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

Struggling with distance learning? Subscribe now. Terrible thunder sounds, and the Chorus cries out in horror. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laiuss murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. plague; the plague in Thebes has three features which are closely associated with supernatural forces and appear in re-ligious contexts. Arriving at Thebes, Oedipus was confronted by the Sphinx: a monster that was half woman and half lion. New Plague in Thebes 560 BCE % complete There is a new plague in Thebes. Answer: Oedipus married his mother. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. In this case scenario, we could assume that cattle in Thebes may have been having brucellosis, leptospirosis, or listeriosis, while humans could have been affected by a different pathogen such as Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (8,9). Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. This article is republished from The Conversation.Read the original article.. Sophocles, a preeminent ancient Greek tragedian, authored plays that have enthralled audiences for over two thousand years. This is a supernatural phenomenon caused by harboring a cursed person. Epidemics, stillbirths, and miscarriages caused by B. abortus have been reported since the time of Hippocrates, which is when this disease was initially described. Oedipus replies that he is more eager than anyone to find out the cause of the pollution and remove it. Each man in the city grieves for himself, but the king grieves for the city and everyone in it. Creon asks Oedipus if he wants to hear the news in private, but Oedipus insists that all the citizens hear. Given the potential medical interest of Oedipus Rex, we decided to adopt a critical perspective by analyzing the literary descriptions of the plague, unraveling its clinical features, defining the underlying cause, and discussing possible therapeutic options. Guilt sits with regard to actionin the case of Oedipus, the action of killing his father and marrying his mother. . The play shows that one cannot avert one's fate. He insists upon allowing all his people to hear what the oracle has said, despite Creons suggestion that Oedipus hear the news in private. Each man in the city grieves for himself, but Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Searching for the miasma, Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias to reveal who is responsible for this evil (lines 300313) (2,3). Saving Lives, Protecting People, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (A.A. Kousoulis, K.P. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. . Creon condemns both Antigone and Ismene to death. Oedipus brags that he alone was able to solve the puzzle. The story of Oedipus is the subject of Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus . March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 Oedipus fears mass destruction of the city of Thebes (with the god's good help success is sure; 'tis ruin if we fail, line 146), while the words weltering surge of blood (line 24), fiery plague (line 166), the land is sore distressed (line 685), and wailing on the altar stair, wives and grandams rend the air, long-drawn moans and piercing cries blent with prayers and litanies (lines 184186) (2,3) all illustrate vividly the severity of the situation. The Plague of Thebes, a Historical Epidemic in Sophocles Oedipus Rex. B. Creon wanted to become king, so he never cared enough to investigate. Cookies used to make website functionality more relevant to you. Antigone freely confesses her act to Creon and says that he himself defies the will of the gods by refusing Polynices burial. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. 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 Rex Summary. Just then, Creon arrives, and Oedipus asks what the oracle has said. The gods serve punishment for Oedipus's guilt by inflicting a plague on Thebes. The messenger took the baby to the royal family of Corinth, and they raised him as their own. So the tragic truth is that Oedipus, who unwittingly killed his father, the previous king, is the cause of the Theban plague. 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. PROLOGUE / THE SCENE. The particularity of this reference (4), it seems that Sophocles correlates the epidemic that strikes Thebes with the plague of Athens, which, according to Thucydides, came about as a result of the Peloponnesian War (5). Oedipus quickly hatches plans to deal with both his peoples suffering and Laiuss unsolved murder, and he has even anticipated the Choruss suggestions that he send someone to the oracle and call forth Tiresias. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. The _____ is that Tiresias is blind but can see the truth, and Oedipus has sight but refuses to see the truth. Oedipus is so filled with pride or hubris that he can't imagine he could possibly be the wrongdoer. Many people are falling ill, and Oedipus begins to believe that there is a divine cause for the plague. The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. The devastating plague that dominates Thebes is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus and the Priest (lines 167) (2,3). Had his king been murdered, nothing would have stopped him from finding the murderer, just as he is promising to let nothing stop him now. Having just escaped the Sphinx, searching out Laius's murderer seemed impossible to Creon. 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 The epidemic, in fact, is mostly a matter that serves the theatrical economy by forming a background for the evolution of the plot. Once Oedipus is banished from Thebes, the curse is lifted, and the plague ends. The guilt for the murder of Laius preexists Oedipus's shame. In lines 167215 the Chorus stays on stage to summarize the situation and beg for salvation (2,3). Oedipus limps because Laius and Jocasta (who he doesn't know are his parents) pinned his ankles together when he was an infant to thwart the prophecy that he would kill Laius (they failed). The aforementioned aspects strongly support the notion that the disease was incurable at this time. Skip to document. After a close inspection of the characteristics, the pathogens that include most (5 of 7) of the features described by Sophocles in Oedipus Rex are Leishmania spp., Leptospira spp., Brucella abortus, Orthopoxviridae, and Francisella tularensis. 