OEDIPUS THE KINGSophocles

Translated byBernard Knox

Major Greek Dramatists

Dramatist Born Wrote

Aeschylus524 B.C. Seven Against Thebes

Sophocles496 B.C. Antigone Oedipus

Euripides 480 B.C. Medea

Sophocles c496-406 B.C.

Lived a long happy life – a contrast to the tragedies that he wrote.

Well-to-do family Carefree childhood Educated Became a distinguished public official

First Success at the age of 28 Defeated Aeschylus in annual dramatic

competition Won 24 1st prizes over 60 years

best record of any Greek playwrightLives until 90 years old!!

Ancient Greece

Dionysus TheatreCarved out of a stone hillside

Semicircle with steeply rising tiers of seats

Orchestra at the bottom of the semicircle where the chorus sang and danced

Open, bare stage for the actors

Theban Plays Cycle of Three Plays

Oedipus The King (2) Oedipus at Colonus (3) Antigone (1)

Not Performed Together Written Over 35+ Years Apart

Structure of the Greek Tragedy

Prologue – opening scene Parodos – the first of the Chorus’s lyric

songs Dialogue a regular alteration

of scenes Choral odes Exodus – concluding scene

Main CharactersThe ChorusOedipus The KingQueen JocastaCreonAntigone & IsmeneTiresias the SeerLaius (not in play) Polybus & Merope (not in play)Oracle at Delphi (not in play)

Before the Play…Queen Jocasta & King Laius of Thebes Fortold of Son’s future by Oracle

Bound child’s feet in ropeAsked servant to kill him (didn’t)

Child found and raised as King Polybus’s son

Oedipus means “Swollen Feet”

Before the Play…Oedipus (Adult) •Heard rumors about lineage•Asks Oracle about parents•Oracle tells him that he will: •"Mate with [his] own mother, and shed/ With [his] own hands the blood of [his] own sire.

•Leaves because he did not want this to happen (believed Polybus and Merope were his parents)

Before the Play…On the way to Thebes Oedipus runs into Laius Argument over right of wayOedipus’s pride leads him to kill Laius and his men

Part of prophecy fulfilled because Laius was his biological father

Before the Play…Thebes blocked by Sphinx

Oedipus solves riddle of the Sphinx:

"What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?”

Reward was Kingship and marriage to Queen Jocasta

Second part of prophecy fulfilled

The Start of the PlayMany Years Later…Oedipus and Jacosta Have four children: •Two Sons (Polynices &Eteocles)•Daughters (Antigone & Ismene)

Plague in Thebes due to Laius’s deathOedipus has vowed to find Laius’s murderer and exhile him (unaware that HE murdered Laius)

Themes

The quest for identity The nature of innocence and

guilt The nature of moral

responsibility Human will vs. fate The abuse of power

Homework:Read pages 1-13