Outside the palace, a messenger approaches Jocasta and tells her that he has come from Corinth to inform Oedipus that his father, Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. Thucydides and Sophocles use similar terms when describing attempts to deal with the epidemic. Joel Christensen is an associate professor of classical studies at Brandeis. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. $24.99 Oedipus says that his time of death has come. 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. Years passed while Oedipus was king of Thebes. A. 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. The Plague in the Land of Thebes. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Kousoulis AA, Economopoulos KP, Poulakou-Rebelakou E, et al. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. As the play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, opens, the people of Thebes are dealing with a kind of plaguein this case, a famine. Once Oedipus is banished from Thebes, the curse is lifted, and the plague ends. Immediately following the ode, Oedipus enters and says that he will answer the Choruss prayers. The story of Oedipus is the subject of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus . Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet, noting that Oedipuss parents found him trustworthy. Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Oedipus is so competent in the affairs of men that he comes close to dismissing the gods, although he does not actually blaspheme, as Creon does in Antigone. Oedipus sends the citizen to fetch Theseus, the king of Athens and its surroundings. A somewhat similar example is that of archeologist Heinrich Schlieman; before Schlieman, the writings of Homer had been considered a collection of mythological poems. Q. Oedipus sends for Tiresias who reveals that Oedipus is the cause of the plague. Consequently, a solution for the situation is requested from the oracle at Delphi (lines 6872), while the Chorus plead for Athena, Zeus, Artemis, and Apollo to save the town from the disaster (lines 160165) (2,3). Please wait while we process your payment. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. To know the cause of the plague, Oedipus sent Creon, Jocasta's brother, consult the oracle at Delphi , and learned that the plague would only cease after the murderer of Laius had been punished. 2 oedipus rex study guide practice test questions final . The Priest of the land describes the death of young children, even those in the womb, as well as adults. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. But the shepherd pitied the child, and decided that the prophecy could be avoided just as well if the child were to grow up in a foreign city, far from his true parents. Creon is more pragmatic and less inclined to take action. Oedipus saved Thebes from the Sphinx by answering the Sphinx's riddle. Oedipus the King: What is the significance of the plays title? Who is Creon? Moreover, we could not overlook that Sophocles is the most realist of the Greek tragedians (1), and ancient tragedies were often placed into a historical frame strongly influenced by major contemporary events (13). Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. When the seer Teiresias warns him not to investigate the matter any further, Oedipus pushes his advice aside. Oedipus the King is one of the most ironic plays ever written. This is a supernatural phenomenon caused by harboring a cursed person. Apparently, the gods have punished Thebes for the cruel murder of the former King Laius. These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Bust of Sophocles in the Colonnade of the Muses in the Achilleion, Corfu, Greece, July 2011. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. She runs back into the palace. Creon, appointed ruler of Thebes, offered the kingdom and the hand of his sister, Jocasta, to anyone who could answer the riddle. The blind prophet Tiresias arrives, and Creon promises to take whatever advice he gives. 216-275: Oedipus asks the Thebans to help him find and expel Laius' murderer. There were two shrines to her in Thebes. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. The _____ is that Tiresias is blind but can see the truth, and Oedipus has sight but refuses to see the truth. Oedipus promised to save his city, so he ordered his brother-in-law Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi. $24.99 Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. A lethal plague is described in this drama. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Oedipus, King of Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the advice of the oracle at Delphi, concerning a plague ravaging Thebes. Oedipus became king of Thebes and married Jocasta. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Historical medical literature has suggested many infectious diseases over time, but few have lasted as the most probable. In the historical case (Athens) and the dramatic case (Thebes), the populace turned to the temples looking for a divine solution to the disaster. Creon, covetous of royal power, is all too happy to oblige. 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. He has already anticipated the priests' request for help and has done what a good Greek ruler should doseek advice from an oracle. | Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. It was a popular subject for drama, and Sophocles himself wrote other plays about it. It is an unfair punishment over the sins of one man (Chapter 22 . In the first scene of the play, Sophocles presents the basic social and historical axes around which he will unfold the plot. In the most familiar version, first attested in Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus' downfall all began with a plague. 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 . When Oedipus discovers the truth of his actions, he is wrought with horror and self-loathing. 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. He lived his entire life in Athens and introduced many innovations in the dramatic arts (1). Acting blindly, he curses himself. "What is the reason for the plague in Thebes in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex?" Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . 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. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Oedipus vows to find the murderer and curses him for . Photo courtesy Effie Poulakou-Rebelakou. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. Oedipus sends Creon to Delphi to consult the oracle, or priestess, there, about the cause of the plague in Thebes. 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). Ace your assignments with our guide to The Oedipus Plays! Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of Thebes, and they demand that the murderer ("the pollution of this land") be killed or exiled. Creon curses him and threatens to slay Antigone before his very eyes. He insists upon allowing all his people to hear what the oracle has said, despite Creons suggestion that Oedipus hear the news in private. The reference to the Sphinx reminds the audience that Oedipus is a genuine hero. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. A plague has stricken Thebes. A second messenger enters and describes scenes of suffering. In Oedipus Rex, how does Oedipus's tragic flaw lead to his downfall? From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Ironically, Oedipus thought that by leaving Corinth he was beating the prophecy that he would murder his father and marry his mother. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Almost as soon as he has said this, Creon returns and tells the story which is to lead Oedipus to the truth, and to the conclusion that it would have been better for him never to have been born. His play, Oedipus Rex, tells the sad tale of a king who discovers that he has murdered his father and married his mother. Later in the play (300),Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias so that he may discover the murderer. WebOedipus is the king of Thebes when the action commences, and one facing the crisis of a plague. There was an unexpected error. Our goals were to clarify whether the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects an actual historical event; to compare it with the plague of Athens, which was described by Thucydides as occurring around the same time Sophocles wrote; and to propose a likely causative pathogen. for a group? The king has already taken some action to deal with this harm by sending his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to ask for a salvation plan (lines 6872). Oedipus asks why the Thebans made no attempt to find the murderers, and Creon reminds him that Thebes was then more concerned with the curse of the Sphinx. 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). Therefore, although the first part of the play is rife with references to the plague and its consequences, in the second part there are only sporadic referrals to the epidemic. Theseus does in fact return with Oedipuss daughters shortly. 2012;18(1):153-157. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1801.ad1801. Latest answer posted November 11, 2019 at 3:50:28 AM. Complete your free account to request a guide. Creon decides to pardon Ismene, but vows to kill Antigone by walling her up alive in a tomb. He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. Creon returns from the oracle to deliver what explanation he has been given, and WebOedipus met Jocasta and they were married, unknowingly completely fulfilling the prophecy. He has the answers Oedipus is looking for, and can help cure the plague, but, rather than . The following 5 points support this correlation. That baby was Oedipus. In addition, the Chorus provides us with a major social aspect, as they put the blame on god of war, Ares (Ares whose hot breath I feel, though without targe or steel he stalks, whose voice is as the battle shout, lines 190191) (2,3). No one was following the rules of the land. 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 will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Comment submitted successfully, thank you for your feedback. It was then, on the journey that would take him to Thebes, that Oedipus was confronted and harassed by a group of travelers, whom he killed in self-defense. The citizens of Thebes hated Laius, so they didn't care. As when he faced the Sphinx, Oedipus is presented with a puzzle to solve: the identity of Laius's murderer. 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). 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. Dont have an account? The sentry soon exonerates himself by catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website. Figure 1. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. 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. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Historical certainty can be added by studying the alliances and the warfare involving Thebes during the era of Sophocles (e.g., Boeotian prefecture, Athenian dynasty, Spartan alliance, Persian wars) (14). 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). In Greek mythology, King Oedipus of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. In fact, it is noteworthy that there is no other historic or poetic reference that links Ares to the spreading of a disease (4). Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Before the palace of Oedipus, King of Thebes. Sample A+ Essay: Are Humans Prisoners of Fate in Oedipus the King? Creon was told by Apollo that in order to be free of the plague, they must "Pay the killers back- whoever is responsible" (Sophocles 1430). Much of the fascination of the play comes from watching Oedipus, the remorseless detective, hunt down Oedipus, the unwitting criminal. On the surface, the problem afflicting Thebes is a plague. Although the above points are of great relevance, they lack the possibility of historical verification and are mainly based on the comparative and critical assessment of Sophocles and Thucydides work. Just as the messenger finishes his story, Antigone and Ismene come onstage, chanting a dirge. On their way to consult an oracle, Laius and all but one of his fellow travelers were killed by thieves. At this early moment, we see Oedipuss dangerous pride, which explains his willful blindness and, to a certain extent, justifies his downfall. We take your privacy seriously. 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. In the fifth century B.C., the playwright Sophocles begins "Oedipus Tyrannos" with the title character struggling to identify the cause of a plague striking his city, Thebes. Eventually the city was infected by a plague. Economopoulos, E. Poulakou-Rebelakou, G. Androutsos, S. Tsiodras), Society of Junior Doctors, Athens (A.A. Kousoulis, K.P. At first he refuses to tell Oedipus what he knows. One such instance of this irony is when Oedipus proclaims proudlybut, for the audience, painfullythat he possesses the bed of the former king, and that marriage might have even created blood-bonds between him and Laius had Laius not been murdered (294300). Oedipus asks the citizens to stop praying and focus on finding the cure (lines 142146) (2,3). 276-379: The blind priest Tiresias has information about the plague, which he refuses to divulge. The Chorus enters, calling on the gods Apollo, Athena, and Artemis to save Thebes. Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. For example, when the old priest tells Oedipus that the people of Thebes are dying of the plague, Oedipus says that he could not fail to see this (6872). The citizens have become suppliants to the monuments of the gods, asking for mercy (Why sit ye here as suppliants, in your hands branches of olive filleted with wool?, lines 23; the common folk, with wreathed boughs crowd our two market-places, or before both shrines of Pallas congregate, or where Ismenus gives his oracles by fire, lines 1921) (2,3). PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. The priest glorifies his honor and describes that a plague is destroying the whole city: blight in the city causing famine and sickness. He now feels much more inclined to agree with the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle governing the world. He prays for the safety of his sisters and then leaves for Thebes. 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. Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. 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. He tells them they can trust him to help in any way he can. 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. But while Oedipus finds great comfort in the fact that one-half of the prophecy has been disproved, he still fears the other halfthe half that claimed he would sleep with his mother. However, Thucydides correlation of the plague of Athens with the Peloponnesian War (431404 bc) (5) gives us the opportunity to state that Sophocles connects this epidemic of Thebes with the plague of Athens and attempts to point out the disastrous effects wars always have. Sophocles describes the main characteristics of the epidemic through sporadic sentences. In Oedipus Rex the plague is a miasma that destroys everything, rather than just a disease. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Renews March 10, 2023 Theseus promises Oedipus that he will get his daughters back. Wed love to have you back! In his first speech, which he delivers to an old priest whose suffering he seeks to alleviate, he continually voices his concern for the health and well-being of his people. Oedipus doesn't believe him since he did not know who Laius was when he killed him and sends him away. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Creon returns to report that the plague is the result of religious pollution, since the murderer of their former king, Laius, has never been caught. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. . King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. At Jocastas summons, Oedipus comes outside, hears the news, and rejoices with her. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Creon goes on to tell the story of Laiuss murder. These diseases mainly include typhoid fever, epidemic typhus, smallpox, plague, measles, and influenza, all of which could be initial candidates for the plague in Oedipus Rex and have been taken into account in this study (Technical Appendix) (9,10). It is set in the kingdom of Thebes in Antigone wails that they will cry for Oedipus for as long as they live. Oedipus arrives in Thebes, solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and is made their king. On the platform Discuss the theme of sight and blindness in Oedipus Rex, how it is important, and how it affects the idea of truth. Oedipus the King opens with a plague strangling the life out of Thebes. Surely it suggests exactly the opposite. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the prince of Corinth, he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not really the son of the king and queen. Oedipus asks who the other shepherd was, and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius. -Graham S. Oedipus is a hero and a man of action. 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 . Had his king been murdered, nothing would have stopped him from finding the murderer, just as he is promising to let nothing stop him now. Summary. The messenger tells Creon that he has another reason to grieve: Eurydice has stabbed herself, and, as she died, she called down curses on her husband for the misery his pride had caused. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the . Oedipus Rex Summary. Latest answer posted December 09, 2017 at 3:30:49 PM. Oedipus swears he will never give his support to either of his sons, for they did nothing to prevent his exile years ago. Oedipus the King (429-420 BCE), also known as Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Tyrannos ('Tyrannos' signifies that the throne was not gained through an inheritance) is the most famous surviving play written by the 5th-century BCE poet and dramatist Sophocles.The play is part of a trilogy along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus.. The main conflict is when Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is responsible for the plague, and Oedipus refuses to believe Tiresias. DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens. http://www.who.int/topics/disease_outbreaks/en/, The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Kousoulis AA, Economopoulos KP, Poulakou-Rebelakou E, Androutsos G, Tsiodras S. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. But, when Oedipus sends Creon to discover the source of the plague, he learns it springs from a moral problem: the murderer of Laius, the . The fate of Oedipus emerges as a truly tragic one, not so much because he caused the plague, but because of the characters own personal tragedy (Figure 2). What is the cause of the plague in Thebes quizlet? The shepherd therefore passed the boy on to the shepherd in Corinth. Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. Theseus says that he believes Oedipus and asks what to do. He thinks he knows what happenedthieves killed Laiusbut is actually blind to the truth. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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. Free trial is available to new customers only. The audience is not surprised, therefore, but is watching Oedipus intently for the dawning realization that he himself is the source of the pollution and the plague. (including. What is the main idea of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and what is the play about. Pedagogical Institute, Hellenic Ministry of Education. Oedipus also learns that Laius is his father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. The date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. The ultimate goals of our study were to clarify whether the plague described in Oedipus Rex could reflect an actual historical event, compare it with the plague of Athens, which was described by the historian Thucydides as occurring not long before the time that Sophocles work appeared (4), and propose the most likely causative pathogen. The plagues effects are also pointed out by the Chorus: earth her gracious fruits denies and women wail in barren throes (lines 151, 215) (2,3). Creons wife, Eurydice, hears this terrible news and rushes away into the palace. The Thucydides syndrome. Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta and unknowingly marries his mother, who he ends up having four children with. His guards lead him back into the palace.