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. Creon kneels and prays that he, too, might die. The audience is not surprised, therefore, but is watching Oedipus intently for the dawning realization that he himself is the source of the pollution and the plague. answer choices . Economopoulos). Oedipus himself remained in Thebes for a few years, a blind and aging misfit cared for only by his daughters, Antigone and Ismene. The messenger, a shepherd by profession, knows firsthand that Oedipus came to Corinth as an orphan. Consequently, a solution for the situation is requested from the oracle at Delphi (lines 6872), while the Chorus plead for Athena, Zeus, Artemis, and Apollo to save the town from the disaster (lines 160165) (2,3). At this early stage in the play, Oedipus represents all that an Athenian audienceor indeed any audiencecould desire in a citizen or a leader. Oedipus (UK: / i d p s /, also US: / d -/; Greek: "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes.A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family.. This assignment asks readers to pick a person to blame for the tragedy of Oedipus. The first event that elicits emotions of fear and pity is found in the prologue where the people of Thebes suffer from a plague. 20% He has already anticipated the priests' request for help and has done what a good Greek ruler should doseek advice from an oracle. He marries Jocasta, Laius' widow. he mortality rate for untreated brucellosis is difficult to determine from the literature of the preantibiotic era (6); nevertheless, an 80% rate has been reported in situations of comorbidity with endocarditis (7). 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). There were two shrines to her in Thebes. Then, before leaving the stage, Tiresias puts forth one last riddle, saying that the murderer of Laius will turn out to be both father and brother to his own children, and the son of his own wife. A word with a meaning of something that brings death is used in the original Greek () to refer to the plague, which suggests that at the time of Sophocles his fellow Greeks were aware of the threat posed by infectious disease. Apparently, it has not heard Creons news about Laiuss murderer. The limp marks Oedipus's fate, even though he does not know it yet. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. At first he refuses to tell Oedipus what he knows. Oedipus and Antigone learn from a citizen that they are standing on holy ground, reserved for the Eumenides, goddesses of fate. C. The sphinx was terrorizing Thebes, so citizens couldn't investigate. 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. Moreover, we could not overlook that Sophocles is the most realist of the Greek tragedians (1), and ancient tragedies were often placed into a historical frame strongly influenced by major contemporary events (13). He lived his entire life in Athens and introduced many innovations in the dramatic arts (1). The unsolved murder of Theban King Laius is the cause of the plague in Thebes. Sometimes it can end up there. But while Oedipus finds great comfort in the fact that one-half of the prophecy has been disproved, he still fears the other halfthe half that claimed he would sleep with his mother. He asks Creon to send him away from Thebes and to look after his daughters, Antigone and Ismene. His primary research interests include history of medicine, medical sociology, and epidemiology. Ancient typhoid epidemic reveals possible ancestral strain of. Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. Only one of his fellow travelers escaped alive. 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. The king has already taken some action to deal with this harm by sending his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to ask for a salvation plan (lines 6872). for a group? Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. Oedipus and the Sphinx, by Gustave Moreau, 1864, The Met. Oedipus the King is one of the most ironic plays ever written. In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Oedipus' biological father is Laius, the King of Thebes prior to 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. A lethal plague is described in this drama. Oedipuss wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. As the play opens, Oedipus, the king of Thebes, asks from a group of people that why they are gathered there. Oedipus also learns that Laius is his father and that Jocasta, his wife, is his mother. Although the above points are of great relevance, they lack the possibility of historical verification and are mainly based on the comparative and critical assessment of Sophocles and Thucydides work. Oedipus replies that he is more eager than anyone to find out the cause of the pollution and remove it. He asks that they provide him with a proper burial should he die in battle. The pathogen of the plague described in Oedipus Rex reflects the complexity of every historically emerging zoonosis. Free trial is available to new customers only. The ultimate goals of our study were to clarify whether the plague described in Oedipus Rex could reflect an actual historical event, compare it with the plague of Athens, which was described by the historian Thucydides as occurring not long before the time that Sophocles work appeared (4), and propose the most likely causative pathogen. In the historical case (Athens) and the dramatic case (Thebes), the populace turned to the temples looking for a divine solution to the disaster. After Tiresias leaves, Oedipus threatens Creon with death or exile for conspiring with the prophet. Thus, according to the tragedys rhymes and with respect to literary talk, this plague should be treated as an epidemic. In the end, it turns out that Oedipus has also murdered his father. . Hence, the citizens of Thebes were often called children of Cadmus or Cadmeians. But Tiresias answers enigmatically. 