The topic of this article is the analysis of one of the ancient works and its brief content. "King Oedipus" is the tragedy of the Athenian author Sophocles, which is one of the few plays that have survived to this day. Today, twenty centuries after the death of the author, his creation has not lost popularity. On its basis, plays are staged in the theater and feature films are shot. The thing is that the fate of man has never been so penetratingly depicted anywhere as in this tragedy.
Evil rock
Sophocles' contemporaries, and the wise Aristotle also belonged to them, believed that this play was the pinnacle of its author's skill. If you pass only a brief summary, "King Oedipus" will be nothing more than a mythological plot. In full exposition, the creation of Sophocles is a profound philosophical work.
All the life of the main character is haunted. He is trying to get away from evil rock, but in the end what happens is what is predetermined by the gods. One of the greatest philosophical works in world culture was written by Sophocles. Oedipus Rex, a summary of the chapters of which is presented in the article, is a classic of world drama. Thanks to the image of the protagonist, Sophocles entered the history of world literature. So, we pass specifically to the text.
Myth: Summary
King Oedipus is the hero of one of Theban myths. From legends and legends in ancient times, authors, as a rule, drew inspiration.
The Oedipus myth tells of a bizarre interweaving of fates. It begins with a story about a certain king Lae. He and his wife Jocasta were childless for a long time. According to Athenian traditions, for any reason, you should contact the so-called Delphic oracle for help . The king did so. However, the esteemed soothsayer did not at all please his failed father, notifying him that although he would have a son, he would certainly kill him when he grew up, and then, even worse, marry his own mother, that is, his wife Lai.
This is a story about how futile attempts of mere mortals to change what is predetermined from above. You can feel the philosophical and religious foundation even by reading a brief summary. King Oedipus is the protagonist of the legend, in which the oracle prediction serves as the eyeballs. After the prophecy, the father orders to leave the baby born in the wild mountains. But the servant pities the child and passes it to the unfamiliar shepherd. He, in turn, to another king - Polybes, whom Oedipus will for a long time be considered his own father.
Many years later, Oedipus hears a terrible prediction from the same oracle. It completely coincides with what Lai was immensely afraid of: a young man will kill his father and become the husband of the murdered widow, that is, his own mother. Not knowing the name of his real parent, the future criminal leaves the house of the person who raised him. For several years, like a robber, our hero roams. And ultimately, accidentally kills Lai. Then everything happens exactly as the oracle foretold.
Episode one
A summary of the first episode is the ending of one of the most famous Athenian tales. King Oedipus is a mythological character. Sophocles borrowed his story and created a tragedy, in the first action of which the audience on the scene sees the main character already as a ruler.
So, the main character of the play is the king. His name is Oedipus. Once a procession appears at the royal palace, the participants of which ask the lord for help. A terrible epidemic rages in Thebes. Pestilence has already claimed many lives, and since the inhabitants perceive their king only as a savior (he once rescued them, after which he took the throne), they turn to him with a prayer to avert a terrible misfortune.
The "Savior", as it turned out, had already taken appropriate measures: he sent messengers to the all-powerful oracle. After all, he has the power, which lies in the ability to learn from the god Apollo himself about the reason for such a terrible misfortune.
The answer comes very soon: the ulcer was sent as punishment for the regicide with impunity in Thebes. And Oedipus, not suspecting that he is the same criminal, swears to find and punish the guilty.
Play and legend
Creating the play, the sequence of events of the mythical plot substantially changed Sophocles.
What is the tragedy of "King Oedipus"? The summary of this play is a story about a certain ruler who, in search of an attacker, learns the truth about his origin and about his own crimes.
What is the difference between the work of Sophocles from the legend? The legend refers to a young man who commits a crime, and then, by the will of fate, becomes king. However, retribution overtakes him at the end. In the Athenian folk tale, everything is very clear. In tragedy, truth is revealed only at the climax.
Athenian viewers, this mythical story was familiar from childhood. The name of the killer was well known to them. The production of Sophocles’s play was, nevertheless, a huge success. The reason is the social and ethical problem of the tragic work. The first spectators of the immortal play were fascinated by the worthy and decisive behavior of the ruler, in whose hands is the fate of the whole people. The king cannot do otherwise. He will certainly find the killer of his predecessor and punish him. The author of the play translated the folk myth into theatrical language. The work touched on topics that are interesting not only for antique viewers.
