Summary of "OEDIPUS THE KING" - By Sophocles
"OEDIPUS THE KING"-
A priest and the chorus of Thebans arrived at the palace to call upon their King Oedipus, to aid them with plague which has caused a lot of suffering and death toll was continuously rising alarmingly. Oedipus was quick witted and had already sent his brother-in-law Creon to seek help of Tireasias, an oracle at Delphi, who has returned at that very moment. Creon said the plague is a result of religious pollution caused because the murderer of their former King Laius hadn't been caught yet. Oedipus vowed to find out the murderer and cursed him for the plague that has been caused because of him.
Oedipus summoned blind prophet Tireasias for help. When he arrived, he knew the actual murderer, but refused to speak, instead asked Oedipus to abandon his search. Oedipus was enraged at this refusal and held Tiresias liable for being a part of Laius's murder conspiracy. Outraged Tiresias told that the king himself killed Laius. To this Oedipus concluded that the prophet has been paid off by Creon to undermine him. The two argued exuberantly and eventually Tiresias left, muttering that the murderer shall be a native citizen of Thebes; brother and father to his own children; son and husband to his own mother.
Then, Creon came to face Oedipus's accusations and defend himself. The King demanded that Creon must be executed but was persuaded by the chorus to let Creon live. Queen Jocasta( w/o Oedipus and sister of Creon) entered and comforted Oedipus telling that oracles are blockhead and he must not pay attention to their prophecies. Many years ago she and her ex husband Laius received an oracle which never came true. It was said that Laius would be killed by his own son but he was actually killed by bandits at a crossroad on the way to Delphi.
The mention of crossroad caused Oedipus to pause and ask for more details. He asked Jocasta the appearance of Laius and became worried about Tiresias' prophecy. He then sent for the only one surviving witness of the attack to be brought to the palace.
Jocasta, confused, asked Oedipus what the matter was, and he told her. Many years ago, at a banquet in Corinth, a drunken man accused Oedipus of not being his father's son. Bothered by this,statement, he went Delphi and asked the oracle about his parentage. Instead of answers, he gave prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his own mother. After that he left Corinth and never returned. While traveling he came to the very crossroad where Lauis was killed. There an argument took place and Oedipus killed the travelers, including a man who matched Jocasta's description of Laius. Oedipus suspected that the story that Laius was murdered by several robbers. If the shepherd confirmed that Laius was attacked by many man, then he will be proved innocent.
At this point, a messenger arrived from Corinth with the message that Oedipus's father Polybus has died out of sickness. Despite being upset, Oedipus was happy on the fact that half of the prophecy made at Delphi was proved wrong, and can never kill his father. However he still fears that he may somehow incest with his mother. Seeing the pale face of Oedipus, messenger asked reason behind it. After knowing fact, he was eager to ease Oedipus by disclosing the fact that Queen Merope and King Polybus weren't his biological parents. On further investigation, it was discovered that this messenger was formerly a shepherd on Mt. Cithaeron, and that he was given a baby, which the childless Polybus then adopted. The baby was given to him by another shepherd from the Laius servant, who had been told to kill the child. That baby was nobody other than the triumphant King Oedipus.
Actually what the story was that Laius was a guest of King Pelops of Elis, and became the tutor of Chrysippus, youngest of the king's sons, in chariot racing. He then violated the sacred laws of hospitality by abducting and raping Chrysippus, who according to some versions killed himself in shame. This casted a doom over Laius and his successors.
The protagonist of the tragedy is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. After Laius came to know from an oracle that " he will be killed by his own son", he tightly tied the feet of the infant together with a pin and ordered Jocasta to kill the infant. But Jocasta being a mother hesitated to do so and asked a servant to kill the infant for her. However the servant took the baby to the mountain top to die from the harsh weather condition. A shepherd saved and named him Oedipus which meant swollen feet. Then he carried the infant to Corinth and gave him to a childless King Polybus nad Queen Merope who brought him up with astronomical affection as if he was their own child.
