneices.
What is Creon's crime in 'Antigone'?
Theban King Creon's crime is his violation of divine laws. The gods, from whom he's descended by way of his ancestor Cadmus, say that with death, all Thebans are eligible for below ground burials and funeral services. Creon decides to respect those god given rights only for those who die loyal to Thebes in the recent civil war against discontented Thebans and invading Argives. That means that he denies god given rights to those who die disloyal to their hometown. It simply isn't a call that he gets to make.
The suicide of his sister, the exile of his broher-in-law, the deaths of his nephews, and the childhood of the heirs are what allow Creon to become the sole King of Thebes. The throne first is held by Laius. But Laius gets murdered, albeit unknowingly, by his own son, Oedipus. Albeit unknowingly again, Oedipus then marries his own mother, Laius' widow Jocasta. The couple discovers their incest years later. Jocasta kills herself. Oedipus blinds himself, goes into exile, and dies away from home.
Oedipus is succeeded by his twin sons, Eteocles and Polyneices. The twins are supposed to alternate throne years in a joint power sharing arrangement. But Eteocles refuses to hand over the throne when his year is up. Polyneices is exiled, but returns with supporters from Argos to assert his royal rights by force. The brothers end up killing each. They each leave heirs who are too young to rule.
That's where Creon comes in. He's Jocasta's brother-in-law. As with Laius and Oedipus, he's in direct line of descent from Cadmus, the founder and first king of Thebes. After Laius' death and Jocasta's remarriage, Creon enters into a power sharing arrangement with Oedipus and Jocasta. So he's experienced, he's entitled, and he's enthusiastic. The throne is his.
How do Oedipus' promises create tension in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Theban King Oedipus promises his people that he will seek out and punish the killer[s] of his royal predecessor, Theban King Laius. He promises that the punishment will be carried out even should the perpetrator[s] be found within his own household. This promise raises the possibility that the royal householdindeed will be the very place where the criminal[s] will be found. It raises the additional possibility that the city's own beloved king may be the killer or one of the killers.
These possibilities all create tension, because Oedipus takes on the roles of law giver and law enforcer, of king and of judge. To these administrative roles must be added the possible and increasingly probable roles that Oedipus plays as law breaker and law suppliant, as the perpetrator of crimes and as the victim of his own ignorance, pride, and short temper. The ever increasing number of roles that Oedipus takes on increases his chances of being punished, pitied, or both.
What does Creon say when Oedipus accuses him of trying to take the crown for himself?
Theban King Oedipus accuses jointly ruling Theban King Creon, his brother-in-law and his uncle, of trying to govern their city alone. But Creon answers that he doesn't want to wear the crown of Thebes or occupy its throne alone. He specifies that ruling alone means having to do things that he doesn't want to do. He claims that's something that doesn't appeal to him.
Who kills himself after finding Antigone's body?
Haemon, who is Antigone's first cousin and fiance, kills himself with his own sword after finding her dead body hanging from her halter.
Why would people see Oedipus Rex if they already know the ending?
dramatic irony sets up tension that makes audiences examine important questions
What is the Greek 'Creon' in English?
'Ruler' is an English equivalent of 'Creon' [ΚÏÎων, KreÅn].
Perhaps the most famous use of the name is in the Theban cycle of plays by Sophocles [496 B.C.E. - 406 B.C.E.]. In these dramatizations of the life and impact of Theban King Oedipus, Theban King Creon shares power in 'Oedipus Rex' and appears to rule alone in 'Antigone'. He's the son of Menoeceus; the brother of Theban Queen Jocasta; the brother-in-law of Theban King Laius and then of Oedipus; the father of Theban Prince Haemon; the husband of Theban Queen Eurydice; and the uncle of royal heirs Eteocles and Polyneices and of Princesses Antigone and Ismene.
A Freudian theory that all young boys (like ago three to five, I believe) begin to see their fathers as a threat in their affection from their mother, and they begin to wish to kill their fathers and have a sexual relationship with the mother. For girls, this is called the Electra complex, and it is the same, only they wish to kill their mothers.
