Characters
He solved the Sphinx’s riddle; he is the current King of Thebes
Who is Oedipus?
He said,
“There were three highways coming together at a place I passed. A chariot, drawn by horses forced me off the road at his lord’s command. But as this charioteer lurched over towards me I struck him in my rage. The old man saw me and brought his double goad upon my head. Swinging my club I knocked him out of his car. I killed him. I killed them all.”
Who is Oedipus?
This was what Apollo sent down on the town of Thebes because they had not found and punished the murderer of King Laius.
What is a plague?
The plague is causing these three things to happen (name 2)
What is/are
1. Women can't have children, children born die, no growing children in Thebes
2. Disease on the cattle/animals
3. Disease on the plants/crops
She is Oedipus’ wife (and also his mom)
Who is Jocasta?
He says the following:
“I say that you are the murderer whom you seek.”
Who is Teiresias?
Creon was sent where at the beginning of the play to find out what was causing the plague on the city of Thebes?
Who is the Oracle at Delphi?
This was the answer to the Sphinx’s riddle about what walks on 4 legs in the morning, 2 legs in the afternoon, and 3 legs in the evening?
What is a human?
He is the blind prophet/clairvoyant. He tells Oedipus he is King Laius’ murderer.
Who is Teiresias?
He says,
“If I am found guilty of treason with Teiresias then sentence me to death!”
Who is Creon?
Teiresias is this type of person. Oedipus asks him to reveal any knowledge of King Laius’ murder.
What is a prophet/
Oracle/fortuneteller/
Clairvoyant ?
Where was King Laius’ death reported to have happened?
Where the Three Roads Meet (where the Theban way divides toward Daulia and Delphi.)
He is Jocasta’s brother. Oedipus believes this man is trying to take his power and throne.
Who is Creon?
This person says,
“No, when he [servant] came home again and saw you king and Laius was dead, he came to me and touched my hand and begged that I should send him to the fields to be my shepherd...so I sent him away"
Who is Jocasta?
Why does Creon says he would not attempt to take Oedipus’ throne?
Creon already has the perks of being king without stress/duties/responsibilities.
This is what King Laius and Jocasta did to prevent the prophecy concerning their son from coming true.
What is bind the baby’s ankles together and
leave him on the side of a mountain to die?
These are the names of Oedipus’ adopted parents
Who are Polybus and Merope?
At the beginning of the play, this person says to Oedipus, "You came and by your coming saved our city, freed us from the Sphinx, cruel singer...Raise up our city, save it, and raise it up."
Who is the Priest?
Oedipus grew up in this town. He fled this town and never returned when the oracle told him he would kill his father and sleep with his mother.
What is Corinth?
Oedipus says that Teiresias can’t be that great of a fortune teller because he wasn’t able to do these TWO things.
What is/are
1. Answer the Sphinx’s riddle
2. Identify Oedipus as the killer at the time of the murder or anytime during Oedipus' reign as king (why reveal it so late?)