As a young man in Corinth, Oedipus heard a rumour that he is not the biological son of King Polybus and Queen Merope. When Oedipus asked the king and queen, they refused it, but thr suspicion persisted. Hence he asked the Delphic Oracle who his real parents are. The oracle ignored this question and instead told him that he is destined to shed his father's blood and mate with his own mother. In order to avoid the mishap to take place, he left Corinth believing Polybus and Merope to be his real parents.
On the road to Thebes, he met his real father Laius. But unaware of each other's identities, they quarrel and Laius striked Oedipus with his sceptre. In counter attack Oedipus threw him down from chariot and killed him. In this way he fulfilled a part of oracle's prophecy. He killed all other men with the king accept one.
After a short hiatus, Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx for liberating the kingdom of Thebes. As reward Oedipus was made the king of Thebes and was married to Queen Jocasta, his biological mother and hence fulfilling oracle's other part of the prophecy.
After listening this Jocasta, who had by then realized the truth, begged Oedipus desperately to stop further investigation. But he refused and asked the chorus if anyone knew who that man, to which they responded that it was the same shepherd who had also witnessed the murder of Laius and for whom Oedipus had already called for.
When the shepherd came, Oedipus questioned him but he beseeched to be permitted to leave without answering anything. However Oedipus threatened him to kill if does not speak. It finally emerged that the child he gave away was Laius and Jocasta's own biological son, who was given secretly to shepherd to kill. This was done in fear of the prophecy that Jocasta said never came true: that child would kill his own father.
Everything was revealed lastly revealed and Oedipus cursed himself and fate. The chorus lamented that a great man was also helpless at the hands of fate. Oedipus entered palace furiously asked swords from servant to end his life. But when he entered Jocasta's room, he saw her hanging dead from the ceiling. Oedipus screamed louder and louder.......
He then brought Jocasta's body down and removed the long gold pin that held her dress together and pierced them into his own eyes in guilt.
The blind Oedipus repented the unfortunate birth of his two daughters(half sisters) Antigone and Ismene. He asked Creon to look after them, to which Creon agreed.
The blind Oedipus exited the palace and begged to be exiled as soon as possible.
A priest and the chorus of Thebans arrived at the palace to call upon their King Oedipus, to aid them with plague which has caused a lot of suffering and death toll was continuously rising alarmingly. Oedipus was quick witted and had already sent his brother-in-law Creon to seek help of Tireasias, an oracle at Delphi, who has returned at that very moment. Creon said the plague is a result of religious pollution caused because the murderer of their former King Laius hadn't been caught yet. Oedipus vowed to find out the murderer and cursed him for the plague that has been caused because of him.
Oedipus summoned blind prophet Tireasias for help. When he arrived, he knew the actual murderer, but refused to speak, instead asked Oedipus to abandon his search. Oedipus was enraged at this refusal and held Tiresias liable for being a part of Laius's murder conspiracy. Outraged Tiresias told that the king himself killed Laius. To this Oedipus concluded that the prophet has been paid off by Creon to undermine him. The two argued exuberantly and eventually Tiresias left, muttering that the murderer shall be a native citizen of Thebes; brother and father to his own children; son and husband to his own mother.
Then, Creon came to face Oedipus's accusations and defend himself. The King demanded that Creon must be executed but was persuaded by the chorus to let Creon live. Queen Jocasta( w/o Oedipus and sister of Creon) entered and comforted Oedipus telling that oracles are blockhead and he must not pay attention to their prophecies. Many years ago she and her ex husband Laius received an oracle which never came true. It was said that Laius would be killed by his own son but he was actually killed by bandits at a crossroad on the way to Delphi.
The mention of crossroad caused Oedipus to pause and ask for more details. He asked Jocasta the appearance of Laius and became worried about Tiresias' prophecy. He then sent for the only one surviving witness of the attack to be brought to the palace.