What are the three points of view in Antigone?
The three points of view in the play 'Antigone' are those of the main character of the same name, of King Creon of Thebes, and of the chorus. For example, Antigone looks at the consequences on an earthly life and death of obedience to changing, manmade laws and of disobedience to unchanging, god-given justice. The King looks only to the consequences of violation of his decrees. And the chorus looks at the acts of obedience and disobedience within the context of the type of law and the type of compliance or resistance.
first person, third person limited, third person omniscient
Who is Antigone and what did she do in 'The Adventures of Ulysses'?
Antigone is the name of two different women in Greek mythology. One is the daughter of King Oedipus of Thebes. The other is the daughter of King Eurytion of Phthia. Both ended up committing suicide by hanging themselves. Antigone of Phthia became the wife of Peleus. Peleus and his brother Telamon were the sons of King Aeacus of Aegina. They had to leave their homeland when they accidentally killed their half-brother, Phocus. They fled to Phthia, where Peleus married the King's daughter. But during the hunt for the Calydonian boar, Peleus accidentally killed his father-in-law. Once again, Peleus had to flee. He settled in Iolcus, where he angered King Acastus' wife, Queen Astydameia. The Queen then sent the false news to Phthia that her daughter was going to marry Peleus. Antigone hanged herself. Peleus then killed the Queen, and escaped. He subsequently married Thetis the sea-nymph. Their child was Achilles, who became the greatest Greek fighter in the war against Troy. Achilles also was an acquaintance of Odysseus, who was the main character of 'The Adventures of Ulysses', which was an Italian film version of 'The Odyssey'.
What does 'Antigone' say about fate?
According to the play 'Antigone', fate isn't what a mortal makes of life. Instead, it's what the gods make of the mortal's earthly existence. The mortal may be able to make choices. But every choice leads back to the same destination, the same outcome. Perhaps the best example of the irrelevance of choice is the origin of the English adjective 'trivial'. The word derives from the meeting of three roads. The choice of which road to take is trivial. It's a meaningless choice, because any one leads you to where the gods want you, not where you hope to be going. The gods indeed control everything.
Where can you find a copy of the 1972 movie 'Antigone' on the Internet?
Please visit www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.ap?pid=2214750. This is the website of cdUniverse. Copies of the 1972 movie still are on hand as of information last checked on June 1, 2009.
Why does Creon change his mind about killing Antigone?
Theban King Creon sentences his niece, Antigone, to death for disobeying his recent decree while respecting god-given traditions. The punishment for violation of the law is death by stoning. After interacting with Antigone and then Haemon, her cousin and husband-to-be, the King changes the sentence to death by being walled up in a remote cave. Why does King Creon appear to change his mind about Antigone's fate? His reasons are a 'gesture of piety'; protection of the city from the defilement of Antigone's life and death [Lines 873-874]; and a show of the lonely, powerless 'waste of breath' it is to respect the god of death [Lines 876-878]. The King then changes his mind again about Antigone's fate. He decides against her death by isolation and starvation. Why does he go through yet another change of mind? He learns from Teiresias the blind prophet that woe is in store for his household because of his offenses against the gods in not allowing the disloyal Theban dead to be buried and in not letting Antigone to live, marry, and have children.
Who does Oedipus send to Delphi in Oedipus Rex?
Oedipus sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to go see the Oracle in Delphi, in hopes that he will return with a solution to the problem in Thebes.
The dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex arises in part from the audience's knowledge that?
Oedipus is Laius's murderer.
Theban King Oedipus can't bear to look on the incestuous, murderous mess that he makes of his life, and the lives of his family and his people. So he blinds himself. He then carries out upon himself the very sentence that he issues for the murderer of his father and his sovereign, the deceased Theban King Laius. He stumbles away from his beloved city, as a beggar, an exile, and an outcast among mortals.
