The PreOedipus Story Background information leading up to
The Pre-Oedipus Story Background information leading up to King Oedipus
In the beginning © The story begins in Greece, in the city-state of Thebes © King Laius and Queen Jocasta were expecting their first child when they received a rather disturbing prophesy from the Oracle at Delphi: Their son would kill his father and marry his mother
To avoid fate/destiny © Laius and Jocasta decide to kill their new son and prevent the prophecy from coming true © They pierce and bind their son’s ankles to prevent him from crawling away and give him to a shepherd to kill on the mountainside
At Cithaeron © The child is brought to Citheron, a nearby mountain where sheep are tended, but the shepherd cannot kill the baby © So Shepherd #1 gives baby to Shepherd #2, who will bring him away from Thebes
At Corinth © In the city of Corinth, Shepherd #2 gives the baby to King Polybus and Queen Merope, a couple who haven’t been able to have their own children © They raise Oedipus as their own child, never telling him that he is adopted
Behold your sins © However, the truth surfaces… © At a wedding, a guest tells Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his parents © Oedipus confronts them, but both adamantly deny it
The Oracle at Delphi © Unsatisfied with this response, Oedipus decides to ask the question of the Oracle at Delphi, priestess of the god Apollo © But, rather than give a straight answer, the Oracle responds with a prophesy: “You will kill your father and beget (have) children by your mother. ”
When all else fails © Oedipus decides that he can’t go back home to Corinth, otherwise he may fulfill the prophecy and kill his father and marry his mother © So he heads for the city of Thebes
Dramatic irony © We know that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents, so he could go home to Corinth © The worst thing for him would be to head towards Thebes © But that is the way he goes
Meanwhile, in Thebes © The Sphinx, part lion, part bird, part human, has Thebes under siege © The only way to avoid being destroyed by the Sphinx is to correctly answer a riddle it would ask © King Laius decides to travel to the Oracle at Delphi to seek a solution to this threat
At the crossroads © Oedipus and Laius meet at a crossroads as Oedipus is running from the Oracle and Laius to it © Neither knows they are father and son © An argument ensues over who has the right of way
Prophetic parricide © Legend has it that Laius strikes first and Oedipus retaliates © But the unfortunate result is that, in the end, Oedipus kills King Laius © Unwittingly, Oedipus has now fulfilled the first part of the Oracle’s prophecy
On to Thebes © Oedipus continues onto Thebes and encounters the Sphinx © The Sphinx asks Oedipus its riddle: “What goes on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening? ”
Outfoxing the Sphinx © After correctly answering the riddle and ridding Thebes of the Sphinx, the people reward Oedipus by making him their king © The easiest way to accomplish this is for him to marry the queen, Jocasta © The second part of prophesy is now fulfilled
The beginning of the end © Oedipus and Jocasta marry and have four children: two sons and two daughters © After about 20 years of marital bliss, the events of our play begin
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