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. The sentry soon exonerates himself by catching Antigone in the act of attempting to rebury her brother, the sentries having disinterred him. Emerg Infect Dis. 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. The citizens have become suppliants to the monuments of the gods, asking for mercy (Why sit ye here as suppliants, in your hands branches of olive filleted with wool?, lines 23; the common folk, with wreathed boughs crowd our two market-places, or before both shrines of Pallas congregate, or where Ismenus gives his oracles by fire, lines 1921) (2,3). 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). He accuses Creon and Tiresias of conspiring against his life, and charges Tiresias with insanity. During the time the play is set, Laius is deceased, but he is a critical . Oedipus, King of Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the advice of the oracle at Delphi, concerning a plague ravaging Thebes. 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). 2 Pallas: Pallas Athena. The priest describes that there is much disease and death in Thebes. 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! Creon enters, carrying Haemons body and wailing against his own tyranny, which he knows has caused his sons death. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Oedipus asks that this shepherd be brought forth to testify, but Jocasta, beginning to suspect the truth, begs her husband not to seek more information. Your group members can use the joining link below to redeem their group membership. Oedipus naturally refuses to believe Tiresiass accusation. If you are present, being an active listener, and taking part in class discussions, you will be able to complete all of this in class. Subscribe now. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. The story would have been a familiar one to Sophocles's audience. Accessed 4 Mar. The plague in Oedipus Rex is not just a disease that is making people sick, but it is actually ruining . We take your privacy seriously. You'll also receive an email with the link. 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). Essays on 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. In the post-Homeric tradition, most familiar from Sophocles' Oedipus Rex (or Oedipus the King) and . Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. He's one step ahead of the suggestions his subjects make to him and has already sent for Tiresias. The Priest of the land describes the death of young children, even those in the womb, as well as adults. Creon, the brother of Jocasta, has learned from soothsayers that the city is being punished for harboring the murderer of the late King Laius. There is death in the land as the story begins. Haemon, Creons son and Antigones betrothed, enters the stage. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Oedipus Plays! No one was following the rules of the land. Oedipus, now blind, entrusting his children to the gods. In addition, the Chorus provides us with a major social aspect, as they put the blame on god of war, Ares (Ares whose hot breath I feel, though without targe or steel he stalks, whose voice is as the battle shout, lines 190191) (2,3). 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. Sophocles, one of the most noted playwrights of the ancient world, wrote the tragedy Oedipus Rex in the first half of the decade 430420 bc. 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). They went in and saw Antigone hanging from a noose, and Haemon raving. Teachers and parents! This fact has been used to suggest that there is no connection between the plague in Thebes and the plague in Athens. Oedipus now emerges from the palace, bleeding and begging to be exiled. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. Latest answer posted November 11, 2019 at 3:50:28 AM. You may cancel your subscription on your Subscription and Billing page or contact Customer Support at custserv@bn.com. Oedipus a Tragedy. Oedipus replies that he sees and understands the terrible fate of Thebes, and that no one is more sorrowful than he. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Q. Oedipus sends for Tiresias who reveals that Oedipus is the cause of the plague. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. By the end of the play, Oedipus discovers that while attempting to avoid his destiny, he unknowingly killed his father at a place where three roads join as he was fleeing Corinth. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Soon, a nervous sentry arrives at the palace to tell Creon that, while the sentries slept, someone gave Polynices burial rites. Dont have an account? After an interlude in which Oedipus tells the Chorus who he is, Oedipuss second daughter, Ismene, enters, having gone to learn news from Apollos oracle at Delphi. However, with his excavations in Troy, which used the Iliad as a guide, Schlieman provided a perfect example of how literary work can have a factual base (16). His play, Oedipus Rex, tells the sad tale of a king who discovers that he has murdered his father and married his mother. It was then, on the journey that would take him to Thebes, that Oedipus was confronted and harassed by a group of travelers, whom he killed in self-defense. . The play opens in front of Oedipus' palace at Thebes. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% 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). Kousoulis AA, Economopoulos KP, Poulakou-Rebelakou E, et al. He must be driven out in order for the plague to end. Oedipus' wife and mother hanged themselves when the truth of their relationship was known, although Oedipus continued to rule Thabs until his death. He asks why Tiresias did nothing when Thebes suffered under a plague once before. The date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. Figure 1. Oedipus the King (429-420 BCE), also known as Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Tyrannos ('Tyrannos' signifies that the throne was not gained through an inheritance) is the most famous surviving play written by the 5th-century BCE poet and dramatist Sophocles.The play is part of a trilogy along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus.. In Greek mythology, King Oedipus of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. 