Jocasta, confused, asked Oedipus what the matter was, and he told her. Many years ago, at a banquet in Corinth, a drunken man accused Oedipus of not being his father's son. Bothered by this,statement, he went Delphi and asked the oracle about his parentage. Instead of answers, he gave prophecy that he would kill his father and sleep with his own mother. After that he left Corinth and never returned. While traveling he came to the very crossroad where Lauis was killed. There an argument took place and Oedipus killed the travelers, including a man who matched Jocasta's description of Laius. Oedipus suspected that the story that Laius was murdered by several robbers. If the shepherd confirmed that Laius was attacked by many man, then he will be proved innocent.
At this point, a messenger arrived from Corinth with the message that Oedipus's father Polybus has died out of sickness. Despite being upset, Oedipus was happy on the fact that half of the prophecy made at Delphi was proved wrong, and can never kill his father. However he still fears that he may somehow incest with his mother. Seeing the pale face of Oedipus, messenger asked reason behind it. After knowing fact, he was eager to ease Oedipus by disclosing the fact that Queen Merope and King Polybus weren't his biological parents. On further investigation, it was discovered that this messenger was formerly a shepherd on Mt. Cithaeron, and that he was given a baby, which the childless Polybus then adopted. The baby was given to him by another shepherd from the Laius servant, who had been told to kill the child. That baby was nobody other than the triumphant King Oedipus.
Actually what the story was that Laius was a guest of King Pelops of Elis, and became the tutor of Chrysippus, youngest of the king's sons, in chariot racing. He then violated the sacred laws of hospitality by abducting and raping Chrysippus, who according to some versions killed himself in shame. This casted a doom over Laius and his successors.
The protagonist of the tragedy is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. After Laius came to know from an oracle that " he will be killed by his own son", he tightly tied the feet of the infant together with a pin and ordered Jocasta to kill the infant. But Jocasta being a mother hesitated to do so and asked a servant to kill the infant for her. However the servant took the baby to the mountain top to die from the harsh weather condition. A shepherd saved and named him Oedipus which meant swollen feet. Then he carried the infant to Corinth and gave him to a childless King Polybus nad Queen Merope who brought him up with astronomical affection as if he was their own child.
As a young man in Corinth, Oedipus heard a rumour that he is not the biological son of King Polybus and Queen Merope. When Oedipus asked the king and queen, they refused it, but thr suspicion persisted. Hence he asked the Delphic Oracle who his real parents are. The oracle ignored this question and instead told him that he is destined to shed his father's blood and mate with his own mother. In order to avoid the mishap to take place, he left Corinth believing Polybus and Merope to be his real parents.
On the road to Thebes, he met his real father Laius. But unaware of each other's identities, they quarrel and Laius striked Oedipus with his sceptre. In counter attack Oedipus threw him down from chariot and killed him. In this way he fulfilled a part of oracle's prophecy. He killed all other men with the king accept one.
After a short hiatus, Oedipus solved the riddle of the Sphinx for liberating the kingdom of Thebes. As reward Oedipus was made the king of Thebes and was married to Queen Jocasta, his biological mother and hence fulfilling oracle's other part of the prophecy.
After listening this Jocasta, who had by then realized the truth, begged Oedipus desperately to stop further investigation. But he refused and asked the chorus if anyone knew who that man, to which they responded that it was the same shepherd who had also witnessed the murder of Laius and for whom Oedipus had already called for.
When the shepherd came, Oedipus questioned him but he beseeched to be permitted to leave without answering anything. However Oedipus threatened him to kill if does not speak. It finally emerged that the child he gave away was Laius and Jocasta's own biological son, who was given secretly to shepherd to kill. This was done in fear of the prophecy that Jocasta said never came true: that child would kill his own father.
Everything was revealed lastly revealed and Oedipus cursed himself and fate. The chorus lamented that a great man was also helpless at the hands of fate. Oedipus entered palace furiously asked swords from servant to end his life. But when he entered Jocasta's room, he saw her hanging dead from the ceiling. Oedipus screamed louder and louder.......
He then brought Jocasta's body down and removed the long gold pin that held her dress together and pierced them into his own eyes in guilt.
The blind Oedipus repented the unfortunate birth of his two daughters(half sisters) Antigone and Ismene. He asked Creon to look after them, to which Creon agreed.
The blind Oedipus exited the palace and begged to be exiled as soon as possible.
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