What happened to Oedipus’s wife and mother?
Homer related that Oedipus’s wife and mother hanged herself when the truth of their relationship became known, though Oedipus apparently continued to rule at Thebes until his death.
Who is Oedipus in the Odyssey?
Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes. Having been childless for some time, Laius consulted the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi.
Why does Jocasta kill herself in Oedipus?
Oedipus 's mother, Jocasta, kills herself because she figures out the truth: Oedipus is actually her son, which means not only that she has had sex with her own child, but also that their children are the products of incest and, as such, are considered abominations. As Oedipus is...
Why did Oedipus kill Laius?
When Laius’ herald ordered Oedipus to stand aside and make way for the King to pass, Oedipus grew angry and killed both the herald and Laius. In doing so, he unwittingly fulfilled the first half of the prophecy: he has killed his own father. Arriving at Thebes, Oedipus was confronted by the Sphinx: a monster that was half woman and half lion.
How does Jocasta die?
hanged herselfIn the version of Sophocles, when his city was struck by a plague, Oedipus learned that it was divine punishment for his patricide and incest. Hearing this news, Jocasta hanged herself.
Why did Jocasta commits suicide?
At the climax of the play, Jocasta is so overwhelmed by the horror of having had sex with her own son that she commits suicide, hanging herself over their marriage bed. This is a Sophoclean innovation; in earlier versions of the myth she either stabs herself to death or survives the shock and lives on.
Who killed Oedipus mother?
At last, the entire mystery revealed itself to him. He understood who his true parents were – Jocasta and Laius. One of those men he had killed while crossing over the mountain had been his father! He himself had killed Laius!
Does Oedipus sleep with his mother?
The idea of the Oedipus Complex is derived from Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus, during which Oedipus learned that he was cursed to kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Did Jocasta know that Oedipus was her son?
Oedipus takes two brooches from Jocasta's dress and uses them to pierce his eyes and blind himself. One interpretation advanced by critics and readers is that Jocasta has been aware of the fact that Oedipus is her son from the beginning. There are many points during the play where Oedipus talks of his past.
How does Oedipus react when he finds Jocasta dead?
He saw her body hanging and sobbed. He then loosened the rope around her neck and lay her on the ground. Oedipus ripped out the golden brooches from Jocasta's dress. Then he savagely stabbed himself many times in the eyes, blood splattered everywhere from his ruined sockets.
What happens at the end of Oedipus?
Oedipus died at Colonus near Athens, where he was swallowed into the earth and became a guardian hero of the land.
What happens to Jocasta be specific?
That Laius was killed at the intersection of three highways and the location of this intersection. What happens to Jocasta? Be specific. She commits suicide by hanging herself.
What is Jocasta syndrome?
In psychoanalytic theory, the Jocasta complex is the incestuous sexual desire of a mother towards her son.
Did Oedipus know Jocasta was his mother?
Oedipus, unaware that Jocasta is his mother, marries her, and they have four children. After many years, a plague strikes the city, and the oracle proclaims that it will last until the murderer of Laius is discovered. Oedipus diligently begins the search.
Why did Oedipus curse his sons?
Creon then carried out the sentence that Oedipus himself had imposed: banishment of Laius's killer. When his two sons (and brothers) refused to oppose his exile, the departing Oedipus cursed them.
What is it called when a son is attracted to his mother?
The Oedipus complex is named for the Greek myth of Oedipus, a Theban king who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Sigmund Freud used the myth as a parallel to his theory that children are attracted to their opposite-sex parent and feel hatred toward their same-sex parent.
What is the story of Oedipus?
The story of Oedipus is the subject of Sophocles ' tragedy Oedipus Rex, which is followed in the narrative sequence by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone. Together, these plays make up Sophocles' three Theban plays.
Why does Laius leave Oedipus?
He pierces Oedipus' feet and leaves him out to die, but a shepherd finds him and carries him away. Years later, Oedipus, not knowing he was adopted, leaves home in fear of the same prophecy that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Laius journeys out to seek a solution to the Sphinx's mysterious riddle.
