Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. 20% Sophocles, a preeminent ancient Greek tragedian, authored plays that have enthralled audiences for over two thousand years. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Sophocles - Oedipus Rex, Prologue | Genius Bearing in mind the aforementioned observations and the fact no other epidemics were reported in the eastern Mediterranean during the 5th century bc, we posit that the plague described by Sophocles in the tragedy Oedipus Rex has an actual basis in the plague of Athens described by Thucydides in his histories. The first event that elicits emotions of fear and pity is found in the prologue where the people of Thebes suffer from a plague. Emerg Infect Dis. No one responds, and Oedipus furiously curses Laiuss murderer and anyone who is protecting him. Searching for the miasma, Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias to reveal who is responsible for this evil (lines 300313) (2,3). on 50-99 accounts. Oedipus asks that this shepherd be brought forth to testify, but Jocasta, beginning to suspect the truth, begs her husband not to seek more information. The Oedipus Trilogy Timeline | Preceden In Greek mythology, King Oedipus of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." 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). 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. Sending for Theseus, he tells the king he must carry out certain rites on his body, and that by doing so he may assure divine protection to his city. Renews March 10, 2023 Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. One such instance of this irony is when Oedipus proclaims proudlybut, for the audience, painfullythat he possesses the bed of the former king, and that marriage might have even created blood-bonds between him and Laius had Laius not been murdered (294300). 2 Pallas: Pallas Athena. The references to the decline of land and fields could be an example of poetic exaggeration or a suggestion that the fruits or ears may participate in the transmission route of the plague (a blight is on our harvest in the ear, line 25) (2,3). The audience is not surprised, therefore, but is watching Oedipus intently for the dawning realization that he himself is the source of the pollution and the plague. Plagues follow bad leadership in ancient Greek tales What does it suggest about the authors overall emphasis? Creon goes on to tell the story of Laiuss murder. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the prince of Corinth, he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not really the son of the king and queen. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Our goals were to clarify whether the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects an actual historical event; to compare it with the plague of Athens, which was described by Thucydides as occurring around the same time Sophocles wrote; and to propose a likely causative pathogen. The story of Oedipus is the subject of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus . You'll be billed after your free trial ends. In doing so, he unwittingly fulfilled the first half of the prophecy: he has killed his own father. Not knowing where to go now, Antigone says they will have to wander forever alone. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. The messenger took the baby to the royal family of Corinth, and they raised him as their own. However, with his excavations in Troy, which used the Iliad as a guide, Schlieman provided a perfect example of how literary work can have a factual base (16). he mortality rate for untreated brucellosis is difficult to determine from the literature of the preantibiotic era (6); nevertheless, an 80% rate has been reported in situations of comorbidity with endocarditis (7). This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (167). She runs back into the palace. Oedipus, Bad Leadership, and the Plague. - Medium We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. The plague is an infestation of disease-carrying insects that spread rapidly through the population, killing many. Theseus grants them this, and the Chorus tells the girls to stop their weeping, for all rests in the hands of the gods. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Message not sent. 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. Can you give me more details about the plague? | Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Therefore, although the first part of the play is rife with references to the plague and its consequences, in the second part there are only sporadic referrals to the epidemic. Tiresias responds cryptically, lamenting his ability to see the truth when the truth brings nothing but pain. The blight Oedipus and the Plague: The Will to Endure Q. Oedipus sends for Tiresias who reveals that Oedipus is the cause of the plague. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. What is the reason for the plague in Thebes in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex This is a supernatural phenomenon caused by harboring a cursed person. A central door and two lateral doors open onto a platform which runs the length of the facade. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. However, taking into account that in modern times brucellosis in humans is a severe granulomatous disease characterized by extremely rare direct transmission from person-to-person, insidious onset in sporadic cases (mainly among veterinarians), and low mortality rates, it may be difficult for 21st century physicians and veterinarians to accept B. abortus as the causative agent of the plague of Thebes. The Sphinx had the city under a spell. Wed love to have you back! Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. After an interlude in which Oedipus tells the Chorus who he is, Oedipuss second daughter, Ismene, enters, having gone to learn news from Apollos oracle at Delphi. It is not quite clear why Ares is being called responsible for this plague, since there is no other such reference in the play. The score is derived from an automated algorithm, and represents a weighted count of the amount of attention Altmetric picked up for a research output. At the beginning of the play Oedipus Rex, Thebes is being devastated by a city-wide plague. Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus, finding her dead, has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out his own eyes. Outside the palace, a messenger approaches Jocasta and tells her that he has come from Corinth to inform Oedipus that his father, Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. Oedipus also learns that Laius is his father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. Consequently, a solution for the situation is requested from the oracle at Delphi (lines 6872), while the Chorus plead for Athena, Zeus, Artemis, and Apollo to save the town from the disaster (lines 160165) (2,3). Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? She tells him that, back in Thebes, Oedipuss younger son, Eteocles, has overthrown Polynices, the elder, and that Polynices is now amassing troops in Argos for an attack on his brother and on Creon, who rules along with Eteocles. 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). The oracle has predicted that the burial place of Oedipus will bring good fortune to the city in which it is located, and both sons, as well as Creon, know of this prophecy. Oedipus then advises his subjects to search and apprehend the murderer before he consults with the blind seer, Teiresias, who cautions Oedipus about searching for the truth. Oedipus' wife and mother hanged themselves when the truth of their relationship was known, although Oedipus continued to rule Thabs until his death. $24.99 Section 6: Oedipus the King, lines 338-706, Section 8: Oedipus the King, lines 1008-1310, Section 9: Oedipus the King, lines 1311-1684, Section 10: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1-576, Section 11: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 577-1192, Section 12: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1193-1645, Section 13: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1646-2001. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Skip to document. After Tiresias leaves, Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. The priest begs Oedipus to help the city and rescue it from the clutches of famine, fire, and plague. View data is from . Oedipus arrives in Thebes, solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and is made their king. He has the answers Oedipus is looking for, and can help cure the plague, but, rather than . Dr Kousoulis is a research assistant in the History of Medicine Department of the University of Athens and the general secretary of the Society of Junior Doctors. 216-275: Oedipus asks the Thebans to help him find and expel Laius' murderer. Sophocles, one of the most noted playwrights of the ancient world, wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex in the first half of the decade 430420 bc. Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi in order to ask Apollo why this is the case. On their way to consult an oracle, Laius and all but one of his fellow travelers were killed by thieves. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Oedipus Rex Lines 1-340 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts Each man in the city grieves for himself, but Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. A severe plague is described in Sophocles drama Oedipus Rex. The plague symbolizes the effect that Oedipus's defiance of the will of the gods . Ace your assignments with our guide to The Oedipus Plays! Youve successfully purchased a group discount. (Spoiler alert: It's his own bad leadership.) There was an unexpected error. Oedipus asks the priests why they have come. King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. Although the Choruss first ode (168244) piously calls to the gods to save Thebes from the plague, the answer they get to their prayer arrives in human form. Each man in the city grieves for himself, but the king grieves for the city and everyone in it. Why was there a terrible plague in Thebes? LitCharts Teacher Editions. At the start of the play, the city of Thebes is suffering terribly. 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. You can review and change the way we collect information below. Latest answer posted September 14, 2020 at 1:34:55 PM. 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). Summary of Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex) - Literary English . At Jocastas summons, Oedipus comes outside, hears the news, and rejoices with her. As mentioned above, in Sophocles drama, god of war Ares gets the blame for the plague (lines 190191). 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). . He asks if anyone knows who killed Laius, promising that the informant will be rewarded and the murderer will receive no harsher punishment than exile. He thinks he knows what happenedthieves killed Laiusbut is actually blind to the truth. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens. They plead to see their fathers tomb, but Theseus insists that Oedipus has forbidden it. He ends up blinding himself before being exiled from the city. Week 6 Summary and Response - Katlynn Havens Humanities 201 11/28/ Week Sophocles seizes every opportunity to exploit this dramatic irony. Acting blindly, he curses himself. A. It would not be irrational to trust the historical credibility of a literary text. Oedipus questions Creon about the murder of Laius, who was killed by thieves on his way to consult an oracle. Much of the fascination of the play comes from watching Oedipus, the remorseless detective, hunt down Oedipus, the unwitting criminal. 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). Oedipus asks why the Thebans made no attempt to find the murderers, and Creon reminds him that Thebes was then more concerned with the curse of the Sphinx. The priest responds that the city is dying and asks the king to save Thebes. 3. Wishing to be killed or exiled, he gave Thebes to Creon to rule as regent, and Creon promised to care for Oedipus' daughters. Discuss the theme of sight and blindness in Oedipus Rex, how it is important, and how it affects the idea of truth. On the platform Finally, although many of the features of the plot and passages have been interpreted as historical allusions, the plague seems to be recognized as the most critical element that reflects a historical event, with enough strength and clarity to be used even for the dating of the tragedy (12). Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. A plague has stricken Thebes. C. The sphinx was terrorizing Thebes, so citizens couldn't investigate. $24.99 eNotes Editorial, 3 Jan. 2020, https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-reason-plague-thebes-sophocles-oedipus-rex-662761. 