Oedipus Rex

That he curses himself if he lies is what Creon says that persuades Jocasta to urge Oedipus to believe him in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Creon asks to be cursed and die if he lies in saying that he does not seek Theban King Oedipus' job. Queen Jocasta, Creon's sister, believes that no sane person calls upon a cursed existence and death. She makes a valiant effort to change Oedipus' mind and to end the conflict between her brother and her second husband.

That Oedipus and Laius end up at the same intersection at the same time and that Oedipus ends up going on to Thebes are coincidences in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, coincidences refer to accidents, chance opportunities that do not appear to be pre-determined. For example, Oedipus happens to enter the Delphi-Daulia intersection from the Thebes side at the same time that Laius happens to enter from the Thebes side. He also happens to show up at Thebes in time to outwit the Sphinx and marry the newly widowed Theban Queen Jocasta.

Goddess of wisdom is who Athena is in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Athena's name appears in the first choral ode at the end of Theban King Oedipus' interactions with the priest of Zeus and Creon. She is described as a daughter of Zeus the chief god. She also is mentioned as the sister of Artemis the beautiful goddess of the hunt.

The ultimate authority in life is the source of conflict between Antigone and Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon believes that he can decide what is best for himself, his city and his people. He does not feel influenced or inhibited by what goes before, around or after him. He in fact is in transition from Antigone's old ways of cherished traditions, divine will and family ties.

Oedipus is the opposite of Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta is conciliatory in the argument between her brother Creon and her second husband, King Oedipus. She also is maternal and nurturing in comforting Oedipus over disturbing charges by Teiresias the blind prophet of criminal acts and immoral behavior as well as over disturbing prophecies of killing one's father and marrying one's mother. This makes for a sharp contrast with Oedipus, who is confrontational, domineering and individualistic.

The impossibility of a lesser or no punishment at all is the effect of Oedipus' insistence and promises regarding the hunting down and punishing of Laius' murderer in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus elaborates on the divine terms of punishing Laius' murderer. He extends their application to those who have information but do not share as well as to those who harbor or help the guilty. He never makes any allowance for different motives, their lack or happenstance. He therefore takes out of the running the legitimate plea of self-defense.

That free will serves fate and that no event goes unrelated to the unfurling of miserable fate are the reasons that "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) is considered the mother of all tragedies.

Specifically, like his parents, Oedipus takes action against an unenviable prophesied fate. But every single free will choice that he makes serves only to bring him ever closer to his personal and professional downfall. Ultimately, he realizes that not one single event or person in his life goes unrelated to the unfurling of the fate that he thinks can be outrun.

The Pythia is the oracle in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Pythia is the most famous and respected of Apollo the sun god's oracles. Because of her skilled interpretation of divine prophecy and will, she also is the most sought-after resident of Delphi. For this reason, people name her the Delphic oracle.

That he lacks the motive to grab all royal powersfor himself is what Creon tries to prove when he questions Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus accuses Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague, of conspiring with Teiresias the blind prophet to overthrow and execute him by way of a bogus murder charge. Creon attempts to defend himself by pointing out that he, his sister Queen Jocasta and Oedipus are equal royal power holders, that he and Jocasta do the minimum work to hold down their jobs and that Oedipus handles all stressful matters. He insists that he does not want to lead or do what he does not like to do and that he likes things the way they are.

Very important is the idea of pollution in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term pollution describes an environment that is harmed or disordered by the introduction of contaminating behavior in ancient Greece. The description fits what happens as the result of murder. For example, Oedipus kills Theban King Laius and all but one of the accompanying escort party. He neglects to carry out divinely mandated purification procedures. The lingering pollution results in a pestilence that can be ended only with the identification and punishment of the guilty.

The Oedipus Complex goes back to the Greek tale of Oedipus Rex, in which the title character kills his father and marries his mother. The complex is a psychological theory that explains how children are more likely to be attracted to their parent of the opposite sex (i.e. boys love their mothers and girls love their fathers). I believe it was created by Sigmund Freud in order to help explain sexuality.