How many children did Oedipus have?
Oedipus and Jocasta had four children: sons Eteocles and Polynices (see Seven Against Thebes) and daughters Antigone and Ismene . Many years later, a plague of infertility struck the city of Thebes, affecting crops, livestock and the people. Oedipus asserted that he would end the pestilence.
What did Oedipus learn from the oracle at Delphi?
Oedipus learned from the oracle at Delphi of the prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother but, unaware of his true parentage, believed he was fated to murder Polybus and marry Merope, so left for Thebes. On his way he met an older man and killed him in a quarrel.
What did Oedipus tell his parents?
After many years, Oedipus was told by a drunk that he was a "bastard", meaning at that time that he was not their biological son. Oedipus confronted his parents (the king and queen of Corinth) with the news, but they denied this. Oedipus went to the same oracle in Delphi that his birth parents had consulted.
Why was Oedipus relieved?
Oedipus was relieved for the prophecy could no longer be fulfilled if Polybus, whom he considered his birth father, was now dead. Still, he knew that his mother was still alive and refused to attend the funeral at Corinth. To ease the tension, the messenger then said that Oedipus was, in fact, adopted.
Why was Oedipus named Oedipus?
Little Oedipus was named after the swelling from the injuries to his feet and ankles ("swollen foot"). The word "oedema" (British English) or "edema" (American English) is from this same Greek word for swelling: οἴδημα, or oedēma .
Who was the son of Oedipus?
After Oedipus ' death, his sons Polynices and Eteocles decide to share the throne of Thebes, but when Eteocles refuses to give the throne once his time is over, Polynices leaves Thebes and returns with an army.
Who is Oedipus's questioner?
Oedipus questions the prophet Tiresias who, though blind, is able to see more and more profoundly than his questioner. At one point, forced to tell everything he knows, Tiresias points the finger of blame in the direction of the Theban king.
What does Jocasta tell Oedipus about Polybus?
Jocasta tries comforting Oedipus and, in the process, informs him about the events which led to the death of her husband. They sound strikingly similar to his chance encounter with the unknown charioteer at Daulis, and, visibly shaken, Oedipus sends for that one Laius ’ servant who managed to survive the scene. However, things go from bad to worse, even before the servant is brought to him: a messenger from Corinth enters the court and informs everyone that Polybus had died. Still believing that Polybus is his real father, Oedipus is somewhat relieved to hear this; however, fearing that the second part of the prophecy may still materialize, he declines to attend the funeral in order to avoid meeting his mother. The messenger informs Oedipus that he doesn’t need to worry about that, for he knows full well that Polybus and Merope aren’t his real parents: it just so happens that he is the very shepherd who handed them the ankle-pierced Oedipus when he was still a baby!
Why was Oedipus named after him?
The royal couple, also childless, decided to adopt the poor baby and raise him as their own. They named the boy after his ankle wounds: Oedipus means “Swollen Foot.”. When Oedipus grew up, he was told by a drunkard that Polybus and Merope were not his birth parents.
What did Oedipus learn from the Oracle?
Deciding to investigate this matter, Oedipus ended up in Delphi, with an intention to learn the truth from the Oracle. Instead of getting the answer he had come from, Oedipus was told that he would kill his father and marry his mother.
Why did Laius consult the Oracle?
Laius, the childless King of Thebes, decided to consult the Oracle at Delphi to learn if he and his wife would ever have any children. To his utter dismay, he was told that it would be better for him that they don’t: any son born out of their union was destined to kill him.
Who killed Laius' father?
Jocasta needs no further evidence than this: she flees the scene in utter distress and hangs herself in her chamber. Still unconvinced, Oedipus waits for the single eyewitness of the murder of Laius only to realize that the worst is true: he had, in fact, killed his father years ago and married his mother afterward.
What is the plague in Oedipus?
Oedipus’s crimes are presented as a kind of blight on the land, a plague—symbolized by the plague with which the play begins—that infects the earth on which Oedipus, his family, and his citizens stand, and in which all are buried as a result of Oedipus’s violence.
