why is there a plague in thebes oedipus why is there a plague in thebes oedipus

Greek audiences would have known the Oedipus story, and so in this scene Oedipus would seem to be describing his own fate, or even bringing this fate upon himself. At the beginning of the play Oedipus Rex, Thebes is being devastated by a city-wide plague. Finally, although many of the features of the plot and passages have been interpreted as historical allusions, the plague seems to be recognized as the most critical element that reflects a historical event, with enough strength and clarity to be used even for the dating of the tragedy (12). Finally, he answers that the child came from the house of Laius. Having just escaped the Sphinx, searching out Laius's murderer seemed impossible to Creon. Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. Comment submitted successfully, thank you for your feedback. He ends up blinding himself before being exiled from the city. Although we are able to see him as a mere puppet of fate, at some points, the irony is so magnified that it seems almost as if Oedipus brings catastrophe upon himself willingly. The oracle announces that the plague is a result of religious pollution and that the god Apollo requests that the people of Thebes exile the previously unknown miasma (a word of Greek origin with a sense of moral noxious pollution) away from the town (lines 9698) (2,3). Oedipus' wife and mother hanged themselves when the truth of their relationship was known, although Oedipus continued to rule Thabs until his death. Wed love to have you back! He tells them they can trust him to help in any way he can. A second messenger enters and describes scenes of suffering. It is difficult to compare a historical record to a poetic drama, but, keeping that in mind, both Sophocles and Thucydides refer to animal illness and death (2,8). Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. On the surface, the problem afflicting Thebes is a plague. PROLOGUE / THE SCENE. At that time, a Sphinx held the city captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. He marries Jocasta, Laius' widow. Haemon seems at first to side with his father, but gradually admits his opposition to Creons stubbornness and petty vindictiveness. Sometimes it can end up there. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. 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. Tiresias predicts that the gods will bring down curses upon the city. As when he faced the Sphinx, Oedipus is presented with a puzzle to solve: the identity of Laius's murderer. When Creon returns from the oracle, he informs Oedipus that the person responsible for murdering the former King Laius must be banished from Thebes in order to put an end to the devastating plague. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. Each man in the city grieves for himself, but Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. katlynn havens humanities 201 week summary and response the tragedy of. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (167). The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, The play begins in the royal house of Thebes. Theseus says that he believes Oedipus and asks what to do. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the . Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybus's death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus . Latest answer posted November 11, 2019 at 3:50:28 AM. The limp marks Oedipus's fate, even though he does not know it yet. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? It bemoans the state of Thebes, and finally invokes Dionysus, whose mother was a Theban. . Purchasing Terrible thunder sounds, and the Chorus cries out in horror. Oedipus curses and insults the old man, going so far as to accuse him of the murder. Oedipus steps out of the royal palace of Thebes and is greeted by a procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverished and sorrowful citizens of Thebes. Searching for the miasma, Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias to reveal who is responsible for this evil (lines 300313) (2,3). Sophocles lived between 496 and 406 bc; although he seems to have written 123 plays, only 7 have survived in a complete form (1). In his first speech, which he delivers to an old priest whose suffering he seeks to alleviate, he continually voices his concern for the health and well-being of his people. The priest describes that there is much disease and death in Thebes. Historical medical literature has suggested many infectious diseases over time, but few have lasted as the most probable. (VladoubidoOo/CC BY-SA 3.0) From there, Oedipus goes on to Thebes, and on the way answers the Sphinx's riddle. The blind prophet Tiresias arrives, and Creon promises to take whatever advice he gives. In the fifth century B.C., the playwright Sophocles begins "Oedipus Tyrannos" with the title character struggling to identify the cause of a plague striking his city, Thebes. Oedipus castigates the citizens of Thebes for letting the murderer go unknown so long. Her description of Laiuss murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. In their final words, the chorus reminds the audience that it was Oedipus who solved the riddle of the sphinx. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. These taunts provoke Tiresias into revealing that Oedipus himself is the murderer. The pathogen of the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects the complexity of every historically emerging zoonosis. Yet in saying he would fight for Laius as if he were his own father, Oedipus further displays his own blindness to the truth. It is an unfair punishment over the sins of one man (Chapter 22 . The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. As mentioned above, in Sophocles drama, god of war Ares gets the blame for the plague (lines 190191). Oedipus is so competent in the affairs of men that he comes close to dismissing the gods, although he does not actually blaspheme, as Creon does in Antigone. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, has sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the house of Apollo to ask the oracle how to end the plague. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. C. The sphinx was terrorizing Thebes, so citizens couldn't investigate. Alternatively, the plague of Thebes could be a composite of >2 causative agents, as it has been suggested for the contemporary plague of Athens (6,7). for a customized plan. for a customized plan. Creon, covetous of royal power, is all too happy to oblige. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. Unfortunately, the story comes out that Oedipus murdered Laius on the road from Corinth to Thebes, when Laius and his party would not move aside to let him pass. The reference to the Sphinx reminds the audience that Oedipus is a genuine hero. A plague has stricken Thebes. Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. He has sent Creon, his brother-in-law and fellow ruler, to the Delphic oracle to find out how to stop the plague. Hellenic holocaust: a historical clinico-pathologic conference. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Oedipus replies that he is more eager than anyone to find out the cause of the pollution and remove it. What is the cause of the plague in Thebes quizlet? PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Sophocles and The Oedipus Plays Background. A plague besets the city, and Oedipus enters to find a priest and crowd of children praying to the gods to free them from the curse. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. Instant downloads of all 1699 LitChart PDFs Free trial is available to new customers only. 276-379: The blind priest Tiresias has information about the plague, which he refuses to divulge. A lethal plague is described in this drama. Creon, the brother of Jocasta, has learned from soothsayers that the city is being punished for harboring the murderer of the late King Laius. The words of Tiresias strike fear into the hearts of Creon and the people of Thebes, and Creon reluctantly goes to free Antigone from the tomb where she has been imprisoned. A lethal plague is described in this drama. The critical reading of Oedipus Rex, its comparison with Thucydides history, as well as the systematic review of the existing historical data, lead us to strongly suggest that this epidemic, for which the name Plague of Thebes may be used, was an actual historical fact, likely caused by B. abortus. Photo courtesy Effie Poulakou-Rebelakou. Lines 179181 turn out to be of high interest: wasted thus by death on death all our city perishes; corpses spread infection round (2,3). 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Significant Myths and Structure of the Text. Oedipus brags that he alone was able to solve the puzzle. 2 oedipus rex study guide practice test questions final . Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than he. Free trial is available to new customers only. You can view our. After much prodding from Oedipus, Tiresias claims that Oedipus is the source of . Hearing this, Oedipus resolves to solve the mystery of Laiuss murder. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how . A messenger enters to narrate the mysterious death of Oedipus: his death seemed a disappearance of sorts, the lightless depths of Earth bursting open in kindness to receive him (18861887). Subscribe now. Literature usually reflects the echo of the past. Although the Choruss first ode (168244) piously calls to the gods to save Thebes from the plague, the answer they get to their prayer arrives in human form. Accessed 4 Mar. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! Sending for Theseus, he tells the king he must carry out certain rites on his body, and that by doing so he may assure divine protection to his city. Renews March 10, 2023 View data is from . The story would have been a familiar one to Sophocles's audience. As for the clinical features, although Thucydides does not mention the pregnancy or labor pains as described in Sophocles text, he does refer to abdominal and vulvovaginal symptoms (5). even stating in one scene when the people of Thebes were requesting that he save them from the dreaded plague that had overcome their homeland, "You pray to the Gods, May I grant . Oedipus is notable for his compassion, his sense of justice, his swiftness of thought and action, and his candor. The plague is an infestation of disease-carrying insects that spread rapidly through the population, killing many. We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its However, Thucydides correlation of the plague of Athens with the Peloponnesian War (431404 bc) (5) gives us the opportunity to state that Sophocles connects this epidemic of Thebes with the plague of Athens and attempts to point out the disastrous effects wars always have. This fact has been used to suggest that there is no connection between the plague in Thebes and the plague in Athens. The messenger remarks that Oedipus need not worry, because Polybus and his wife, Merope, are not Oedipuss biological parents. The characteristics of pathogens that might be responsible for the plague on the basis of Sophocles descriptions in Oedipus Rex are summarized in the Technical Appendix. Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. Eventually the city was infected by a plague. Years passed while Oedipus was king of Thebes. 2 (CC) BY-NC-SA, Ian Johnston 2004 1 Cadmus: legendary founder of Thebes. Questioned further, he answers that the baby was in fact the child of Laius himself, and that it was Jocasta who gave him the infant, ordering him to kill it, as it had been prophesied that the child would kill his parents. Creon then tells what he has learned from the god Apollo, who spoke through the oracle: the murderer of Laius, who ruled Thebes before Oedipus, is in Thebes. The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. Please wait while we process your payment. Oedipus sends for the man who survived the attack, a shepherd, in the hope that he will not be identified as the murderer. That baby was Oedipus. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Oedipus steps out of the royal palace of Thebes and is greeted by a procession of priests, who are in turn surrounded by the impoverished and sorrowful citizens of Thebes. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. Discount, Discount Code As the play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, opens, the people of Thebes are dealing with a kind of plaguein this case, a famine. A plague followed and the stage was set for the action of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. The plagues effects are also pointed out by the Chorus: earth her gracious fruits denies and women wail in barren throes (lines 151, 215) (2,3). Oedipus asks the priests why they have come. 2 Pallas: Pallas Athena. He inadvertently killed his father, solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and became king of Thebes. Oedipus vows to find the murderer and curses him for . Just as the messenger finishes his story, Antigone and Ismene come onstage, chanting a dirge. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens. Oedipus also discovers that he married his mother. The key word in the definition of shame is "consciousness.". He asks if anyone knows who killed Laius, promising that the informant will be rewarded and the murderer will receive no harsher punishment than exile. The priest glorifies his honor and describes that a plague is destroying the whole city: blight in the city causing famine and sickness. Oedipus Rex, apart from the undeniable literary and historic value, also presents significant medical interest because the play mentions a plague, an epidemic, which was devastating Thebes, the town of Oedipus hegemony. Just as the plants do not grow so is women not able to bear children. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. Wishing to be killed or exiled, he gave Thebes to Creon to rule as regent, and Creon promised to care for Oedipus' daughters. Want 100 or more? The shepherd and the messenger slowly exit the stage. Sophocles, one of the most noted playwrights of the ancient world, wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex in the first half of the decade 430-420 bc. New Plague in Thebes 560 BCE % complete There is a new plague in Thebes. This hypothesis regarding the source of the disease seems the most reasonable in medical terms, contrary to the philological approach, which declares that the epidemic derived from the gods. She runs back into the palace. Thus, according to the tragedys rhymes and with respect to literary talk, this plague should be treated as an epidemic. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! One day long ago, he was tending his sheep when another shepherd approached him carrying a baby, its ankles pinned together. (Spoiler alert: It's his own bad leadership.) He has already anticipated the priests' request for help and has done what a good Greek ruler should doseek advice from an oracle. The sentry soon exonerates himself by catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. is the priest doing this there is a plague on the city oedipus asked him to the sphinx has attacked the city it s a holiday oedipus rex questions and answers enotes com Bearing in mind the aforementioned observations and the fact no other epidemics were reported in the eastern Mediterranean during the 5th century bc, we posit that the plague described by Sophocles in the tragedy Oedipus Rex has an actual basis in the plague of Athens described by Thucydides in his histories. He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. Credit: Wikipedia/Public domain. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. What is the main idea of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and what is the play about. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens . The oracle has predicted that the burial place of Oedipus will bring good fortune to the city in which it is located, and both sons, as well as Creon, know of this prophecy. He asks Creon to send him away from Thebes and to look after his daughters, Antigone and Ismene. A plague has stricken Thebes. Latest answer posted September 14, 2020 at 1:34:55 PM. The citizens of Thebes hated Laius, so they didn't care. It was a popular subject for drama, and Sophocles himself wrote other plays about it. Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected cows or close contact with their secretions. 6. The plot - an old myth already known to most of the audience - was . Antigone wails that they will cry for Oedipus for as long as they live. Not knowing where to go now, Antigone says they will have to wander forever alone. In lines 167215 the Chorus stays on stage to summarize the situation and beg for salvation (2,3). There is death in the land as the story begins. What does it suggest about the authors overall emphasis? Oedipus also learns that Laius is his father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. Their brothers Polynices and Eteocles have killed one another in a battle for control over Thebes. The epidemic, in fact, is mostly a matter that serves the theatrical economy by forming a background for the evolution of the plot. March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 "What is the reason for the plague in Thebes in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex?" These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. The Sphinx had been terrorizing Thebes for an undisclosed amount of time before Oedipus was able to defeat it. At the beginning of Sophocles'Oedipus Rex,there issterility and a plague at Thebes. The plague symbolizes the effect that Oedipus's defiance of the will of the gods . From the start of the drama, the plague in Thebes is a serious matter, as in line 23 where it is referred to as weltering surge of blood ( ). CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. He returned with news that the plague was caused by the unpunished murderer who killed Laius. Oedipus is a vigorous and active leader. An oracle warned Laius, the king of Thebes prior to Oedipus, that his son would murder him. Photo courtesy Antonis A. Kousoulis. Oedipus Rex is a figure of Greek mythology from at least the 5th century B.C. Teiresias reluctantly informs Oedipus that he is the murderer and has been living intimately with his mother. Our goals were to clarify whether the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects an actual historical event; to compare it with the plague of Athens, which was described by Thucydides as occurring around the same time Sophocles wrote; and to propose a likely causative pathogen. The date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. Oedipus a Tragedy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Regarding the plays approach to treatment of the disease, reading through the drama we once again come across with the theocratic perceptions of ancient Greece. PART I: Before Reading STATEMENT RESPONSE (3-5 sentences) It is important to know who we truly are, where we came . His play, Oedipus Rex, tells the sad tale of a king who discovers that he has murdered his father and married his mother. According to the Oracle, Apollo regards religious or moral pollution (miasma) resulting from the murder of the former king, Laius,to be the cause of the plague and that the cause of it (i.e. Through the character of the priest, Sophocles makes the audience/reader aware of the sacred and secular state of Thebes. The play shows that one cannot avert one's fate. The opening of the drama, with the city of Thebes in the midst of plague has often been, historically, taken as a reference to the plague that devastated Athens in the opening years of the Peloponnesian War and has been used to assist in the dating of this play (13). Oedipus Rex Summary. Oedipus interrogates him, asking who gave him the baby. Oedipus sends the citizen to fetch Theseus, the king of Athens and its surroundings. At the start of the play, the city of Thebes is suffering terribly. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. Sample A+ Essay: Are Humans Prisoners of Fate in Oedipus the King? The messenger tells Creon that he has another reason to grieve: Eurydice has stabbed herself, and, as she died, she called down curses on her husband for the misery his pride had caused. Creon was told by Apollo that in order to be free of the plague, they must "Pay the killers back- whoever is responsible" (Sophocles 1430). She tells him that, back in Thebes, Oedipuss younger son, Eteocles, has overthrown Polynices, the elder, and that Polynices is now amassing troops in Argos for an attack on his brother and on Creon, who rules along with Eteocles. Oedipus doesn't believe him since he did not know who Laius was when he killed him and sends him away. Thebes has been struck by a plague, the citizens are dying, and no one knows how to put an end to it. Sophocles epidemic seems to have enough strength to appear as a historical base on which the theatrical economy of the play is evolving (12). He prays for the safety of his sisters and then leaves for Thebes. With our Essay Lab, you can create a customized outline within seconds to get started on your essay right away. He calls it a plague that disrupts the production of humans and crops. Despite his anger and harshness, Oedipus is a noble figure because he really does feel the grief of his people and is utterly single-minded in tracking down the source of their distress. Sophocles told how Oedipus was saved from death as an infant and raised in Corinth. Outside the palace, a messenger approaches Jocasta and tells her that he has come from Corinth to inform Oedipus that his father, Polybus, is dead, and that Corinth has asked Oedipus to come and rule there in his place. In fact, it is noteworthy that there is no other historic or poetic reference that links Ares to the spreading of a disease (4). Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresiass accusation. Almost as soon as he has said this, Creon returns and tells the story which is to lead Oedipus to the truth, and to the conclusion that it would have been better for him never to have been born. Oedipus, King of Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the advice of the oracle at Delphi, concerning a plague ravaging Thebes.