Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (pg. 1-36)

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles (pg. 1-36)

Summary: Oedipus Rex opens with an exchange between Oedipus and a priest, setting the scene of the play. Through this conversation, the reader, or in Sophocles' time, the audience immediately becomes aware of the dire state of the city of Thebes, as a plague is mercilessly sweeping through the town and killing copious amounts of citizens. Oedipus has sent his brother-in-law Creon to the Delphi Oracle to ask for Apollo's guidance. When Creon returns, he brings news saying that the city must "drive away the polluting stain" the city had harbored and avenge the murder of King Laius. Then, they engage in a conversation about the details of King Laius' murder, and Creon informs Oedipus (and consequently the reader) that King Laius was murdered on a trip by a band of robbers, and all but one messenger from the king's party were killed. Further investigation of the King's murder was impeded by the Sphinx tormenting of the citizens, which was considered to be the most urgent issue. Oedipus then publicly resolves to do all he can to catch the murderer. Upon suggestion by the "Chorus Leader", Oedipus summons Tiresias, a blind prophet, to tell him about the murderer. Tiresias first resolves to say nothing of the matter, but after Oedipus insists he speak out, he finally announces that Oedipus is the murderer. Oedipus refuses to believe this, and accuses Tiresias of conspiring with Creon against him. They get into a heated argument, which ends in Tiresias leaving the palace.

Unfamiliar Vocabulary:

supplicate: to ask or beg for something earnestly or humbly
augury: an omen
pithy: concise and forcefully expressive

Critical Reflection: This portion of the play serves perhaps primarily as an introduction and also as a means of character development. However, before discussing the specifics of the play, I find it fitting to first discuss some general background information about the time period in which it was written and popular thought at the time.

Oedipus Rex is a quintessential Greek tragedy, a form of theatrical literature that was widely popular during Sophocles’ time in Athens. In these Greek tragedies, the protagonist is general portrayed as a model citizen, seemingly flawless at first in all respects. In the beginning, a specific characteristic shortcoming, known as the protagonist’s tragic flaw, is at first almost undetectable, but as time goes on, it becomes more and more evident until it ultimately leads to the demise of the tragic hero. In Aristotle’s Poetics, he writes that the two main purposes of tragedies is to arouse pity and fear, and therefore to have a cathartic effect on the audience.

In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses a chorus effectively, a literary device that has largely been abandoned in modern literature. The chorus has numerous functions in Oedipus Rex. In the play, the chorus takes the role of the public, and interacts both directly with Oedipus and with the audience. However, the chorus also has the liberty of impunity, so it can say whatever it wishes without fear of punishment, much like the voice of a conscience or logic.

I also found the paradox between blindness and knowledge to be rather ironic in the case of Oedipus and Tiresias. Though Tiresias is physically blind, he can “see” clearer than Oedipus, who is blinded by his own pride. Oedipus presses Tiresias to tell him about the identity of the murderer, but when Tiresias finally tells him what he wanted to hear, he refuses to believe him, essentially out of denial.