Oedipus; A short summery of the play

Summary:
The basic plot of Oedipus is a prophet tells King Laius and Queen Jocasta that their son will one day murder his father and marry his mother. Horrified by this the King and Queen order that their son be taken to the mountains and killed. However, the man in charge of this instead leaves the baby Oedipus on the mountain. Later the baby is found and adopted by Queen Periboea in a neighboring town. After becoming a man, Oedipus is traveling to other towns when he stumbles upon King Laius. After a disagreement, Oedipus kills Laius. Then, after a proclamation is made that whoever solved the Sphinx's riddle will be king, Oedipus comes to Thebes and solves the puzzle. After being named king, Oedipus then marries Jocasta, unknowing that this is his true mother. After having several children and ruling for many years, the prophet comes back and reveals the truth about Oedipus marrying his mother and killing his father. Upon hearing this, Oedipus gouges his eyes out and Jocasta commits suicide. Finally, Oedipus is put into exile by his own sons who take over the thrown and cast out their cursing father.

"Oedipus and the Sphinx" c. 470 BC, Etruscan Museum, The Vatican

History:
Oedipus was wrote by Sophocles around 427 BC. It is said to have been first performed in 428 BC.

Commentary:
The picture to the right is a painted plate said to have been painted around 470 BC in Greece. It depicts Oedipus listening to the Sphinx's riddle. This classical Greek piece shows Oedipus dressed as a traveler, wearing a hat, perhaps to block the sun, and what appears to be a bag around his shoulder. Oedipus is also depicted as having a rather large beard which conveys that he is a man and perhaps a man of great authority.


"Oedipus the King." Hellenica, Information about Greece and Cyprus, Michael Lahanas. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/LX/OedipusKing.html>.

"Oedipus - Greek Mythology Link." Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Oedipus.html>.
Image:
"Oedipus and the Sphinx, Vatican Museum." Hellenica, Information about Greece and Cyprus, Michael Lahanas. Web. 27 Oct. 2010. <http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/OedipusAndTheSphinxVatican.html>.