What did Oedipus do to Jocasta?
Oedipus came to the door in a fury, asking for a sword and cursing Jocasta . He finally hurled himself at the bedroom door and burst through it, where he saw Jocasta hanging from a noose. Seeing this, Oedipus sobbed and embraced Jocasta. He then took the gold pins that held her robes and, with them, stabbed out his eyes.
Why does Creon ask Oedipus to be sent inside?
Creon forgives Oedipus for his past accusations of treason and asks that Oedipus be sent inside so that the public display of shame might stop. Creon agrees to exile Oedipus from the city, but tells him that he will only do so if every detail is approved by the gods.
Why does Oedipus weep for Creon?
Oedipus embraces them and says he weeps for them, since they will be excluded from society, and no man will want to marry the offspring of an incestuous marriage . He turns to Creon and asks him to promise that he will take care of them. He reaches out to Creon, but Creon will not touch his hand.
Why does the chorus shrink away from Oedipus?
The Chorus shrinks away from Oedipus as he curses his birth, his marriage, his life, and in turn all births, marriages, and lives. Creon enters, and the Chorus expresses hope that he can restore order. Creon forgives Oedipus for his past accusations of treason and asks that Oedipus be sent inside so that the public display of shame might stop.
What does Creon tell Oedipus?
Creon orders the guards to take Antigone and Ismene away from Oedipus, and tells Oedipus that his power has ended. Everyone exits, and the Chorus comes onstage once more. Oedipus, greatest of men, has fallen, they say, and so all life is miserable, and only death can bring peace.
Who was Oedipus married to?
Oedipus duly became King of Thebes and married Jocasta, the widow of the previous King, Laius, who had recently died. Of course, Oedipus doesn’t know Laius was the man he’d killed on the road. However, the truth came out, eventually.
Who killed Laius and Oedipus?
When Laius’ herald ordered Oedipus to stand aside and make way for the King to pass, Oedipus grew angry and killed both the herald and Laius. In doing so, he unwittingly fulfilled the first half of the prophecy: he has killed his own father.
What is the Oedipus myth?
Oedipus myth: summary. There are a number of different versions of the Oedipus story that have survived from the classical era. What follows is an attempt to pick out the shared and most common aspects of the myth. Laius, the King of Thebes, and his wife, Jocasta, were warned by a prophecy that, if Laius had a son, ...
What did the Delphic oracle warn Oedipus about?
In some versions, the Delphic oracle warned Oedipus that there was a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother; believing Polybus to be his real father (in this version of the story), Oedipus fled home, worried that he would kill Polybus. On a road (variously, the road back from Delphi, where he’d consulted the oracle;
What did Jocasta do to tiresias?
Jocasta was keen to patch things up , so sought to cast doubt on Tiresias’ powers of prophecy and on prophecies in general. She gave, as example, the case of Laius, who an oracle had warned would be killed by his own son; in order to avert this tragedy, Laius had left the child for dead.
How did Laius dispose of Oedipus?
Laius then had the child disposed of, either by throwing him into the sea (where he was rescued by fishermen) or by giving him to a servant to take to the mountains and leave there (where he was rescued by shepherds). In every version of the Oedipus myth, the common element here is that Oedipus is rescued, and taken in by a king who has no children ...
Why did Oedipus leave his home?
In the oldest versions of the myth, he left home to go and steal horses , which isn’t very noble. In the tragedies, someone told Oedipus – in order to insult him – that he was a foundling and Polybus was not his real father. When Oedipus asked Polybus about this, Polybus confirmed that he was not his biological father.
Who did Oedipus marry after answering the riddle of the Sphinx?
Later, he wins the throne of Thebes and unknowingly marries his mother, Jocasta, after answering the riddle of the Sphinx. Several years (and several children) later Oedipus and Jocasta figure out the truth of everything with the unwilling help of Tiresias, the seer. Jocasta hangs herself, and Oedipus stabs out his own eyes.
