Oedipus+Rex+-+Plot+Summary

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Much of the myth of Oedipus takes place before the opening scene of the play. The main character of the [|tragedy] is [|Oedipus], son of King [|Laius] of [|Thebes] and Queen [|Jocasta]. After Laius learned from an oracle that "he was doomed/To perish by the hand of his own son," Jocasta bound the baby's feet together tightly with rope and delivered the baby to a servant with orders to kill the baby (Oedipus). Instead, the baby was found and rescued by a [|shepherd] who named him Oedipus (which actually means "swollen foot"). Intending to raise the baby himself, but not having the means to do so, the shepherd gave the baby Oedipus to a fellow shepherd from a distant land who spent the summers sharing pastureland with his flocks. The second shepherd carried the baby with him to Corinth where Oedipus was taken in and raised in the court of the childless King [|Polybus] of [|Corinth] as if he were the King's own son. As a young man in Corinth, Oedipus heard a rumor that he was not the biological son of Polybus and Merope. When Oedipus asked them, they denied it. Oedipus remained suspicious and decided to ask the [|Delphic Oracle] who his real parents were. The Oracle seemed to ignore this question, but instead told him that he was destined to "Mate with [his] own mother, and shed/ With [his] own hands the blood of [his] own sire." Oedipus left Corinth under the belief that Polybus and Merope, Polybus' wife, were his true parents. On the road to [|Thebes], he met Laius and they argued over which wagon had the right-of-way. Oedipus' pride led him to kill Laius, ignorant of the fact that he was his biological father, fulfilling part of the oracle's prophecy. Oedipus then went on to solve the [|Sphinx]'s [|riddle]: "What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three in the evening?" To this Oedipus answered "Man." Distraught that her riddle had been answered correctly, the Sphinx threw herself off the side of the wall. His reward for freeing the kingdom of Thebes from the Sphinx's [|curse] was kingship and the hand of the [|queen], Jocasta, who was also his biological mother. Thus, the prophecy was fulfilled. The [|play] begins years after Oedipus is given the throne of Thebes. The [|chorus] of [|Thebans] cries out to Oedipus for salvation from the [|plague] sent by the gods in response to Laius' [|murder]. Throughout the play, Oedipus searches for Laius' murderer and promises to exile the man responsible for it, ignorant of the fact that he is the murderer. The blind prophet, [|Tiresias], is called to aid Oedipus in his search; however, after Tiresias' warning against following through with the investigation, Oedipus accuses him of being the murderer, even though Tiresias is blind and aged. In response to that, Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is looking for himself, causing Oedipus to become enraged in disbelief. Oedipus also accuses Tiresias of conspiring with [|Creon], Jocasta's brother, to overthrow him. Oedipus then calls for one of Laius' former servants, the only surviving witness of the murder, who fled the city when Oedipus became king in order to avoid being the one to reveal the truth. Soon a messenger from Corinth also arrives to inform Oedipus of the death of Polybus, whom Oedipus still believes is his real father. At this point the messenger informs him that he was in fact adopted and his real parentage is unknown. In the subsequent discussions between Oedipus, Jocasta, the servant, and the messenger, Jocasta guesses the truth and runs away. Oedipus is stubborn; however, a second messenger arrives and reveals that Jocasta has hanged herself and Oedipus, upon discovering her body, blinds himself with the golden [|brooches] on her dress. The play ends with Oedipus entrusting his children to Creon and declaring his intent to leave in exile. Creon, however, convinces Oedipus that they should consult the Delphic Oracle on what to do next. Creon leads Oedipus back into the palace. The chorus then admonishes the audience to count no man happy until he has died.[|[]

=Or, for you visual learners...=

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