Geographic Significance
Oedipus Rex
Eric Helmold
Impact of Geography
• Geographic circumstances shape play events
• Facilitate plot progression
• Setting
• Approximate date 430 B.C.
• Ancient Greece
Geographic Background
Troy
Birth of Oedipus
• Son born to Laïos and
Iokastê at Thebes
• Laïos seeks future of his
son
• Oedipus’ prophesy is
given
Thebes
Abandonment
• Laïos gives son to
shepherd
• Left to die at Mount
Cithaeron
• Significance of
Mountains to Greeks
Thebes
Mount
Cithaeron
Prince of Corinth
• Shepherd gives child
to Corinthian
shepherd
• Adopted by Polybos
and Meropê
Thebes
Mount
Cithaeron
Corinth
Journey to Delphi
• Oedipus questions
ancestry, Oracle at
Delphi
• “Yet the suspicion
remained aching in
my mind” (1108)
• Fumes of the Earth
Delphi
Thebes
Mount
Cithaeron
Corinth
Return to Thebes
• Hears prophesy,
decides to not return
• Travels to Thebes,
crossroads incident
• “Phokis […] where
the Theban Way
divides […] toward
Delphi and Daulia”
• Backcountry
Delphi
Daulia
Thebes
Mount
Cithaeron
Corinth
Conclusion
• Oedipus leaves Thebes, wanders
to Athens
Daulia
Delphi
• By Google Earth
Thebes
• Total Distance: 153 mi
• Geography allows for event feasibility
• Sophocles uses geography to moveCorinth
plot
Athens
Work Cited