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). Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King, is the first play in this trilogy of Athenian Tragedies . (including. Oedipus the King opens with a plague strangling the life out of Thebes. 20% 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. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Wed love to have you back! Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. Oedipus asks the citizens to stop praying and focus on finding the cure (lines 142146) (2,3). Historical certainty can be added by studying the alliances and the warfare involving Thebes during the era of Sophocles (e.g., Boeotian prefecture, Athenian dynasty, Spartan alliance, Persian wars) (14). King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. Already a member? When Creon retells the story of Laiuss murder, Oedipus is shocked and dismayed that the investigation of the murder of a king was so swiftly dropped (145147). Greek playwright Sophocles first introduced us to this character in his trilogy series known as the "Theban Plays," which explore themes of fate, truth, and guilt. 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. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. Antigone, in spite of Creons edict and without the help of her sister Ismene, resolves to give their brother a proper burial. Oedipus eagerly attempts to uncover the truth, acting decisively and scrupulously refusing to shield himself from the truth. What does it suggest about the authors overall emphasis? Sophocles seizes every opportunity to exploit this dramatic irony. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. Oedipus asks who the other shepherd was, and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius. Let us know your assignment type and we'll make sure to get you exactly the kind of answer you need. Oedipus has already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the Oracle of Delphi in order to ask Apollo why this is the case. Oedipus promises to solve the mystery of Laiuss death, vowing to curse and drive out the murderer. The Thucydides syndrome. The shepherd refuses to disclose anything, and Oedipus threatens him with torture. At that time, a Sphinx held the city captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. 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. Oedipus curses himself, proclaiming that should he discover the murderer to be a member of his own family, that person should be struck by the same exile and harsh treatment that he has just wished on the murderer. 216-275: Oedipus asks the Thebans to help him find and expel Laius' murderer. Creon now rules the city, and he has ordered that Polynices, who brought a foreign army against Thebes, not be allowed proper burial rites. The lethality of this epidemic is particularly terrifying for the protagonists of the play, and the diseases severity is evinced by the first sentences of the tragedy (reek of incense everywhere, line 4). Your subscription will continue automatically once the free trial period is over. As the play Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, opens, the people of Thebes are dealing with a kind of plaguein this case, a famine. The shepherd then enters. Finally, he answers that the child came from the house of Laius. Oedipus acts quickly to find the killer. He thinks he knows what happenedthieves killed Laiusbut is actually blind to the truth. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Antigone and Ismene, the daughters of Oedipus, discuss the disaster that has just befallen them. Immediately following the ode, Oedipus enters and says that he will answer the Choruss prayers. Kousoulis, A. To know the cause of the plague, Oedipus sent Creon, Jocasta's brother, consult the oracle at Delphi , and learned that the plague would only cease after the murderer of Laius had been punished. Comment submitted successfully, thank you for your feedback. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . The plague that is described in Oedipus Rex could possibly be related to the plague that struck Athens in 430429 bc (11), the primary source for which is the papers of historian Thucydides (where he refers to an epidemic that has been named the plague of Athens) (5). 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. on 50-99 accounts. At the beginning of the play, Thebes is struck with a terrible plague that ravishes the city, forcing citizens to petition King Oedipus to deliver them from the horrible epidemic. The Theban Plays Oedipus the King (or Oedipus Rex) is one of three surviving plays by Sophocles centering on the Greek myth of Oedipus (EHD ih puhs), king of Thebes; the other two are Oedipus at . $18.74/subscription + tax, Save 25% Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus, finding her dead, has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out his own eyes. However, taking into account that in modern times brucellosis in humans is a severe granulomatous disease characterized by extremely rare direct transmission from person-to-person, insidious onset in sporadic cases (mainly among veterinarians), and low mortality rates, it may be difficult for 21st century physicians and veterinarians to accept B. abortus as the causative agent of the plague of Thebes. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. from Oxford University Ph.D. from St. Andrews University. Oedipus sends for the man who survived the attack, a shepherd, in the hope that he will not be identified as the murderer. Ismenus: A temple to Apollo Ismenios where burnt offerings were the basis for the priest's . This meant that they must find the killer of their dead king, Laius.