Oedipus Notes
I.
Sophocles
A. Ancient Greek playwright who wrote Oedipus Rex in 400 B.C.
1. Sophocles did not create the story.
2. It had been passed down through the centuries in Greek culture.
3. Those who came to see the play already knew the story.
B. Sophocles actually wrote a trilogy of plays about King Oedipus.
1. Oedipus Rex: Reveals his rise to and fall from power.
2. Oedipus at Colonus: Explains what happens during his exile.
3. Antigone: Depicts the fate of his sibling-children.
II.
Historical Connections
A. Some Egyptologists believe the story was actually about the Egyptian King, Akhnaton
(1350 B.C.), whose life had similarities to the fictional Oedipus.
1. Akhnaton lived in Thebes, Egypt. Oedipus Rex takes place in Thebes, Greece.
2. Akhnaton’s people suffered several plagues during his reign.
3. Akhnaton suddenly disappeared, resurfacing later in Sinai
B. Father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, theorized the Oedipus Complex. It is
associated with a subconscious desire to kill one’s father and have sexual relationships
with one’s mother.
III.
Oedipus: A Model Tragic Hero
A. Tragic heroes are characterized by:
1. Noble or high birth and typically male
2. A doomed fate
3. Hamartia: a fatal flaw
4. Peripeteia: a reversal of fortune
5. Epiphany: Sudden realization that reversal is due to the hero’s own actions
6. Hubris: excessive pride
7. Catharsis: intense suffering that cleanses or purges
B. Aristotle characterized tragedies by reversal of fortune, recognition of truth, and period
of intense suffering.
C. Over time, tragic hero has evolved.
1. Not always of noble birth but possessing noticeably superior skill and motivation
2. An increasing number of female tragic heroes
IV.
Greek theater is characterized by:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Chorus: a group of actors that predict the future and summarize action
Ode: a poem sung by the chorus
Parados: the first lines sung/spoken by the chorus
Exodos: the final scene of the play
Masks: worn by actors to show social class, gender, occupation, and emotion. Also used
to amplify their voices.
F. Dramatic Irony: failure of the protagonist to understand what is obvious to the
audience
V.
Oedipus Rex: A Tragedy
A. Protagonist: King Oedipus
B. Antagonist: Fate/Apollo
1. An antagonist frustrates the protagonist’s attempts to reach goals.
2. An argument could be made that Oedipus is both protagonist and antagonist
C. Motif: Motif is a recurrent idea that develops the themes in a play or literary work.
1. Blindness is a motif in Oedipus Rex.
2. Teiresias is blind but can see Oedipus’ past, present, and future.
3. Oedipus can see but is blind to his past, present, and future.
D. Symbols: Oedipus Rex contains three important symbols.
1. The scars on Oedipus feet symbolize a life marked by suffering.
2. His name, which means swollen foot, alludes to this.
3. The crossroads, where Oedipus kills Laius, symbolize the convergence of the past,
the present and the future.
E. Universal Topic: General subject, relevant to all cultures in a work of literature.
1. Fate, faith, change, knowledge, truth and power
2. More universal topics appear in the play, but these are the most prominent.
F. Theme: The central message of a work of literature.
1. We are not in control of our fates/ we are not responsible for all of our actions.
2. Truth is not always what it appears to be.
3. Knowledge does not bring happiness.
4. Power both corrupts and blinds.
G. Conflict: both internal and external
1. Man vs. Man: Oedipus struggles to extract truth from those around him.
2. Man vs. Self: Oedipus struggles to accept the truth about what he has done.
H. Plot Analysis:
1. Exposition: The city of Thebes suffers from a plague and its citizens seek help
from their king, Oedipus.
2. Rising Action: Oedipus attempts to discover the murderer of Laius by
interviewing potential witnesses.
3. Climax: Oedipus discovers that he killed Laius and slept with his mother.
4. Falling Action (Denouement): Oedipus gouges out his eyes.
5. Resolution: Oedipus is exiled.