Oedipus Rex

Interesting Facts

• The tragedy tells the fate of Oedipus, who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother, leading to catastrophic consequences.
• The plot is based on the ancient Greek myth of King Oedipus, who was foretold by an oracle that he would kill his father and marry his mother.
• Oedipus decides to solve the riddle of the Sphinx to save the city of Thebes, and he succeeds, making him a hero and the new king.
• The tragedy explores themes of fate, free will, and the inevitability of the predestined.
• The play is part of the 'Theban Cycle,' which also includes the tragedies 'Antigone' and 'Oedipus at Colonus.'
• The tragedy begins with a plague in Thebes, and Oedipus seeks to find its cause, ultimately leading to the revelation of his dreadful fate.
• Sophocles uses dramatic tension and irony to enhance the tragic effect of the play.
• Oedipus blinds himself upon learning the truth about his origins and deeds, symbolizing his transition from ignorance to knowledge.