Oedipus Rex

• Sophocles is born in Colonus
• Colonus - A small town outside Athens, Greece in 495 BC
• Sophocles is a playwright who grew up in a wealthy family and have lived a happy and comfortable life.
• In 62 years, Sophocles wrote over 120 plays that portrayed misery and tragedy.
• Over those 120 plays made by sophocles, only 7 survived today.
• Oedipus Rex - This play depict characters caught up in unsolvables dilemmas that test their faith in divine and human justice
• The Peloponnesian War - Towards the end of Sophocles' life, Athen's raged a war against sparta, their bitter rivals.
• The great plague - A plague struck the city of athens, which was then under siege of sparta.
• It was recorded that 25% of the population died because of the great plague.
• Oedipus Rex - One of the world's greatest tragedies.
• Oedipus Rex is one of the three Theban Plays
• Tragedy - It is a serious drama featuring a character who strives to achieve something but is ultimately defeated.
• Tragedy - The main character's downfall is often due to inborn character flaw weakness.
• Tragic Flaw - inborn character flaw weakness.
• The city of Thebes is ravaged by the plague.
• When the great plague struck Thebes, the citizens begged King Oedipus for help.
• Oedipus sends his brother in law Creon to the oracle of apollo at delphi.
• Creon returns from Delphi and stated that the plague will end when the previous killer of the previous king Laius, is punished.
• Tiresias - A blind prophet and servant of Apollo
• Tiresias - The one who revealed the reasons for the devastation and plague in Thebes
• Tireseis - The one who told Oedipus that he will become blind and poor.
• Jocasta - The wife and mother of Oedipus
• Jocasta - She tells Oedipus not to trust the oracles
• Jocasta - She tried to protect Oedipus from the awful truth.
• Oedipus - The protagonist of the play Oedipus Rex
• Oedipus - Becomes the king of Thebes
• Oedipus - His name literally means "Swollen Feet"
• Oedipus - He is renowed for his intelligence, revered by his subjects, and dedicated to the discovery of the truth.
• A hereditary curse has been placed on Oedipus' family.
• Oedipus - He unknowingly has fulfilled the terms of the curse.
• Chorus of the Theban Elders - Men of Thebes who honor and respect the king and the Gods.
• Chorus of the Theban Elders - Their odes reveal both a strong attachment to the king as well as grounding in religious culture.
• Creon - Oedipus' brother in law
• Oedipus feels threatened by Creon and believes that he covets the throne.
• Messenger - Tells oedipus that King Polybos of Corinth is dead.
• Messenger - Oedipus learned from him that Polybos was not his real father.
• The messenger had given Oedipus as an infant by one of Laius' men.
• Sheperd of Laius - Reveals his information only after Oedipus threatens his life.
• Sheperd of Laius - Admits to receiving the infant from Laius and Jocasta
• Second Messenger - Announces and describes Jocasta's death.