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The Theban Plays #1

Oedipus Rex

sophocles j.e. thomas elizabeth osborne

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"...what man wins more happiness than just its shape and the ruin when that shape collapses?"

Sophocles' Oedipus Rex has never been surpassed for the raw and terrible power with which its hero struggles to answer the eternal question, "Who am I?" The play, a story of a king who acting entirely in ignorance kills his father and marries his mother, unfolds with shattering power; we are helplessly carried along with Oedipus towards the final, horrific truth.

To make Oedipus more accessible for the modern reader, our Prestwick House Literary Touchstone Classics includes a glossary of the more difficult words, as well as convenient sidebar notes to enlighten the reader on aspects that may be confusing or overlooked. We hope that the reader may, through this edition, more fully enjoy the beauty of the verse, the wisdom of the insights, and the impact of the drama.

75 pages, Paperback

First published January 1,-0429
Series
The Theban Plays
Places
greece, thebes, 

This edition

Format
75 pages, Paperback
Published
June 28, 2004 by Prestwick House Inc
ISBN
9781580495936
ASIN
1580495931
Language
English
Characters More characters
  • Oedipus

    Oedipus

    Oedipus was a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family.The story of Oedipus is the subje...

  • Tiresias

    Tiresias

    In Greek mythology, Tiresias (/taɪˈriːsiəs/; Greek: Τειρεσίας, Teiresias) was a blind prophet of Apollo in Thebes, famous for clairvoyance and for being transformed into a woman for seven years. He was the son of the shepherd Everes and the nymph Chariclo...

  • Creon

    Creon

    Creon is a figure in Greek mythology best known as the ruler of Thebes in the legend of Oedipus. He had four sons and three daughters with his wife, Eurydice (sometimes known as Henioche). Creon and his sister, Jocasta, were descendants of Cadmus and of t...

  • Jocasta (Greek Mythology)

    Jocasta (greek Mythology)

    In Greek mythology, Jocasta was a daughter of Menoeceus, a descendant of the Spartoi, and Queen consort of Thebes. She was the wife of first Laius, then of their son Oedipus, and both mother and grandmother of Antigone, Eteocles, Polynices and Ismene. She...

  • Sphinx (Greek mythology)

    Sphinx (greek Mythology)

    In Greek mythology, a sphinx is represented as a monster with a head of a woman, the body of a lioness, the wings of an eagle, and a serpent-headed tail. There was a single sphinx in Greek mythology, a unique demon of destruction and bad luck....

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About the author

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sophocles

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Sophocles (497/496 BC-406/405 BC), (Greek: Σοφοκλής; German: Sophokles, Russian: Софокл, French: Sophocle) was an ancient Greek tragedian, known as one of three from whom at least one play has survived in full. His first plays were written later than, or contemporary with, those of Aeschylus; and earlier than, or contemporary with, those of Euripides. Sophocles wrote over 120 plays, but only seven have survived in a complete form: Ajax, Antigone, Women of Trachis, Oedipus Rex, Electra, Philoctetes, and Oedipus at Colonus. For almost fifty years, Sophocles was the most celebrated playwright in the dramatic competitions of the city-state of Athens which took place during the religious festivals of the Lenaea and the Dionysia. He competed in thirty competitions, won twenty-four, and was never judged lower than second place. Aeschylus won thirteen competitions, and was sometimes defeated by Sophocles; Euripides won four.
The most famous tragedies of Sophocles feature Oedipus and Antigone: they are generally known as the Theban plays, though each was part of a different tetralogy (the other members of which are now lost). Sophocles influenced the development of drama, most importantly by adding a third actor (attributed to Sophocles by Aristotle; to Aeschylus by Themistius), thereby reducing the importance of the chorus in the presentation of the plot. He also developed his characters to a greater extent than earlier playwrights.

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Rating(4 / 5.0, 99 votes)
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99 reviews All reviews
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Ebiru-Zeru
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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Let every man in mankind's frailty consider his last day; and let none presume on his good fortune until he find Life, at his death, a memory without pain.


Quick question for the day: how can one love Antigone and not have read Oedipus Rex? While dishonorable, it wasn't difficult given how prevalent the play is in our reality, the Freudian safeguards, the Lizard King finding such delight in a Florida retelling.

Much like those Star-Crossed Lovers I was prepared for enjoyment but found the crafting amazing, the chorus most stirring. I appreciate how the royal arrogance turns to ashes amidst revelation. This is a foundational text, a lesson for the perils of self-awareness.
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RepThe21st
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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What a dark story. Some of the biggest taboos are explored: incest and parricide. Some important existential questions are asked: are we masters or victims of our fates and to what extent? Do we have a destiny? Is there such thing as God’s (or the gods’) plan for us? Can we fight and escape it?

