6yteOedipus Rex
INTRODUCTION
Oedipus Rex is a famous tragedy written by Sophocles. It is also known by its Greek name
“Oedipus Tyrannus” or “Oedipus the king”. It was first performed in 429 BC. Sophocles wrote
three famous tragedies that include Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone that describe
the sufferings of a king and his children after him. Aristotle in his “The Poetics” called this play
an exemplary Greek tragedy. “Oedipus Rex” is also considered as the first detective story in the
history of Western Literature.
Plot Analysis
Initial Situation:
In the introduction of the play it is explained that Oedipus, the King of Thebes, arrived years
before in the city he now rules as a stranger, after the death of King Laius. He was given the
crown because he saved the city from the Sphinx during the rising action. Oedipus knows that
Thebes is in crisis so he sends Creon to get the solution to this problem. He assures people to
save them from the deadly plague that struck their city. Creon reports that Oedipus must find
Laius’ killer and avenge his death in order to save his people from the pestilence (Apollo says
that the plague is caused by the un-avenged death of King Laius).
The chorus suggests to Oedipus that he should consult the old blind prophet Tiresias, who later
on ultimately declares Oedipus to be the cause of plague.
Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting with Creon to seize his throne. Before leaving, Tiresias tells
Oedipus that the killer is in the Thebes and will become blind and will turn out to be both the
husband and son of his own mother. Oedipus, in anger, accuses Creon of plotting against him
and they argued until Jocasta intercedes and Oedipus sends Creon outside the palace without
punishing him.
Later on, Jocasta tells Oedipus about a prophecy, that a son of her would kill his father. She and
Laius pinned their child’s ankles and had a shepherd put him in the wilderness to avoid the
prophecy. She also told Oedipus that Laius was killed in place where the three roads meet by the
robbers, but the strange thing is, Oedipus recognizes this place and these circumstances, and he
asked Jocasta to send for the remaining witness of Laius’s death a slave.
Oedipus also told his wife Jocasta about his parents in Corinth, but he had been told that they
were not his real parents. Years ago, he received the same prophecy that he would marry his
mother and have children with her and would kill his own father. Oedipus ran away from
Corinth to escape the prophecy but on the way he met with travellers at a crossroad, one of
whom hit him, and Oedipus ended killing them all.
The chorus sings that of the prophecy is not true; their religious faith is in danger of dying.
A messenger arrives and says that Oedipus is indeed not the real son of the people he thought his
whole life were his parents. Oedipus was a gift from a shepherd who found him with his ankles
wounded and the shepherd who gave the child to the messenger to give it to the couple who
, raised him was the very slave they have called to share what he witnessed when Laius was killed.
Jocasta now devastated realizes the truth and leaves.
Conflict:
Oedipus gets worried when no one tells him the truth about Laius’ murder. He struggles to call
Tiresias, the messenger and the shepherd to know about the reality. Everyone stops him from
knowing the truth but he is desperate to know about his past and its link with the murder of king
Laius.
Complication:
Oedipus starts realizing that he has some link with the murder of Laius. The more he learns about
the truth, the more he shows interest to solve this mystery. As he comes close to the truth, he
hurts no one but himself in the entire process.
Climax:
During the climax of the play Oedipus Rex, the shepherd is called and confirms the prophecy is
true. Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus uses the broaches from her clothes to pull out his eyes,
so that he will no longer see the horror that is his life. Oedipus realizes that he is the man who
killed his father and married his mother. He becomes scared of the terrible sin that he committed
unknowingly. This part of the play is the emotional and psychological climax of it.
Suspense:
Oedipus enters his bedroom and finds Jocasta hanging. Jocasta also realizes the terrible sin that
they committed and so she commits suicide. This situation puts all the readers in the suspense
because no one knows whether Oedipus will also commit suicide and kill himself or not. As the
situation through which Oedipus goes is tough and anyone can be expected to commit suicide in
such condition.
Denouement:
Oedipus blinds himself by gouging his eyes out with the brooches that he took out from Jocasta’s
dress. He accepts his crime and begs everyone to get him exiled from Thebes as he himself
suggested that banishment is the only punishment for the murderer.
Falling Action:
During the falling action, Creon takes pity on Oedipus and wants to keep him at the palace, but
Oedipus insists on banishment leaving his children behind for he now has no power over them.
Resolution:
In the brief resolution the chorus sings bitterly of the unhappy tale how a powerful man has
fallen and how death is the only way that will bring happiness to mortals. Oedipus leaves the
city of Thebes to save it from the curse of plague as he promised and Creon takes charge of the
city.
INTRODUCTION
Oedipus Rex is a famous tragedy written by Sophocles. It is also known by its Greek name
“Oedipus Tyrannus” or “Oedipus the king”. It was first performed in 429 BC. Sophocles wrote
three famous tragedies that include Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone that describe
the sufferings of a king and his children after him. Aristotle in his “The Poetics” called this play
an exemplary Greek tragedy. “Oedipus Rex” is also considered as the first detective story in the
history of Western Literature.
Plot Analysis
Initial Situation:
In the introduction of the play it is explained that Oedipus, the King of Thebes, arrived years
before in the city he now rules as a stranger, after the death of King Laius. He was given the
crown because he saved the city from the Sphinx during the rising action. Oedipus knows that
Thebes is in crisis so he sends Creon to get the solution to this problem. He assures people to
save them from the deadly plague that struck their city. Creon reports that Oedipus must find
Laius’ killer and avenge his death in order to save his people from the pestilence (Apollo says
that the plague is caused by the un-avenged death of King Laius).
The chorus suggests to Oedipus that he should consult the old blind prophet Tiresias, who later
on ultimately declares Oedipus to be the cause of plague.
Oedipus accuses Tiresias of plotting with Creon to seize his throne. Before leaving, Tiresias tells
Oedipus that the killer is in the Thebes and will become blind and will turn out to be both the
husband and son of his own mother. Oedipus, in anger, accuses Creon of plotting against him
and they argued until Jocasta intercedes and Oedipus sends Creon outside the palace without
punishing him.
Later on, Jocasta tells Oedipus about a prophecy, that a son of her would kill his father. She and
Laius pinned their child’s ankles and had a shepherd put him in the wilderness to avoid the
prophecy. She also told Oedipus that Laius was killed in place where the three roads meet by the
robbers, but the strange thing is, Oedipus recognizes this place and these circumstances, and he
asked Jocasta to send for the remaining witness of Laius’s death a slave.
Oedipus also told his wife Jocasta about his parents in Corinth, but he had been told that they
were not his real parents. Years ago, he received the same prophecy that he would marry his
mother and have children with her and would kill his own father. Oedipus ran away from
Corinth to escape the prophecy but on the way he met with travellers at a crossroad, one of
whom hit him, and Oedipus ended killing them all.
The chorus sings that of the prophecy is not true; their religious faith is in danger of dying.
A messenger arrives and says that Oedipus is indeed not the real son of the people he thought his
whole life were his parents. Oedipus was a gift from a shepherd who found him with his ankles
wounded and the shepherd who gave the child to the messenger to give it to the couple who
, raised him was the very slave they have called to share what he witnessed when Laius was killed.
Jocasta now devastated realizes the truth and leaves.
Conflict:
Oedipus gets worried when no one tells him the truth about Laius’ murder. He struggles to call
Tiresias, the messenger and the shepherd to know about the reality. Everyone stops him from
knowing the truth but he is desperate to know about his past and its link with the murder of king
Laius.
Complication:
Oedipus starts realizing that he has some link with the murder of Laius. The more he learns about
the truth, the more he shows interest to solve this mystery. As he comes close to the truth, he
hurts no one but himself in the entire process.
Climax:
During the climax of the play Oedipus Rex, the shepherd is called and confirms the prophecy is
true. Jocasta hangs herself and Oedipus uses the broaches from her clothes to pull out his eyes,
so that he will no longer see the horror that is his life. Oedipus realizes that he is the man who
killed his father and married his mother. He becomes scared of the terrible sin that he committed
unknowingly. This part of the play is the emotional and psychological climax of it.
Suspense:
Oedipus enters his bedroom and finds Jocasta hanging. Jocasta also realizes the terrible sin that
they committed and so she commits suicide. This situation puts all the readers in the suspense
because no one knows whether Oedipus will also commit suicide and kill himself or not. As the
situation through which Oedipus goes is tough and anyone can be expected to commit suicide in
such condition.
Denouement:
Oedipus blinds himself by gouging his eyes out with the brooches that he took out from Jocasta’s
dress. He accepts his crime and begs everyone to get him exiled from Thebes as he himself
suggested that banishment is the only punishment for the murderer.
Falling Action:
During the falling action, Creon takes pity on Oedipus and wants to keep him at the palace, but
Oedipus insists on banishment leaving his children behind for he now has no power over them.
Resolution:
In the brief resolution the chorus sings bitterly of the unhappy tale how a powerful man has
fallen and how death is the only way that will bring happiness to mortals. Oedipus leaves the
city of Thebes to save it from the curse of plague as he promised and Creon takes charge of the
city.
