Oedipus Rex

That it extends the scope of the punishment and that it removes all defenses is the importance of the proclamation that Oedipus makes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus adds to the original scope of the divinely defined punishment of the guilty in King Laius' murder. He extends the eligibility to all who know but do not share information and all who harbor or help the guilty in Laius' murder even if the latter is found to be within the royal household. The elaboration removes all hope of extenuating circumstances, leniency or pardon.

It is to the extent that it influences his most critical choices that Oedipus believes in old prophets and prophecies in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus gets the prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. He is a frightened believer who nevertheless thinks that forewarned is forearmed. He promptly leaves Corinth and settles in Thebes.

Years later, he again modifies his daily routine. The Delphic oracle says that the pestilence will end only with the identification and punishment of King Laius' murderer. Oedipus starts his investigation only to find out from Teiresias the blind prophet that he is the very criminal that all Thebes seeks. This time, instead of running away, Oedipus turns to gathering information until the truth is known.

It is in order to emphasize the tragic greatness of his fall that Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) starts in the middle of the story of "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, the play begins with Theban King Oedipus at the height of personal happiness and professional success. He is beloved by his family, his relatives and his people. But by the end, he loses just about everyone and everything that makes his household and his kingship so precious and so revered.

To verify that he is telling the truth about how to end the pestilence is the reason why Creon tells Oedipus to go to Delphi in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a pestilence is ravaging Thebes' harvests and animal and human populations. Theban King Oedipus has Creon, his brother-in-law and royal colleague, find out why and what to do from the Apolline oracle at Delphi. Creon comes back with the information that the pestilence will end with the identification and punishment of the guilty in King Laius' murder. Upon receiving the information, Oedipus asks Teiresias the blind prophet for help and gets the shocking, treasonous reply that he himself is guilty of that crime. Oedipus then announces that Creon of getting Teiresias to make this presumably false charge in order to grab all royal powers for themselves. Creon advises Oedipus that the cause and the solution are not treasonous fabrications and that its truth can be verified by asking the Apolline oracle herself.

The summary depends upon the particular edition of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, such line numbers identify the exodus in ancient Greek editions of the play. The lines therefore include the chorus' observations on the general unhappy hand that the gods deal to mortals and on the end of earthly woes with death. But that may not be the point in the English translations, which tend to take up more lines.

In the case of wordier English translations, such line numbers put readers around the time of the second messenger's information. They then refer to Jocasta's hanging herself before Oedipus can kill her for being both his mother and his wife. They also relate to Oedipus' self-blinding so as not to see the mess of his earthly life or the reactions of his parents in the afterlife.

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

Specifically, Oedipus is the king of Thebes. He rules in a joint power sharing arrangement. He shares royal powers with his wife Queen Jocasta and his brother-in-law Creon even though he is considered the lead ruler.

Oedipus' promise, his looks and his crime scene are examples of foreshadowing in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, foreshadowing suggests in advance what happens later in a story. It is a technique that often is used to warn of disaster. An early example is Theban King Oedipus' promise to identify and punish the guilty in King Laius' death be they in his own royal household. This anticipates that the guilty indeed will be found in the royal household.

Another example is Queen Jocasta's description of Oedipus as looking like Laius, her second husband. This anticipates that Laius and Oedipus relate to each other as father to son.

Still another example is the description of Laius' and Jocasta's infant son as having had a rod run through both ankles. Such an action is known to leave the victim with lame or swollen feet, which is the very meaning of Oedipus' name.

Yet another example is Jocasta's description of Laius as having met his death at the crossroads where three paths meet. Oedipus knows exactly where the crossroads is. It is precisely at that location that he confesses himself to have been the killer of four people. This anticipates that Laius' killer is his own lame, swollen footed son Oedipus.

With Oedipus' answer of "man" is the way in which the Sphinx's riddle is solved in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the Sphinx's riddle asks which life form moves on all fours in the morning of life, on twos in the afternoon and on threes in the evening. Oedipus alone knows that it is man who crawls as a baby through infancy, gets by on his own as an adult and needs a cane in old age. It is ironic that clever, results-oriented Oedipus nevertheless cannot solve the riddle of his own existence.

It is participating in Laius' murder and then conspiring to grab royal powers that Oedipus accuses Teiresias of in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus dislikes Teiresias the blind prophet's behavior. First, Teiresias hesitates to share insights with his sovereign. Then he lets loose with a string of accusations and revelations that amaze, anger and horrify Oedipus. Oedipus turns around and accuses Teiresias first of planning if not participating in King Laius' murder and then of conspiring with Creon to grab all royal powers to themselves.

Many of Oedipus' statements are verbally ironic in "Oedipus" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, irony refers to something happening other than what is understood to take place or something being in effect other than what is assumed. Verbal refers to a character's words. The first example of Theban King Oedipus' verbally ironic comment may be found in the play's Prologue. Oedipus calls himself a wicked man if he disobeys the divinely expressed will of the Apolline oracle. But he therefore is already the wicked rebel of a previous Delphic prophecy and also the albeit unknowing wicked killer of his father, husband of his mother, and father and half-brother of his children.

The bringing of news about offstage events is the role of the messenger in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the rules of ancient Greek theater demand the taking place of one action in one place within one 24-hour time period. In this instance, the action occurs in front of the main entrance of the Theban royal palace on the day during which Theban King Oedipus is succeeded by King Creon. The Corinthian and Theban messengers report the offstage deaths of Corinthian King Polybus and of Theban Queen Jocasta. They therefore tell of violent events, whose onstage portrayal is forbidden in ancient Greek drama, while respecting the three above-mentioned unities of time, place and action.

Sophocles was the author of the trilogy "Oedipus Rex," "Oedipus at Colonus" and "Antigone."

Specifically, Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) was an ancient Greek playwright who was born in Colonus, but spent much of his professional life in nearby Athens. He did not write the plays specifically as a trilogy. They just happened to all be plays about the life and death of Theban King Oedipus and his children.

Somewhere in his forties (40s) is most likely Oedipus' age in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus has four children. His twin sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, inherit the throne. Oedipus is married and reigning long enough to have a reputation for personal happiness and professional success. That puts him in the early to middle forties.

That of a youth who believes that love conquers all is Haemon's conduct in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon loves Princess Antigone, his beloved first cousin to whom he is betrothed. He is young enough to believe that differences can be resolved by behaving respectfully and presenting convincing, reasonable evidence to support an opposing view. Perhaps he has that view because he actually is really in love despite his bride-to-be being chosen through an arranged marriage and having a shocking family background.

Oedipus' daughters are the individuals whom Creon brings to Oedipus at the end of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princesses Antigone and Ismene are King Oedipus' daughters and half-sisters. Oedipus is supposed to be shunned if not outright isolated for killing his father and marrying his mother. But Creon lets Oedipus, his brother-in-law and royal predecessor, meet with his children while everyone awaits the expression of divine will as to whether Oedipus is to be punished with execution or exile for his albeit unknowing criminal act and immoral behavior.