The real culprits are Œdipe’s natural and adopted parents’. The first pair ordered the killing of their child to escape the fate announced by The Oracles. The second pair never told their child that he was adopted.

Œdipe just tried to live a good life and never meant to harm anyone unless in self-defence. He was a victim... until he became paranoid and threw around insults and threats, and pronounced unfair punishments to anybody who crossed him.

The dialogues are superb (wasn’t expecting that!) and helped to digest the sadness of the play.
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Zoomingale
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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nothin like a forced reread in order to write a terrible paper

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classic oedipus!!! always going and getting himself into life-ruining, city-destroying shenanigans :')
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h0riz0nLine
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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This is my first reading of the ancient Greek play. Like so many stories that are part of our cultural consciousness, I thought I was very familiar with the plot but was so wrong. I asked my husband what he knew of Oedipus Rex and he said the same thing I was thinking: man murders his father and marries his mother=oedipus complex ala Dr Sigmund Freud.

That, of course, is what happens but the true tragedy is that it was not intended. In the opening scenes of the play, Thebes has been plagued by failing crops, barren women, etc. and the people want to know what has angered their gods. Creon, Queen Jocasta's brother, has sought the advice of an oracle who says King Laius was murdered and they must bring his killer to account, either by exile or death, to make things right again. Tiresias, the blind soothsayer, is brought to court and asked to identify the killer and he names King Oedipus. At first, Oedipus thinks his brother-in-law is involved in a plot to gain the crown for himself. But then the truth begins to slowly come to light as various twists of fate are revealed. The moral of the tragedy seems to be that the fate the gods have planned for a person cannot be avoided.

Excellent tale! No wonder it is still so popular after over two thousand years! I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy now.
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SparkleSnow
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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n  “Mock me for that, go on, and you’ll reveal my greatness.”n

I was, quite frankly blown away by the entire story of the three Theban Plays. And by the amazing story that it narrates. The first one, Oedipus Rex, or simply as Penguin translates it: Oedipus the King is hors d’oeuvre to the extreme vigor of the three consecutive plays, not as much great as the latter ones, probably for being so short. It finishes almost as soon as it begins to intrigue, which can prove a bit infuriating, undoubtedly.

n   “How could kingship
please me more than influence, power
without a qualm? I’m not that deluded yet,
to reach for anything but privilege outright,
profit free and clear.
Now all men sing my praises, all salute me,
now all who request your favors curry mine.
I am their best hope: success rests in me.
Why give up that, I ask you, and borrow trouble?
A man of sense, someone who sees things clearly
would never resort to treason.”n

The exceptional aspect is that, we know now that the myths of Oedipus were even more popular, plausibly from a time much before Sophocles started writing the play. And it never fails in its tragedy even after everyone can foresee where and how the tale is going to end. And some striking relevance to the world we live in too, which we may call modern but in truth is just as hypocritically orthodox as it was, quite apparently, in 425 BCE. Most evident is undoubtedly the theme of ‘hubris’, but that’s not salient to this play alone, however.

n   “Anything, afraid as I am-ask, I’ll answer, all I can.”n
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p0tstickerz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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Σύμφωνα με τον Αριστοτέλη το συγκεκριμένο έργο αποτελεί την τελειότερη τραγωδία. Έχει μια στυνομική πλοκή, διαπνέεται απο μια μεγαλειώδη τραγικότητα και ειρωνεία, λογοτεχνικά παιχνίδια και συμβολισμούς(σταυροδρόμι=σημείο μοιραίων αποφάσεων/Οιδίποδας=αυτός που έχει πρησμένα πόδια+ γνωρίζει και το τρίτο πόδι του αινίγματος της Σφήκας). Ο Σοφοκλής ενδιαφέρεται για τα όρια της ανθρώπινης γνώσης. Πόση αλήθεια μπορεί να αντέξει ο άνθρωπος ?? Εξέρχεται ηττημένος αλλα πιο σοφός. Η τύφλωση του περα απο το οτι προκαλεί τον έλεο στον θεατή, συμβολίζει και την εσώτερη συνειδητοποίηση της αλήθειας ( η όραση δεν του χρησιμεύει πλεόν, έχει ανακαλύψει αυτό που ζητά). Οι θεοί συντρίβουν τον Οιδίποδα υπογραμμίζοντας το εφήμερο της ευτυχίας, την τραγικότητας της ύπαρξης(εδώ δεν υπάρχει η σωτηρολογία των θρησκειών). Όμως ο Οιδίποδας πορεύεται ελεύθερα στο μονοπάτι που επέλεξε κρίνοντας και αποφασίζοντας χωρις έξωθεν παρεμβάσεις. Ο λιμός θα είναι απλά η η αφορμή και ο τρόπος των θεών για την αποκατάσταση της κοσμικής τάξης. Εδώ οι Θεοί σε οδηγούν στην γνώση μεσα απο τον πονο, την ντροπή, και τέλος την λυτρωση. Προσπαθούν να σε κάνουν κάτοχο της αλήθειας δι' ελέου και φόβου. Ο Οιδίποδας χωρίς να το γνωρίζει έχει διαπράξει θηριωδίες και πρέπει να απομονωθεί απο τους ανθρώπους. Και θα το κάνει γιατι ενω δεν είναι ένοχος (αφου δε γνώριζε τι έκανε) θα αυτοτυφλωθεί και θα εξοριστεί λογω ντροπής. Σύμφωνα με τον Νίτσε η τραγωδία είναι σύζευξη του έλλογου με το ενστικτώδες στοιχείο. Ο λόγος υπάρχει για να τιθασεύσει το άγριο ένστικτο. Ο Σοφοκλής θεωρείται δικαίως ο καλύτερος τραγικός συνδυάζοντας το θείο(Αισχύλος) με τον ανθρωπισμό και τα παθη(Ευρυπίδης) σε ένα απο τα πιο συγκλονιστικά έργα που γράφτηκαν ποτέ.
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LazyPayday
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
April 25,2025
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Kako se kupuje karta za Edipa u JDP? Nakon što par meseci očekuješ da ćeš je nekako dobiti, podesiš alarm na početak prodaje, a onda umesto u 13:00, dođeš u 13:24 - i jedva dobiješ dve karte. Odvojene, jedna u prvom, druga u šestom redu.

