Oedipus the Oedipus the TyrantTyrant

ByBy

SophoclesSophocles

““What will be will What will be will be.”be.” The ancient city of Thebes in Greece The ancient city of Thebes in Greece

was ruled, at one time, by the was ruled, at one time, by the tyranttyrant Laius, son of Labdacus.Laius, son of Labdacus.

““Tyrant” is the closest English Tyrant” is the closest English translation of the Greek word for “one translation of the Greek word for “one who rules without second”, usually who rules without second”, usually elected, sometimes taking power elected, sometimes taking power unconstitutionally. unconstitutionally.

Some texts use the word “king” or even Some texts use the word “king” or even the Latin equivalent “the Latin equivalent “rexrex”, but there is ”, but there is no mention of succession or king or no mention of succession or king or queen in the play.queen in the play.

Where is Thebes?Where is Thebes?

The Dreadful The Dreadful ProphecyProphecy

Laius (LIE us) and his wife Iocaste Laius (LIE us) and his wife Iocaste (ee oh KAHS tuh) were childless.(ee oh KAHS tuh) were childless.

Wanting children, Laius visited the Wanting children, Laius visited the shrine of the Oracle at Delphi.shrine of the Oracle at Delphi.

The oracle was the human The oracle was the human spokesperson of the Greek god spokesperson of the Greek god Apollo.Apollo.

Oracles were women who lived in Oracles were women who lived in seclusion in sacred places.seclusion in sacred places.

Phythian (Python) Phythian (Python) OracleOracle

““A Blessing in A Blessing in Disguise”Disguise”

The oracle indicated that being childless The oracle indicated that being childless was a blessing in disguise.was a blessing in disguise.

Laius was warned by the oracle that any Laius was warned by the oracle that any child born to Iocaste would become his child born to Iocaste would become his murderer.murderer.

Out of fear, Laius exiled his wife without Out of fear, Laius exiled his wife without explanation.explanation.

Her vexation at such rejection spurred a Her vexation at such rejection spurred a plot in her mind.plot in her mind.

She seduced her husband through drink She seduced her husband through drink and conceived a son.and conceived a son.

The Desperate ActThe Desperate Act Panicked, according to one version of Panicked, according to one version of

the story, Laius forcibly removes the the story, Laius forcibly removes the baby from Iocaste’s arms, pierces the baby from Iocaste’s arms, pierces the child’s feet near the tendon and inserts child’s feet near the tendon and inserts a metal pin to bind the feet together. a metal pin to bind the feet together.

Laius carries the stunned baby to Laius carries the stunned baby to Mount Cithaeron, between the cities of Mount Cithaeron, between the cities of Corinth and Thebes, and leaves him Corinth and Thebes, and leaves him with a shepherd with instructions to with a shepherd with instructions to abandon the baby-- to die.abandon the baby-- to die.

The Compassionate The Compassionate ActAct

Unable to carry out the heartless Unable to carry out the heartless command, the shepherd instead command, the shepherd instead hands the deformed child over to a hands the deformed child over to a second shepherd from Corinth.second shepherd from Corinth.

The baby, named Oedipus (swollen The baby, named Oedipus (swollen foot) by the shepherd is safe, for foot) by the shepherd is safe, for now.now.

Mount CithaeronMount Cithaeron

Corinth : the plot Corinth : the plot thickensthickens

Polybus is the tyrant of Corinth. His Polybus is the tyrant of Corinth. His wife is Merope (May RO pay). They wife is Merope (May RO pay). They are childless.are childless.

The shepherd who received the The shepherd who received the deformed (at the feet) baby on Mt. deformed (at the feet) baby on Mt. Cithaeron informs Polybus of the Cithaeron informs Polybus of the child.child.

Oedipus has a home. For now.Oedipus has a home. For now.

Whose child am I?Whose child am I? After 17 or 18 years, a Corinthian After 17 or 18 years, a Corinthian

youth taunts the startled Oedipus: youth taunts the startled Oedipus: “You don’t resemble either of your “You don’t resemble either of your parents” (Polybus and Merope).parents” (Polybus and Merope).

Only the Oracle at Delphi can clear up Only the Oracle at Delphi can clear up this puzzle.this puzzle.

The Oracle’s response to Oedipus: The Oracle’s response to Oedipus: ““Away from the shrine, wretch! You Away from the shrine, wretch! You will kill your father and marry your will kill your father and marry your mother!”mother!”

