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 frequently alludes to sight and blindness, creating many moments of dramatic irony, since the audience knows that it is Oedipuss metaphorical blindness to the relationship between his past and his present situation that brings about his ruin. As the play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, opens, the people of Thebes are dealing with a kind of plaguein this case, a famine. The main conflict is when Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is responsible for the plague, and Oedipus refuses to believe Tiresias. You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. 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. 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. Comment submitted successfully, thank you for your feedback. Creons wife, Eurydice, hears this terrible news and rushes away into the palace. He praises Oedipus' intellect in solving the riddle of the Sphinx. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. A messenger enters to narrate the mysterious death of Oedipus: his death seemed a disappearance of sorts, the lightless depths of Earth bursting open in kindness to receive him (18861887). Oedipus acts quickly to find the killer. Finally, we cannot reject the possibility of dealing with a Brucella strain that has evolved to become less deadly than a more lethal ancestor (6). Economopoulos). Oedipus responds with a terrible curse, upbraiding his son for letting him be sent into exile, and predicting that Eteocles and Polynices will die at one anothers hands. Complete your free account to request a guide. 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. Oedipus sends the citizen to fetch Theseus, the king of Athens and its surroundings. The guilt for the murder of Laius preexists Oedipus's shame. As Eteocles' turn came first, Polyneices withdrew to . Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. 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. 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). Oedipus asks Theseus to drive Polynices away, but Antigone convinces her father to listen to his son. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Among the diseases caused by these pathogens that can affect humans are the following: 1) tularemia, which is a disease mainly transmitted through rabbits; 2) smallpox, which is not a cattle zoonosis; 3) leishmaniasis, which is not a highly contagious disease; and 4) leptospirosis, which has been associated with epidemics after rainfall and flooding in relation to rodent infestation. 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. $24.99 In fact, it is noteworthy that there is no other historic or poetic reference that links Ares to the spreading of a disease (4). When Oedipus discovers the truth of his actions, he is wrought with horror and self-loathing. Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (167). Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. 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). In Oedipus Rex, how does Oedipus's tragic flaw lead to his downfall? It should be noted that exploring the diseases of history requires examining the social, economic, and demographic aspects of each era because this is the only way to better understand how diseases work over centuries (10). Tiresias responds cryptically, lamenting his ability to see the truth when the truth brings nothing but pain. Pedagogical Institute, Hellenic Ministry of Education. Oedipus himself is the accursed person who brings the plague to Thebes. Oedipus asks the citizens to stop praying and focus on finding the cure (lines 142146) (2,3). 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Significant Myths and Structure of the Text. At this mention of his parents, Oedipus, who grew up in the distant city of Corinth, asks how Tiresias knew his parents. Creon, the brother of Jocasta, has learned from soothsayers that the city is being punished for harboring the murderer of the late King Laius. A new hypothesis for the cause of the plague of Athens. Scene from a National Theatre of Greece production of Oedipus Rex at the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, Athens, Greece January 1995. Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. 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. It is an unfair punishment over the sins of one man (Chapter 22 . . Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Continue to start your free trial. Another example of Oedipus's strong leadership. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. creating and saving your own notes as you read. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. The plague results from the shame of not punishing Thebe's former king's murderer. There was an unexpected error. 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). TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. Wishing to be killed or exiled, he gave Thebes to Creon to rule as regent, and Creon promised to care for Oedipus' daughters. for a group? He returned with news that the plague was caused by the unpunished murderer who killed Laius. Through the character of the priest, Sophocles makes the audience/reader aware of the sacred and secular state of 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. A word with a meaning of something that brings death is used in the original Greek () to refer to the plague, which suggests that at the time of Sophocles his fellow Greeks were aware of the threat posed by infectious disease. The first event that elicits emotions of fear and pity is found in the prologue where the people of Thebes suffer from a plague. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. In line 28 the word plague () appears for the first time, with the Greek word for disease () being used in lines 150, 217, and 303 (2,3). Haemon seems at first to side with his father, but gradually admits his opposition to Creons stubbornness and petty vindictiveness. The first writing of Oedipus Rex most probably took place during the time of the plague of Athens. Haemon, Creons son and Antigones betrothed, enters the stage. even stating in one scene when the people of Thebes were requesting that he save them from the dreaded plague that had overcome their homeland, "You pray to the Gods, May I grant . After blinding himself in anguish over what he has done, Oedipus allows himself to be exiled, and the plague ends. The unsolved murder of Theban King Laius is the cause of the plague in Thebes. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 The citizens of Thebes hated Laius, so they didn't care. They went in and saw Antigone hanging from a noose, and Haemon raving. Having just escaped the Sphinx, searching out Laius's murderer seemed impossible to Creon. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. 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. In lines 167215 the Chorus stays on stage to summarize the situation and beg for salvation (2,3). Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. 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. Oedipus Rex, apart from the undeniable literary and historic value, also presents significant medical interest because the play mentions a plague, an epidemic, which was devastating Thebes, the town of Oedipus hegemony. The Thucydides syndrome. 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. During the time the play is set, Laius is deceased, but he is a critical . Theseus says that he believes Oedipus and asks what to do. He insists upon allowing all his people to hear what the oracle has said, despite Creons suggestion that Oedipus hear the news in private. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. 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). If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Later in the play (300),Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias so that he may discover the murderer. Greek audiences would have known the Oedipus story, and so in this scene Oedipus would seem to be describing his own fate, or even bringing this fate upon himself. Saving Lives, Protecting People, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (A.A. Kousoulis, K.P. There were two shrines to her in Thebes. 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. Oedipus arrives in Thebes, solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and is made their king. Oedipus questions Creon about the murder of Laius, who was killed by thieves on his way to consult an oracle. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . Just as the messenger finishes his story, Antigone and Ismene come onstage, chanting a dirge. Purchasing Thus, according to the tragedys rhymes and with respect to literary talk, this plague should be treated as an epidemic. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Oedipus Plays! The key word in the definition of shame is "consciousness.". Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. No one responds, and Oedipus furiously curses Laiuss murderer and anyone who is protecting him. According to the World Health Organization, an epidemic is defined as a disease outbreak and, therefore, the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographic area, or season (15). Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. In this case scenario, we could assume that cattle in Thebes may have been having brucellosis, leptospirosis, or listeriosis, while humans could have been affected by a different pathogen such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (8,9). A second messenger enters and describes scenes of suffering. (Spoiler alert: It's his own bad leadership.) Discuss the theme of sight and blindness in Oedipus Rex, how it is important, and how it affects the idea of truth. Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus, finding her dead, has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out his own eyes. Kousoulis, A. A blight, the priest tells Oedipus, has destroyed their crops and livestock - and even rendered their women sterile, unable to have children. If you are present, being an active listener, and taking part in class discussions, you will be able to complete all of this in class. In other words, he became a hero by figuring out the truth. Message not sent. The plot - an old myth already known to most of the audience - was . By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. What does it suggest about the authors overall emphasis? From the start of the drama, the plague in Thebes is a serious matter, as in line 23 where it is referred to as weltering surge of blood ( ). What is the conflict or problem the people of Thebes face as the play opens? Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. Terrible thunder sounds, and the Chorus cries out in horror. Oedipus (UK: / i d p s /, also US: / d -/; Greek: "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes.A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family.. He now feels much more inclined to agree with the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle governing the world. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, has sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the house of Apollo to ask the oracle how to end the plague. At this early moment, we see Oedipuss dangerous pride, which explains his willful blindness and, to a certain extent, justifies his downfall. The knowledge of the existence of a highly contagious and fatal disease is phrased clearly in these rhymes, strongly suggesting that Thebans were aware of the oncomingmost possibly from the adjacent city of Athensdanger (24). Discount, Discount Code plague; the plague in Thebes has three features which are closely associated with supernatural forces and appear in re-ligious contexts. 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). 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. He therefore traveled to the oracle of Delphi, who did not answer him but did tell him he would murder his father and sleep with his mother. Creons son then took a sword and thrust it at his father. He marries Jocasta, Laius' widow. 2012;18(1):153-157. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1801.ad1801. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end to it. Oedipus now emerges from the palace, bleeding and begging to be exiled. Sophocles, a preeminent ancient Greek tragedian, authored plays that have enthralled audiences for over two thousand years. Oedipus a Tragedy. He did not know that his parents in Corinth were not his real parents. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. Joel Christensen is an associate professor of classical studies at Brandeis. 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. Acting blindly, he curses himself. 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. Oedipus then strides off with a sudden strength, taking his daughters and Theseus to his grave. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD.