Oedipus Rex Analysis
Synopsis
The city of Thebes is suffering from plague and famine. The people believed that the gods were punishing them for a wrongdoing. The people asked for Oedipus’ help. He was the current King after King Laius died. The people thought, since Oedipus answered the Sphinx’s question, and freed them from its oppression, he can do the same thing and find a solution for their distress. Creon (Oedipus’ brother-in-law) gave him a message from the Oracle saying that the former king was murdered and they, by all means should find his murderer. He was killed by a band of highwaymen. Oedipus swore to find the murderer and called for Teirisias. Terisias is the blind prophet who told the prophecy that King Laius will be killed by his own son. Oedipus urged him to answer, but he refused, until both parties heated up, and he blurted that Oedipus himself was the murderer. Oedipus got angry, and sent him out. He confided with Jocasta and said Teirisias accused him of being the murderer. Jocasta assured him by telling him the prophecy from long time ago. Laius will be killed by his son. Because of this, he opted to get his son killed so he handed him to a Shepherd when he was still three days old. However, when Jocasta mentioned that Laius was killed in the place where three highways meet, he became bothered. Oedipus thought that Teirisias might be right. When he was adopted by King Polybos from Corinth, one day, a drunken man told him that he was bound to kill his father. Afraid, he left home. He met some men in the place where the three highways meet. Oedipus got into an argument with them and he killed them all. He called for the Shepherd who was tasked to get rid of Jocasta and Laius’ son. However, sad news from Corinth reached Oedipus. His father passed away and he is invited to take the throne. However, he was still bothered by the prophecy that he might marry his mother, Merope. It was then revealed to Oedipus that Merope and Polybos were not his biological parents and
The city of Thebes is suffering from plague and famine. The people believed that the gods were punishing them for a wrongdoing. The people asked for Oedipus’ help. He was the current King after King Laius died. The people thought, since Oedipus answered the Sphinx’s question, and freed them from its oppression, he can do the same thing and find a solution for their distress. Creon (Oedipus’ brother-in-law) gave him a message from the Oracle saying that the former king was murdered and they, by all means should find his murderer. He was killed by a band of highwaymen. Oedipus swore to find the murderer and called for Teirisias. Terisias is the blind prophet who told the prophecy that King Laius will be killed by his own son. Oedipus urged him to answer, but he refused, until both parties heated up, and he blurted that Oedipus himself was the murderer. Oedipus got angry, and sent him out. He confided with Jocasta and said Teirisias accused him of being the murderer. Jocasta assured him by telling him the prophecy from long time ago. Laius will be killed by his son. Because of this, he opted to get his son killed so he handed him to a Shepherd when he was still three days old. However, when Jocasta mentioned that Laius was killed in the place where three highways meet, he became bothered. Oedipus thought that Teirisias might be right. When he was adopted by King Polybos from Corinth, one day, a drunken man told him that he was bound to kill his father. Afraid, he left home. He met some men in the place where the three highways meet. Oedipus got into an argument with them and he killed them all. He called for the Shepherd who was tasked to get rid of Jocasta and Laius’ son. However, sad news from Corinth reached Oedipus. His father passed away and he is invited to take the throne. However, he was still bothered by the prophecy that he might marry his mother, Merope. It was then revealed to Oedipus that Merope and Polybos were not his biological parents and