Oedipus Lecture Notes

Introduction to Oedipus

• Oedipus faces challenges including death, the Sphinx, and the truth.

Background of Oedipus

• Birth and Prophecy:
  • Queen Jocasta gives birth to Oedipus.
  • King Laius receives a prophecy from Apollo that he will die at the hands of his son.
  • Laius pierces Oedipus's ankles and Jocasta orders him to be abandoned on Mount Cithaeron.
• Rescue and Adoption:
  • A shepherd saves Oedipus and brings him to the childless King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth.
  • They raise him as their own, unaware of his origins.

Discovery of the Truth

• Drunken Reveler Incident:
  • Oedipus learns he might not be the biological son of Polybus and Merope.
• Consultation with Oracle:
  • Oedipus visits Apollo’s oracle and learns he will murder his father and marry his mother.
  • He decides to leave Corinth and heads towards Thebes unknowingly.

The Tragic Encounter

• Crossroads Fight:
  • Oedipus engages in a fatal confrontation with King Laius, his biological father, fulfilling the first part of the prophecy.
• Confronting the Sphinx:
  • Oedipus answers the Sphinx's riddle correctly, freeing Thebes and marrying Queen Jocasta, his mother.
  • They have four children together.

The Plague and Investigation

• The Plague:
  • Thebes suffers a plague; Oedipus seeks to find Laius's killer to save the city.
• Interrogation of Tiresias:
  • Tiresias suggests Oedipus is the killer; Oedipus denies it.
• Further Investigations:
  • Conversations reveal Laius was killed at a crossroads by robbers, but Oedipus discovers he is looking for himself.

The Revelation and Aftermath

• Realization of Guilt:
  • Oedipus realizes he has fulfilled the prophecy.
  • Jocasta takes her own life upon learning the truth.
• Oedipus's Blinding:
  • In despair, Oedipus blinds himself using Jocasta's brooches.
  • He begs for exile and is led back into the castle.

Conclusion of Oedipus's Story

• Sophocles’ Sequel:
  • The sequel is set in Colonus, focusing on an aged Oedipus confronted with accusations of incest and patricide.
  • Oedipus proclaims his innocence, stating his actions were unwitting and unwilling.
• Final Departure:
  • A divine voice guides Oedipus as he prepares to transcend into death, having accepted his past.