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. The shepherd then enters. DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens. In Oedipus Rex the plague is a miasma that destroys everything, rather than just a disease. We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its Oedipus sends Creon to Delphi to consult the oracle, or priestess, there, about the cause of the plague in Thebes. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. In fact, it is noteworthy that there is no other historic or poetic reference that links Ares to the spreading of a disease (4). Oedipus the King Plot Flashcards | Quizlet You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. The key word in the definition of shame is "consciousness.". At this early stage in the play, Oedipus represents all that an Athenian audienceor indeed any audiencecould desire in a citizen or a leader. Oedipus tells Antigone that, earlier in his life, when Apollo prophesied his doom, the god promised Oedipus that he would come to rest on this ground. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Sophocles is one of the most noted playwrights of the ancient world and, along with Aeschylus and Euripides, belongs to the trinity of the Attic tragedians who flourished during the golden century of Pericles in Athens (Figure 1). 3.1: Oedipus Rex (Text) - Humanities LibreTexts oedipus s position in thebes ii his certainty of his own innocence iii. 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). Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. Photo courtesy Antonis A. Kousoulis. Oedipus - Mythopedia 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. The plague in Oedipus Rex is not just a disease that is making people sick, but it is actually ruining . Her description of Laiuss murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. In the first scene of the play, Sophocles presents the basic social and historical axes around which he will unfold the plot. The particularity of this reference (4), it seems that Sophocles correlates the epidemic that strikes Thebes with the plague of Athens, which, according to Thucydides, came about as a result of the Peloponnesian War (5). Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. Contact us 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). There is death in the land as the story begins. Wailing on the altar stair, wives and grandams rend the air, long-drawn moans and piercing cries blent with prayers and litaniesSophocles, Oedipus Rex, lines 184186. Oedipus curses and insults the old man, going so far as to accuse him of the murder. The plague of Thebes, a historical epidemic in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex Teiresias reluctantly informs Oedipus that he is the murderer and has been living intimately with his mother. 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. In his first speech, which he delivers to an old priest whose suffering he seeks to alleviate, he continually voices his concern for the health and well-being of his people. The plague results from the shame of not punishing Thebe's former king's murderer. As when he faced the Sphinx, Oedipus is presented with a puzzle to solve: the identity of Laius's murderer. Troy, Mycenae, and the otologic demise of Herr Heinrich Schliemann. He knows that the city is sick with plague. plague; the plague in Thebes has three features which are closely associated with supernatural forces and appear in re-ligious contexts. Oedipus is a vigorous and active leader. The sentry soon exonerates himself by catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. Oedipus asks who the other shepherd was, and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. 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. Oedipus is so filled with pride or hubris that he can't imagine he could possibly be the wrongdoer. Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address: Antonis A. Kousoulis, History of Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 131 Lambrou Katsoni Str., Athens, 18344 Greece. The citizens carry branches wrapped in wool, which they offer to the gods as gifts. Ancient typhoid epidemic reveals possible ancestral strain of. 22 Oedipus Rex Notes.pdf - Name: Ariel De Lucas `Oedipus Oedipus the King opens with a plague strangling the life out of Thebes. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. 276-379: The blind priest Tiresias has information about the plague, which he refuses to divulge. Scene from a National Theatre of Greece production of Oedipus Rex at the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, Athens, Greece January 1995. You'll also receive an email with the link. The unsolved murder of Theban King Laius is the cause of the plague in Thebes. They want King Oedipus to save the city. Oedipus | Reading Quiz - Quizizz Arriving at Thebes, Oedipus was confronted by the Sphinx: a monster that was half woman and half lion. Oedipus answers that he will lead the king to the place where he will die, and that Theseus must never reveal that spot, but pass it on to his son at his own death, who in turn must pass it on to his own son. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. He must be driven out in order for the plague to end. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Thucydides and Sophocles use similar terms when describing attempts to deal with the epidemic. creating and saving your own notes as you read. Classical Literature Quiz: Oedipus Rex By Sophocles Best Answer. Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. The shepherd refuses to disclose anything, and Oedipus threatens him with torture. Oedipus himself is the accursed person who brings the plague to Thebes. Once Oedipus is banished from Thebes, the curse is lifted, and the plague ends. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. At the beginning of Sophocles'Oedipus Rex,there issterility and a plague at Thebes. The Altmetric Attention Score for a research output provides an indicator of the amount of attention that it has received. Theseus promises Oedipus that he will get his daughters back. Oedipus a Tragedy. Oedipus the King. http://www.who.int/topics/disease_outbreaks/en/, The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Kousoulis AA, Economopoulos KP, Poulakou-Rebelakou E, Androutsos G, Tsiodras S. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. The Thucydides syndrome.

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