Why is Oedipus relieved?
At first, Oedipus is relieved because he thinks this means he'll never fulfill the prophecy that he'll kill his father. The messenger totally bursts the King's bubble, though. It turns out that this guy is actually the shepherd who found Oedipus on the mountain and brought him to Corinth.
What does the Oracle of Delphi tell King Laius of Thebes?
Brief Summary. The Oracle of Delphi tells King Laius of Thebes that he'll have a child who's destined to kill him and sleep with Laius's wife, Jocasta, the boy's own mother. When a baby comes along, the king pierces his ankles and leaves him on a mountainside to die. A shepherd finds the baby, though, and takes him to King Polybus ...
Why does Oedipus send Creon to the Oracle of Delphi?
King Oedipus sends Creon to the Oracle of Delphi to find out what's going on. The Oracle, in her typically cryptic fashion, declares that the killer of Laius is living in Thebes and must be expelled. When Creon tells Oedipus this, the King swears that he'll figure out who the killer is and exile the jerk like nobody's business.
What does Oedipus cry to?
Oedipus cries to people he thought were his parents. "It ain't so," they lie, totally denying it. Oedipus doesn't quite buy it, though, so he trucks it over to the Oracle of Delphi to get the truth of the whole thing. As usual, the Oracle's prophecy is a little bit of a downer... okay, actually it's a HUGE downer.
Why does Creon take Antigone and Ismene hostage?
Creon takes Antigone and Ismene hostage to try and force Oedipus to do what he wants. Just in the nick of time, though, King Theseus of Athens steps in and saves the girls. Theseus grants asylum to Oedipus, allowing the old blind man to die in peace.
What does Oedipus tell the King about Tiresias?
Oedipus flips out and threatens him, though, and Tiresias finally tells the King that he's actually the murderer that he's looking for. Oedipus doesn't want to believe it, and he accuses Creon and Tiresias of being allied against him.
Overview
Basics of the myth
Variations on the legend of Oedipus are mentioned in fragments by several ancient Greek poets including Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, Aeschylus and Euripides. However, the most popular version of the legend comes from the set of Theban plays by Sophocles: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus, and Antigone.
Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta, king and queen of Thebes. Having been childless for s…
Ancient sources (5th century BC)
Most, if not all, of our knowledge of Oedipus, comes from the 5th century BC. Though these stories principally deal with his downfall, various details still appear on how Oedipus rose to power.
King Laius of Thebes hears of a prophecy that his infant son will one day kill him. He pierces Oedipus' feet and leaves him out to die, but a shepherd finds him and carries him away. Years lat…
Later additions
The Bibliotheca, a Roman-era mythological handbook, includes a riddle for the Sphinx, borrowing the poetry of Hesiod:
What is that which has one voice and yet becomes four-footed and two-footed and three-footed?
Due to the popularity of Sophocles's Antigone (c. 442 BC), the ending (lines 1005–78) of Seven against Thebes was added some fifty years after Aeschylus' death. Whereas the play (and the tri…
Post-Classical literature
Oedipus was a figure who was also used in the Latin literature of ancient Rome. Julius Caesar wrote a play on Oedipus, but it has not survived into modern times. Ovid included Oedipus in Metamorphoses, but only as the person who defeated the Sphinx. He makes no mention of Oedipus's troubled experiences with his father and mother. Seneca the Younger wrote his own play on the story of Oedipus in the first century AD. It differs in significant ways from the work of Sop…
Oedipus complex
Sigmund Freud used the name "the Oedipus complex" to explain the origin of certain neuroses in childhood. It is defined as a male child's unconscious desire for the exclusive love of his mother. This desire includes jealousy towards the father and the unconscious wish for that parent's death, as well as the unconscious desire for sexual intercourse with the mother. Oedipus himself, as portrayed in the myth, did not have this neurosis – at least, not towards Jocasta, whom he only …
See also
• Antigone
• Epigoni
• Genetic attraction
• Myrrha (the Greek myth of incestual love between father and daughter)