I strongly recommend that you look this up in a Greek Mythology book. Read as much of the Greek and Roman myths as you can, if you want to learn where a great many of our present myths and stories came from! Where do you think the name Adonis came from, when you hear someone call a handsome man by that name? The Odessy, the Illead, and the Aenead have great reading material, and many of the names you have very probably heard come from these stories. The story of the Trojan Horse, Helen of Troy, Paris, Hector, and Kings Menelaus and Agamemnon is tragic but great reading. We learned a really good lesson from that tale. ("Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." That refers to the horse.)

Don't trust me or the person ahead of me for the answer to your question. You really should look it up for yourself. Hopefully, we have given you some good information to help you go straight to the correct source!

Cathy Williams

Here is more information about the Oedipus Complex as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oedipus_complex

You are so wrong Oedipus DID kill his father check your own site nd he DID wed his mother. I got

It is because he thinks that they conspire against himthat Oedipus is angry with Creon and Teiresias in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet accuses Theban King Oedipus of killing King Laius. Oedipus cannot understand how he can be the killer of someone whom he never remembers meeting. The charge carries a punishment of execution or exile. Oedipus therefore concludes that Teiresias is conspiring with Creon to grab all royal powers to themselves.

To bring an end to the failing harvests, declining birth rate and ailing livestock is what the high priest of Thebes asks Oedipus to do in the play "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the priest considers Oedipus a savvy ruler who successfully makes it up as he goes along. According to him, Oedipus is adept at figuring things out on his own or getting good advice from the gods and his peers. So there is no reason why Oedipus cannot get Thebes through its latest crisis ... or so the priest assumes.

That mortals are the playthings of the gods may be inferred from Oedipus' saying "What man more harassed by the vexing Gods..." in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the gods appear to like to set mortals up for failure and punishment. In fact, the play ends with the suggestion that it is only in death that mortals can be happy, in the sense of not having to look constantly over their shoulder at what the gods are doing and planning. Up until that point, mortals run an obstacle course that is determined, not by them, but by the cruel whims of the gods.

No, Oedipus does not deserve the punishment that he receives in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus will be executed or exiled for killing his royal predecessor, King Laius. But he kills in self-defense. Laius in fact is a bully who takes away Oedipus' right of way and hits him on the head with a double whip, which is insulting in ancient Greece and really really hurts.

Height, scarred and swollen ankles, and shuffling gait are the only physical details that is specified about Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta is the main information source about Oedipus' appearance. She says that Oedipus is tall and of the same unspecified looks and shape as his first husband, King Laius. She says nothing else, which is somewhat surprising since Oedipus has a distinct appearance. The Theban shepherd says that Oedipus' shuffling gait comes from having a rod run through both ankles at the tender age of three days.

To receive answers to questions and to understand divine will are the reasons why people go to the oracle at Delphi in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus visits the Delphic oracle because he has questions about his parentage. He presumes Corinthian monarchs Polybus and Merope to be his parents until he hears a rumor to the contrary and gets evasive answers from his presumed father. He dislikes what the oracle says so he is in a bad mood when his destination of Thebes intersects with Theban King Laius' destination of Delphi.

That Teiresias says something treasonous is the reason why Oedipus thinks Teiresias a traitor in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet accuses his sovereign, Theban King Oedipus, of killing Oedipus' royal predecessor, King Laius. Oedipus becomes upset because murder is a serious divine offense that leads to execution or exile. He comes to Thebes after Laius' death so he does not see how he can be the killer. It is treasonous to make unfounded charges against a king so Oedipus considers Teiresias a self-serving, conspiring traitor.

It is the inciting incident that the pestilence represents in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the phrase inciting incident describes the event that makes the story possible. The description fits the pestilence. The pestilence exists and will not go away until a solution is found.