Oedipus, King of Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the advice of the oracle at Delphi, concerning a plague ravaging Thebes. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. The writing of the tragedy Oedipus the King (original Greek title , most commonly known as Oedipus Rex) is placed in the first half of the decade 430420 bc. . Complete your free account to request a guide. Wishing to be killed or exiled, he gave Thebes to Creon to rule as regent, and Creon promised to care for Oedipus' daughters. Photo courtesy Antonis A. Kousoulis. The sentry soon exonerates himself by catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. 20% Oedipus promised to save his city, so he ordered his brother-in-law Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi. Once Oedipus is banished from Thebes, the curse is lifted, and the plague ends. "What is the reason for the plague in Thebes in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex?" The devastating plague that dominates Thebes is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus and the Priest (lines 167) (2,3). The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. A group of priests comes to the royal palace to ask for help from Oedipus, their king who once saved them from the tyranny of the terrible Sphinx. On the surface, the problem afflicting Thebes is a plague. Antigone and Ismene, the daughters of Oedipus, discuss the disaster that has just befallen them. She runs back into the palace. For a moment, Oedipus takes upon himself the role of a goda role the Chorus has been both reluctant and eager to allow him (see 3943). Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. There is death in the land as the story begins. It is difficult to compare a historical record to a poetic drama, but, keeping that in mind, both Sophocles and Thucydides refer to animal illness and death (2,8). Despite the warning, Theseus agrees to help Oedipus. Oedipuss wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. The Sphinx placed a great plague over Thebes and refused to remove it until someone correctly answered its riddle. He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. Credit: Wikipedia/Public domain. Finally, although many of the features of the plot and passages have been interpreted as historical allusions, the plague seems to be recognized as the most critical element that reflects a historical event, with enough strength and clarity to be used even for the dating of the tragedy (12). Oedipus the King. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Oedipus promises to solve the mystery of Laiuss death, vowing to curse and drive out the murderer. Table of Contents Volume 18, Number 1January 2012. The reference to the Sphinx reminds the audience that Oedipus is a genuine hero. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. After an interlude in which Oedipus tells the Chorus who he is, Oedipuss second daughter, Ismene, enters, having gone to learn news from Apollos oracle at Delphi. The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Sending for Theseus, he tells the king he must carry out certain rites on his body, and that by doing so he may assure divine protection to his city. "The Murder of Laius by Oedipus," 1867, by Joseph Blanc. A new hypothesis for the cause of the plague of Athens. Oedipus responds by sending his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle of Apollo to discover how to save Thebes. $24.99 20% Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. B. Creon wanted to become king, so he never cared enough to investigate. Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than he. As proof, she notes that the Delphic oracle once told Laius he would be murdered by his son, when in fact his son was cast out of Thebes as a baby, and Laius was murdered by a band of thieves. Thus, according to the tragedys rhymes and with respect to literary talk, this plague should be treated as an epidemic. A lethal plague is described in this drama. Several sections, primarily in the first third of the play, refer to the aforementioned plague; the epidemic, however, is not the primary topic of the tragedy. The plague that is described in Oedipus Rex could possibly be related to the plague that struck Athens in 430429 bc (11), the primary source for which is the papers of historian Thucydides (where he refers to an epidemic that has been named the plague of Athens) (5). Wed love to have you back! Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. Creon, appointed ruler of Thebes, offered the kingdom and the hand of his sister, Jocasta, to anyone who could answer the riddle. Regarding the plays approach to treatment of the disease, reading through the drama we once again come across with the theocratic perceptions of ancient Greece. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Terrible thunder sounds, and the Chorus cries out in horror. Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address: Antonis A. Kousoulis, History of Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 131 Lambrou Katsoni Str., Athens, 18344 Greece. Oedipus a Tragedy. WebOedipus is the king of Thebes when the action commences, and one facing the crisis of a plague. Her description of Laiuss murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, The play begins in the royal house of Thebes. But Tiresias answers enigmatically. Continue to start your free trial. Oedipus answers that he will lead the king to the place where he will die, and that Theseus must never reveal that spot, but pass it on to his son at his own death, who in turn must pass it on to his own son. Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. The devastating plague that dominates Thebes is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus and the Priest (lines 1-67) (2,3).The king has already taken some action to deal with this harm by sending his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi . After consulting an oracle, Oedipus discovered that Thebes was under blood-guilt for the murder of the old king Laius: the plague would end only after the killer had been exiled from the city. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Latest answer posted December 09, 2017 at 3:30:49 PM. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! The shepherd therefore passed the boy on to the shepherd in Corinth. Kousoulis, A. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs At this early moment, we see Oedipuss dangerous pride, which explains his willful blindness and, to a certain extent, justifies his downfall. Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus, finding her dead, has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out his own eyes. The _____ is that Tiresias is blind but can see the truth, and Oedipus has sight but refuses to see the truth. Free trial is available to new customers only. The Theban Plays Oedipus the King (or Oedipus Rex) is one of three surviving plays by Sophocles centering on the Greek myth of Oedipus (EHD ih puhs), king of Thebes; the other two are Oedipus at . Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. The Plague in the Land of Thebes. Finally, Oedipus is vehement in his promises of dire punishment for Laiuss murderer, even if the murderer turns out to be someone close to Oedipus himself. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. At Jocastas summons, Oedipus comes outside, hears the news, and rejoices with her. Bust of Sophocles in the Colonnade of the Muses in the Achilleion, Corfu, Greece, July 2011. He had four children by Jocasta. Oedipus questions Creon about the murder of Laius, who was killed by thieves on his way to consult an oracle. Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. In Greek mythology, King Oedipus of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Oedipus, now blind, entrusting his children to the gods. Ironically, Oedipus thought that by leaving Corinth he was beating the prophecy that he would murder his father and marry his mother. There is a plague in Thebes, and many people are dying. Oedipus and Antigone learn from a citizen that they are standing on holy ground, reserved for the Eumenides, goddesses of fate. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Another example of Oedipus's strong leadership. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the . Creon then tells what he has learned from the god Apollo, who spoke through the oracle: the murderer of Laius, who ruled Thebes before Oedipus, is in Thebes. A plague besets the city, and Oedipus enters to find a priest and crowd of children praying to the gods to free them from the curse. Creon now rules the city, and he has ordered that Polynices, who brought a foreign army against Thebes, not be allowed proper burial rites. Despite his anger and harshness, Oedipus is a noble figure because he really does feel the grief of his people and is utterly single-minded in tracking down the source of their distress. Summary. In lines 167215 the Chorus stays on stage to summarize the situation and beg for salvation (2,3). Creon returns, bearing good news: once the killer of the previous king, Laius, is found, Thebes will be cured of the plague (Laius was Jocasta's husband before she married Oedipus). These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Thus, the most probable cause of the plague in Thebes is B. abortus. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. The story of Oedipus is perhaps the most tragic story of ancient Greece.The mythological character was the king of Thebes and lived under the shadow of a curse that could not be avoided to the end of his days. He inadvertently killed his father, solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and became king of Thebes. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . The pathogen of the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects the complexity of every historically emerging zoonosis. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Economopoulos). Creon threatens to kill anyone who tries to bury Polynices and stations sentries over his body. A lethal plague is described in this drama. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. Antigone, in spite of Creons edict and without the help of her sister Ismene, resolves to give their brother a proper burial. The Thucydides syndrome. The opening of the drama, with the city of Thebes in the midst of plague has often been, historically, taken as a reference to the plague that devastated Athens in the opening years of the Peloponnesian War and has been used to assist in the dating of this play (13). Many people are falling ill, and Oedipus begins to believe that there is a divine cause for the plague. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. Latest answer posted April 01, 2021 at 5:20:02 PM, Latest answer posted November 20, 2019 at 12:42:51 AM. Just as the plants do not grow so is women not able to bear children. Creon curses him and threatens to slay Antigone before his very eyes. Homer related that Oedipus's wife and mother hanged herself when the truth of their relationship became known, though Oedipus apparently continued to rule at Thebes until his death. Creon decides to pardon Ismene, but vows to kill Antigone by walling her up alive in a tomb. Oedipus fears mass destruction of the city of Thebes (with the god's good help success is sure; 'tis ruin if we fail, line 146), while the words weltering surge of blood (line 24), fiery plague (line 166), the land is sore distressed (line 685), and wailing on the altar stair, wives and grandams rend the air, long-drawn moans and piercing cries blent with prayers and litanies (lines 184186) (2,3) all illustrate vividly the severity of the situation. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Through the character of the priest, Sophocles makes the audience/reader aware of the sacred and secular state of Thebes. Oedipus became king of Thebes and married Jocasta. This meant that they must find the killer of their dead king, Laius. Oedipus, the king, who is married to Jocasta and has four children, sends Creon (Jocasta's brother) to the oracle for information. New Plague in Thebes 560 BCE % complete There is a new plague in Thebes. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Years passed while Oedipus was king of Thebes. Creon returns with a message from the oracle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. In the city of Thebes, there is a plague of infertility that strikes. The shepherd and the messenger slowly exit the stage. PART I: Before Reading STATEMENT RESPONSE (3-5 sentences) It is important to know who we truly are, where we came . Oedipus vows to find the murderer and curses him for . He asks if anyone knows who killed Laius, promising that the informant will be rewarded and the murderer will receive no harsher punishment than exile. After a close inspection of the characteristics, the pathogens that include most (5 of 7) of the features described by Sophocles in Oedipus Rex are Leishmania spp., Leptospira spp., Brucella abortus, Orthopoxviridae, and Francisella tularensis. Antigone freely confesses her act to Creon and says that he himself defies the will of the gods by refusing Polynices burial. Purchasing Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet, noting that Oedipuss parents found him trustworthy. Teiresias reluctantly informs Oedipus that he is the murderer and has been living intimately with his mother. The Sphinx had the city under a spell. King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. Creon, the brother of Jocasta, has learned from soothsayers that the city is being punished for harboring the murderer of the late King Laius. Literature usually reflects the echo of the past. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how . Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Oedipus curses and insults the old man, going so far as to accuse him of the murder. Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. Please wait while we process your payment. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. Oedipus also learns that Laius is his father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. Theseus returns to the stage, asking the daughters to stop their weeping. It is an unfair punishment over the sins of one man (Chapter 22 . Oedipus must find the killer of former King Laius to save the city. Unfortunately, the story comes out that Oedipus murdered Laius on the road from Corinth to Thebes, when Laius and his party would not move aside to let him pass. Sophocles, a preeminent ancient Greek tragedian, authored plays that have enthralled audiences for over two thousand years. He calls it a plague that disrupts the production of humans and crops. The shepherd then enters. It bemoans the state of Thebes, and finally invokes Dionysus, whose mother was a Theban. Theseus and the Chorus exit toward Athens; Antigone and Ismene head for Thebes. Both Polynices and Creon are currently en route to try to take Oedipus into custody and thus claim the right to bury him in their kingdoms. In the historical case (Athens) and the dramatic case (Thebes), the populace turned to the temples looking for a divine solution to the disaster. During the time the play is set, Laius is deceased, but he is a critical . Much of the fascination of the play comes from watching Oedipus, the remorseless detective, hunt down Oedipus, the unwitting criminal. Oedipus also discovers that he married his mother. . | creating and saving your own notes as you read. Soon after, Polynices arrives, seeking his fathers favor in order to gain custody of his eventual burial site. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. (one code per order). Continue to start your free trial. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. Although we are able to see him as a mere puppet of fate, at some points, the irony is so magnified that it seems almost as if Oedipus brings catastrophe upon himself willingly. You'll also receive an email with the link. Alternatively, the plague of Thebes could be a composite of >2 causative agents, as it has been suggested for the contemporary plague of Athens (6,7). Subscribe now. Theseus grants them this, and the Chorus tells the girls to stop their weeping, for all rests in the hands of the gods. Dont have an account? This skirmish occurred at the very crossroads where Laius was killed. Oedipus was perhaps doomed from birth, for many prophecies were told about Oedipus before and after his birth. Emerg Infect Dis. Joel Christensen is an associate professor of classical studies at Brandeis. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Oedipus Rex is a figure of Greek mythology from at least the 5th century B.C. Surely it suggests exactly the opposite. Then, before leaving the stage, Tiresias puts forth one last riddle, saying that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both father and brother to his own children, and the son of his own wife. It was a popular subject for drama, and Sophocles himself wrote other plays about it. The words of Tiresias strike fear into the hearts of Creon and the people of Thebes, and Creon reluctantly goes to free Antigone from the tomb where she has been imprisoned. The story of Oedipus is the subject of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus . Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. Haemon storms out. An oracle warned Laius, the king of Thebes prior to Oedipus, that his son would murder him. In Oedipus's new kingdom of Thebes, there was a plague that was hurting the kingdom, so Oedipus searched for answers. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. He asks that they provide him with a proper burial should he die in battle. for a group? The first writing of Oedipus Rex most probably took place during the time of the plague of Athens. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King, is the first play in this trilogy of Athenian Tragedies . Section 6: Oedipus the King, lines 338-706, Section 8: Oedipus the King, lines 1008-1310, Section 9: Oedipus the King, lines 1311-1684, Section 10: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1-576, Section 11: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 577-1192, Section 12: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1193-1645, Section 13: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1646-2001. Sophocles told how Oedipus was saved from death as an infant and raised in Corinth. The priest glorifies his honor and describes that a plague is destroying the whole city: blight in the city causing famine and sickness. In their final words, the chorus reminds the audience that it was Oedipus who solved the riddle of the sphinx. Oedipus returns and tells the Chorus that he will end the plague himself. (VladoubidoOo/CC BY-SA 3.0) From there, Oedipus goes on to Thebes, and on the way answers the Sphinx's riddle. Oedipus has a chance to cure the plague in Thebes, and its presented by the legitimate seer, Tiresias. Haemon, Creons son and Antigones betrothed, enters the stage. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. As the play opens, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, asks from a group of people that why they are gathered there. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Ismenus: A temple to Apollo Ismenios where burnt offerings were the basis for the priest's . He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. He did not know that his parents in Corinth were not his real parents. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Seven Against Thebes, in Greek mythology, the seven champions who were killed fighting against Thebes after the fall of Oedipus, the king of that city. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Sophocles audience knew the ancient story of Oedipus well, and would therefore interpret the greatness Oedipus exudes in the first scene as a tragic harbinger of his fall. As for the clinical features, although Thucydides does not mention the pregnancy or labor pains as described in Sophocles text, he does refer to abdominal and vulvovaginal symptoms (5). Sophocles describes the main characteristics of the epidemic through sporadic sentences. We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its clinical features, and defining a possible underlying cause. Apparently, it has not heard Creons news about Laiuss murderer. Oedipus' wife and mother hanged themselves when the truth of their relationship was known, although Oedipus continued to rule Thabs until his death. She tells him that, back in Thebes, Oedipuss younger son, Eteocles, has overthrown Polynices, the elder, and that Polynices is now amassing troops in Argos for an attack on his brother and on Creon, who rules along with Eteocles. When the seer Teiresias warns him not to investigate the matter any further, Oedipus pushes his advice aside. SparkNotes PLUS . Oedipus doesn't believe him since he did not know who Laius was when he killed him and sends him away. Greek playwright Sophocles first introduced us to this character in his trilogy series known as the "Theban Plays," which explore themes of fate, truth, and guilt. Sample A+ Essay: Are Humans Prisoners of Fate in Oedipus the King? The Sphinx, in her anger, threw herself off a cliff. The oracle announces that the plague is a result of religious pollution and that the god Apollo requests that the people of Thebes exile the previously unknown miasma (a word of Greek origin with a sense of moral noxious pollution) away from the town (lines 9698) (2,3). Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresiass accusation. The plot - an old myth already known to most of the audience - was . The messenger took the baby to the royal family of Corinth, and they raised him as their own. Oedipus quickly hatches plans to deal with both his peoples suffering and Laiuss unsolved murder, and he has even anticipated the Choruss suggestions that he send someone to the oracle and call forth Tiresias. The twins Eteocles and Polyneices, who had been cursed by their father, Oedipus, failed to agree on which of them was to succeed to the Theban throne and decided to rule in alternate years. Saving Lives, Protecting People, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (A.A. Kousoulis, K.P. Struggling with distance learning? He asks why Tiresias did nothing when Thebes suffered under a plague once before. Youve successfully purchased a group discount.