He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. 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. The devastating plague that dominates Thebes is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus and the Priest (lines 167) (2,3). After Tiresias leaves, Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. He inadvertently killed his father, solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and became king of Thebes. The oracle announces that the plague is a result of religious pollution and that the god Apollo requests that the people of Thebes exile the previously unknown miasma (a word of Greek origin with a sense of moral noxious pollution) away from the town (lines 9698) (2,3). The story of Oedipus is perhaps the most tragic story of ancient Greece.The mythological character was the king of Thebes and lived under the shadow of a curse that could not be avoided to the end of his days. 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). Theseus grants them this, and the Chorus tells the girls to stop their weeping, for all rests in the hands of the gods. Youve successfully purchased a group discount. Creons wife, Eurydice, hears this terrible news and rushes away into the palace. Wishing to be killed or exiled, he gave Thebes to Creon to rule as regent, and Creon promised to care for Oedipus' daughters. A. One day long ago, he was tending his sheep when another shepherd approached him carrying a baby, its ankles pinned together. This skirmish occurred at the very crossroads where Laius was killed. Almost as soon as he has said this, Creon returns and tells the story which is to lead Oedipus to the truth, and to the conclusion that it would have been better for him never to have been born. In Oedipus Rex the plague is a miasma that destroys everything, rather than just a disease. Scene from a National Theatre of Greece production of Oedipus Rex at the Odeon of Herodus Atticus, Athens, Greece January 1995. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. n/a annes thomas tracy world lit oedipus the king writing assignment there is an old time saying, comes before the pride can lead to downfall. Is Oedipus a victim of fate or a victim of his own actions in Oedipus Rex? 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. Oedipus now emerges from the palace, bleeding and begging to be exiled. Teachers and parents! $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Refine any search. In fact, it is noteworthy that there is no other historic or poetic reference that links Ares to the spreading of a disease (4). . He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the . Oedipus was perhaps doomed from birth, for many prophecies were told about Oedipus before and after his birth. 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. He has already anticipated the priests' request for help and has done what a good Greek ruler should doseek advice from an oracle. A., Economopoulos, K. P., Poulakou-Rebelakou, E., Androutsos, G., & Tsiodras, S. (2012). It is set in the kingdom of Thebes in What is the cause of the plague in Thebes quizlet? With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens. Theseus does in fact return with Oedipuss daughters shortly. When Creon returns from the oracle, he informs Oedipus that the person responsible for murdering the former King Laius must be banished from Thebes in order to put an end to the devastating plague. Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. Tiresias tragically reveals to Oedipus that the king himself is the cause (since he had killed King Laius). The date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. 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. The first writing of Oedipus Rex most probably took place during the time of the plague of Athens. 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). Questioned further, he answers that the baby was in fact the child of Laius himself, and that it was Jocasta who gave him the infant, ordering him to kill it, as it had been prophesied that the child would kill his parents. 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 ( ). He avidly begins an all-out manhunt. Hence, the citizens of Thebes were often called children of Cadmus or Cadmeians. 3. 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). Best Answer. Creon returns, bearing good news: once the killer of the previous king, Laius, is found, Thebes will be cured of the plague (Laius was Jocasta's husband before she married Oedipus). In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. All of this, of course, was unbeknownst to him. | Tiresias advises that Creon allow Polynices to be buried, but Creon refuses. Sophocles epidemic seems to have enough strength to appear as a historical base on which the theatrical economy of the play is evolving (12). Although the above points are of great relevance, they lack the possibility of historical verification and are mainly based on the comparative and critical assessment of Sophocles and Thucydides work. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% A plague has stricken Thebes. Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresiass accusation. 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). Antigone and Ismene, the daughters of Oedipus, discuss the disaster that has just befallen them. Blind and frail, he walks with the help of his daughter, Antigone. 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). View data is from . Purchasing Oedipus' wife and mother hanged themselves when the truth of their relationship was known, although Oedipus continued to rule Thabs until his death. What is the main idea of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and what is the play about. PART I: Before Reading STATEMENT RESPONSE (3-5 sentences) It is important to know who we truly are, where we came . These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Copy. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Significant Myths and Structure of the Text. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. There is death in the land as the story begins. Dont have an account? Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. An oracle warned Laius, the king of Thebes prior to Oedipus, that his son would murder him. King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. 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). At this early stage in the play, Oedipus represents all that an Athenian audienceor indeed any audiencecould desire in a citizen or a leader. There were two shrines to her in Thebes. Creon then tells what he has learned from the god Apollo, who spoke through the oracle: the murderer of Laius, who ruled Thebes before Oedipus, is in Thebes. A lethal plague is described in this drama. Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi in order to ask Apollo why this is the case. 2 (CC) BY-NC-SA, Ian Johnston 2004 1 Cadmus: legendary founder of Thebes. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laiuss murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. Acting blindly, he curses himself. He tells them they can trust him to help in any way he can. Creon curses him and threatens to slay Antigone before his very eyes. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. Figure 1. A blight, the priest tells Oedipus, has destroyed their crops and livestock - and even rendered their women sterile, unable to have children. 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. Despite the warning, Theseus agrees to help Oedipus. . DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens. SparkNotes PLUS 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. $24.99 Oedipus vows to find the murderer and curses him for . Soon after, Polynices arrives, seeking his fathers favor in order to gain custody of his eventual burial site. WebOedipus is the king of Thebes when the action commences, and one facing the crisis of a plague. Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. Want 100 or more? That baby was Oedipus. Oedipus says that his time of death has come. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how . He insists upon allowing all his people to hear what the oracle has said, despite Creons suggestion that Oedipus hear the news in private. Ancient typhoid epidemic reveals possible ancestral strain of. These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. Oedipus asks a priest why the citizens have gathered around the palace. As the play opens, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, asks from a group of people that why they are gathered there. 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. In lines 167215 the Chorus stays on stage to summarize the situation and beg for salvation (2,3). 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). But Tiresias answers enigmatically. Apparently, it has not heard Creons news about Laiuss murderer. . In the end, it turns out that Oedipus has also murdered his father. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. oedipus s position in thebes ii his certainty of his own innocence iii. A messenger enters and recounts the tragic events: Creon and his entourage first gave proper burial to Polynices, then heard what sounded like Haemons voice wailing from Antigones tomb. Dont have an account? The first event that elicits emotions of fear and pity is found in the prologue where the people of Thebes suffer from a plague. The characteristics of pathogens that might be responsible for the plague on the basis of Sophocles descriptions in Oedipus Rex are summarized in the Technical Appendix. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Creon kneels and prays that he, too, might die. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Just as the messenger finishes his story, Antigone and Ismene come onstage, chanting a dirge. Through the character of the priest, Sophocles makes the audience/reader aware of the sacred and secular state of Thebes. Theseus returns to the stage, asking the daughters to stop their weeping. On the surface, the problem afflicting Thebes is a plague. 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. Oedipus, the king, who is married to Jocasta and has four children, sends Creon (Jocasta's brother) to the oracle for information. Not knowing where to go now, Antigone says they will have to wander forever alone. Already a member? 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. No one was following the rules of the land. He's one step ahead of the suggestions his subjects make to him and has already sent for Tiresias. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (167). 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. The Sphinx had been terrorizing Thebes for an undisclosed amount of time before Oedipus was able to defeat it. The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. The story would have been a familiar one to Sophocles's audience. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. 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. At first he refuses to tell Oedipus what he knows. creating and saving your own notes as you read. Sometimes it can end up there. Oedipus encountered the Sphinx and quickly realized that the answer was "man". They went in and saw Antigone hanging from a noose, and Haemon raving. Creon was told by Apollo that in order to be free of the plague, they must "Pay the killers back- whoever is responsible" (Sophocles 1430).