Edipa sam ponovo pročitao nakon predstave, i oduševio se još jednom. A oduševila me i predstava. Sofokle i srpska kafana - na prvi pogled recept za tragediju neke vrste u pozorištu. Ali ovo je ispalo sjajno. Time što su zadržali klasični tekst (naravno, donekle ga skratili), a modernizovali likove i scenografiju, Taufer i Stojanović su napravili remek-delo. Edip tako nije više samo jedna od najboljih tragedija koje sam čitao, već i koje sam gledao.

Šta je sledeće? Verovatno Edip na grčkom, u Atini ispod Akropolja, ili na letnjoj pozornici u Epidauru.



Prethodno sam pisao:
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U vreme zlatnog doba antičke Atine, drame je u teatru gledalo 17.000 gledalaca (Aristotel kaže 30.000, ali arheolozi su izračunali preciznije). Postojala su dva festivala za vreme kojih su se drame igrale, i to svaka po samo jednom. Zakasnio? Žao nam je, reprize nema.

I sad, evo, novi festival stiže u grad. Nedeljama je već glavna tema u agori to da će se prikazati nove tragedije Euripida i Sofokla. Duel titana. Ovo je nešto za šta se živi, od dana kad se za Ijonovo recitovanje Ilijade tražila karta više, nije bilo ovakvog spektakla. Odlaziš u teatar već ujutro, a dešavanje traje čitav dan. Odgledaš 3 drame i komediju, i tako sutra ponovo. Sav sam se naježio zamišljajući se.

Priča o caru Edipu je Atinjanima bila poznata, kao što je i nama pre nego što krenemo da je čitamo. Ali i kad znaš šta te čeka, ovaj prvi detektivski triler ne ostavlja ravnodušnim. Edip je 'osuđen' i pre početka drame, iako je do neke mere nevin. Zbog svog beskompromisnog traganja za istinom se dovodi u situaciju da kažnjava sam sebe. Ali upravo zbog tog traženja istine, postaje heroj, koji ne želi da živi u neznanju. Čvrsto je rešen da stvari istera na čistac.

On, koji je do tada čitav život posvetio tome da izbegne sudbinu, svojim potezima tu strašnu sudbinu doziva. Ova prastara tema slobodne volje pojedinca obrađena je kratko, veoma melodramatično, ali efektno.

Edipova tragedija se pred našim očima odvija u realnom vremenu. U roku od tih sat vremena (otprilike toliko traje i da je pročitaš), Edipov srećan život se potpuno urušava. Aristotel je rekao da samo mrtav čovek može biti srećan čovek, što možda zvuči glupo, ali je istinito. Evo šta kaže Sofokle o tome:
"Narode Tebe, gledaj moćnog Edipa koji je rešio čuvenu zagonetku i služio na ponos ljudima. Ko mu na blagoslovenoj subdini nije zavideo? A sada su ga crne nesreće sinji vali potopili. Zato ne nazivajte srećnim nijednog od smrtnika pre njegovog sudnjeg dana, pre nego što mu se život okonča, a nikakvo mu se zlo ne dogodi."
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