The HorrorThe Horror Because he loves his Because he loves his

“parents” so much, “parents” so much, the young Oedipus the young Oedipus departs from Corinth departs from Corinth in great haste.in great haste.

He heads in the He heads in the direction of Thebes.direction of Thebes.

On the treacherous On the treacherous and narrow mountain and narrow mountain road, an oncoming road, an oncoming chariot demands the chariot demands the right of way.right of way.

Make Way!Make Way!

The charioteer orders the young The charioteer orders the young Oedipus to “make way for his Oedipus to “make way for his betters.”betters.”

““I know no betters except the gods I know no betters except the gods and my own parents,” replied the and my own parents,” replied the recalcitrant youth.recalcitrant youth.

The EncounterThe Encounter The charioteer roughly orders The charioteer roughly orders

the young Oedipus aside and the young Oedipus aside and runs over the stubborn runs over the stubborn youth’s deformed foot.youth’s deformed foot.

A blaze of anger erupts and A blaze of anger erupts and Oedipus, with his walking Oedipus, with his walking stick, strikes the older man stick, strikes the older man senseless and flings him to senseless and flings him to the road. the road.

Entangled in the reins he was Entangled in the reins he was still holding, his horses drag still holding, his horses drag the older man to his death.the older man to his death.

The older man was Laius.The older man was Laius.

The SphinxThe Sphinx Prior to his death, Laius had been on a Prior to his death, Laius had been on a

second journey to the Oracle at Delphi.second journey to the Oracle at Delphi. This time, Laius was seeking advice to end This time, Laius was seeking advice to end

the scourge of the Sphinx against Thebes.the scourge of the Sphinx against Thebes. The Sphinx, a hideous combination of lion, The Sphinx, a hideous combination of lion,

serpent, eagle, and woman, forbade serpent, eagle, and woman, forbade anyone from entering Thebes unless the anyone from entering Thebes unless the traveler correctly answered a riddle.traveler correctly answered a riddle.

The Theban SphinxThe Theban Sphinx

The QuestionThe Question Using a riddle taught to “her” by the Using a riddle taught to “her” by the

Three Muses, the Sphinx would ask Three Muses, the Sphinx would ask each traveler on the way to Thebes:each traveler on the way to Thebes:

““What being, with only What being, with only oneone voice, has voice, has sometimes sometimes twotwo feet, sometimes feet, sometimes threethree, sometimes , sometimes fourfour, and is , and is weakest when it has the most?”weakest when it has the most?”

The AnswerThe Answer Oedipus, on approach to Thebes shortly Oedipus, on approach to Thebes shortly

after he unknowingly killed his natural after he unknowingly killed his natural father, encounters the Sphinx and the father, encounters the Sphinx and the riddle and the prospect of death if he riddle and the prospect of death if he answers incorrectly.answers incorrectly.

Some say he answered by pronouncing his Some say he answered by pronouncing his name, which the Sphinx misheard:name, which the Sphinx misheard:

oi dipusoi dipus (“I, man”),(“I, man”),

which just so happens to be the right answer.which just so happens to be the right answer.

Fortune Smiles?Fortune Smiles? The success of this brash young stranger The success of this brash young stranger

circulated through Thebes, a city now circulated through Thebes, a city now freed of the terror that was once at its freed of the terror that was once at its doorstep.doorstep.

The grateful Thebans selected Oedipus to The grateful Thebans selected Oedipus to replace Laius, who everyone heard had replace Laius, who everyone heard had died at the hands of highwaymen, as died at the hands of highwaymen, as tyrant.tyrant.

Oedipus accepts the title and accepts Oedipus accepts the title and accepts Iocaste as his wife as well—Iocaste, the Iocaste as his wife as well—Iocaste, the former wife of Laius, the mother of…. former wife of Laius, the mother of….

A Return to MisfortuneA Return to Misfortune

Oedipus is proclaimed the new Oedipus is proclaimed the new Tyrant of Thebes, and immediately Tyrant of Thebes, and immediately following:following:

A terrible plague descends on A terrible plague descends on the bewildered city of Thebes;the bewildered city of Thebes;

Animals mysteriously die;Animals mysteriously die;

Grain withers in the field;Grain withers in the field;

No live births occur.No live births occur.

““Like a ship, rolling Like a ship, rolling dangerously”dangerously”

The Theban The Theban elders beg elders beg Oedipus for help Oedipus for help to save their to save their city.city.

The play by The play by Sophocles Sophocles begins—now.begins—now.