The founder of the tragedy was Sophocles. Oedipus Rex, a summary of which is set forth in this article, is a work on the misfortunes of a man whose fate was ruled by omnipotent gods.
On the stage of the ancient Greek theater, the production included the beginning, the denouement, and the emotionally strong climax. This scheme was created by Sophocles, for which he is called the father of the tragedy. Another feature that he introduced into the theatrical art was the appearance in the culmination of a new character.
Tiresias
In tragedy, all attention is focused on the main character. In each chapter he is present and is the most important participant in the action. Thus, almost all the theatrical works that Sophocles created were built. “Oedipus Rex”, the summary of which is reduced to character dialogue with other heroes, and mainly with oracles, in the next episode contains a conversation between the king and Tiresias. This person is a fortuneteller who knows the truth, but out of pity, he does not immediately decide to open it to his interlocutor. And yet, with the help of shouts and threats, the king seeks recognition from him. Tiresias calls the name of the killer. This name is Oedipus.
Creon
"Oedipus Rex", a brief summary of which gives an idea of ​​the riddles and intrigues present in the tragedy, is a classic of the theater genre. The motives of revenge, death and the struggle for power were borrowed from this work by Shakespeare himself.
After the terrible words of Tiresias, the royal family comes to the fore. Creon is the brother of Jocasta. And it was he who, according to ancient traditions, was to take the throne after the death of the king. But suddenly a stranger appeared, saved the Theban inhabitants from a bloodthirsty monster and, in a sign of popular gratitude, received what was rightfully supposed to be a relative. The king was hitherto unknown to Oedipus. Perhaps Jocasta’s brother harbored a grudge against the newly-made ruler, arranged everything and persuaded Tiresias to give incorrect information? Such thoughts tormented Oedipus, until the unfortunate participant in the incestuous connection — the queen herself — appeared.
Jocasta
King Oedipus married his mother. The summary of the myth only says that this woman, not of her own free will, committed the sin of incest. The great playwright has this character. Jocasta is a strong and strong-willed woman. Upon learning of the reason for the quarrel between men, she makes fun of them. Seeking to prove how stupid it is to believe predictions, she talks about her youth. King Oedipus listens to her stories.
A summary of the episodes is the actions and thoughts of the protagonist. In full, this work is a poetic dialogue, where the background is the choir. Not a single antique drama could do without him. And here, when Jocasta begins to tell his young husband a painfully familiar story, choral singing becomes more and more alarming and sad.
Queen's story
Jocasta talks about how she lost her first child, and her husband was killed by robbers. Lai's death reminds Oedipus of the events that took place during his wanderings. And the oracle's predictions, on the basis of which the king ordered to get rid of the baby, are extremely similar to those because of which Jocasta's new husband once left his home. The woman indulges in memories solely in order to convince the debaters that they are mistaken.
Predictions of oracles have no basis under themselves. They can only push a person to commit irreparable errors. That is the reason of Jocasta. The tragic hero, meanwhile, is gripped by terrible suspicions.
Climax
The story of a life shrouded in terrible secrets that should be solved by the end of the play - this is the brief summary. King Oedipus believes that only one person can help him learn the truth. The old servant who once carried the newborn to the mountains will answer the single, but most important question. But in Thebes this man is no longer there. An order was given to find a slave. Meanwhile, a new face appears on the scene.
A messenger arrives from his native land and announces the death of Polybos. Oedipus must take the place of the deceased king. But the oracle’s predictions say that after he marries his mother ... A man who has arrived from afar, wants to calm Oedipus, reveals the whole truth. Now it is known that Polyb is not his own father. And in order to achieve all the truth, Oedipus turns to Jocasta. After some debate and a comparison of the facts, he realizes that all the predictions given to him and Lai have come true.
The queen commits suicide. Oedipus blinds himself, thereby fulfilling his promise to punish the criminal.
The tragedy of Sophocles "Oedipus Rex", a summary of which is set forth in our article, is an immortal work of world drama. Although the hero of the ancient author is in the power of the gods, he strives with all his might to become the arbiter of his own destiny. However, the only thing he succeeds in is punishment. Nevertheless, Sophocles Oedipus is one of the greatest literary heroes.