why is there a plague in thebes oedipus

We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its In the first scene of the play, Sophocles presents the basic social and historical axes around which he will unfold the plot. Oedipus brags that he alone was able to solve the puzzle. Economopoulos). He has already sent Creon to ask the Delphic Oracle's advice. That baby was Oedipus. A messenger enters and recounts the tragic events: Creon and his entourage first gave proper burial to Polynices, then heard what sounded like Haemons voice wailing from Antigones tomb. In despair Jocasta hanged herself, while Oedipus blinded himself in an agony of remorse. 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). Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. The plague results from the shame of not punishing Thebe's former king's murderer. Teiresias reluctantly informs Oedipus that he is the murderer and has been living intimately with his mother. Sending for Theseus, he tells the king he must carry out certain rites on his body, and that by doing so he may assure divine protection to his city. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. The shepherd and the messenger slowly exit the stage. 2 (CC) BY-NC-SA, Ian Johnston 2004 1 Cadmus: legendary founder of Thebes. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. In line 28 the word plague () appears for the first time, with the Greek word for disease () being used in lines 150, 217, and 303 (2,3). Oblivious to the truth, King Oedipus sets to find The aforementioned aspects strongly support the notion that the disease was incurable at this time. Thus, the most probable cause of the plague in Thebes is B. abortus. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. 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). He lived his entire life in Athens and introduced many innovations in the dramatic arts (1). Continue to start your free trial. Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybuss death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus would murder his father. M.A. At the moment that Tiresias reveals to Oedipus that the king himself is the cause of the plague (lines 350353), the epidemic becomes a secondary issue, and, as a result, there are only occasional references to the plague during the remainder of the play (lines 665666, 685686, 13801383, 14241428) (2,3). 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! Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Apparently, it has not heard Creons news about Laiuss murderer. A group of priests comes to the royal palace to ask for help from Oedipus, their king who once saved them from the tyranny of the terrible Sphinx. Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its clinical features, and defining a possible underlying cause. Oedipus, King of Thebes, sends his brother-in-law, Creon, to ask the advice of the oracle at Delphi, concerning a plague ravaging Thebes. 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. Oedipus the King opens with a priest describing the terrible plague that has come upon Thebes and begging Oedipus for help. Discuss the theme of sight and blindness in Oedipus Rex, how it is important, and how it affects the idea of truth. Oedipus now emerges from the palace, bleeding and begging to be exiled. | The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. Arriving at Thebes, Oedipus was confronted by the Sphinx: a monster that was half woman and half lion. PART I: Before Reading STATEMENT RESPONSE (3-5 sentences) It is important to know who we truly are, where we came . . All the people were led by an old priest having garlands and flowers. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. Kousoulis, A. Her description of Laiuss murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. It is an unfair punishment over the sins of one man (Chapter 22 . There is a plague in Thebes, and many people are dying. Eventually the city was infected by a plague. 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. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. Free trial is available to new customers only. Oedipus then strides off with a sudden strength, taking his daughters and Theseus to his grave. 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. The shepherd refuses to disclose anything, and Oedipus threatens him with torture. C. The sphinx was terrorizing Thebes, so citizens couldn't investigate. CDC twenty four seven. Oedipus must find the killer of former King Laius to save the city. . Best Answer. Subscribe now. Saving Lives, Protecting People, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece (A.A. Kousoulis, K.P. B. Creon wanted to become king, so he never cared enough to investigate. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. What is the main idea of Oedipus the King by Sophocles, and what is the play about. Oedipus Rex Summary. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. A somewhat similar example is that of archeologist Heinrich Schlieman; before Schlieman, the writings of Homer had been considered a collection of mythological poems. Teachers and parents! By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. Oedipus was perhaps doomed from birth, for many prophecies were told about Oedipus before and after his birth. Among the diseases caused by these pathogens that can affect humans are the following: 1) tularemia, which is a disease mainly transmitted through rabbits; 2) smallpox, which is not a cattle zoonosis; 3) leishmaniasis, which is not a highly contagious disease; and 4) leptospirosis, which has been associated with epidemics after rainfall and flooding in relation to rodent infestation. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. Jocasta tells him that Laius was killed at a three-way crossroads, just before Oedipus arrived in Thebes. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Early in the play it is clarified that the disease is a cattle zoonosis of high mortality rate (a blight upon the grazing flocks and herds, line 26, with the herds being cattle,) (2,3). from Oxford University Ph.D. from St. Andrews University. This article is republished from The Conversation.Read the original article.. She bore two sons, Polynices and Eteocles, and two daughters, Antigone and Ismene. Oedipus promised to save his city, so he ordered his brother-in-law Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi. Oedipus asks who the other shepherd was, and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius. Oedipus explains to Jocasta that the prophet has charged him with Laiuss murder, and Jocasta replies that all prophecies are false. Many heroes attempted to answer the riddle, but each one was eaten alive after answering incorrectly. The priest glorifies his honor and describes that a plague is destroying the whole city: blight in the city causing famine and sickness. Theseus returns to the stage, asking the daughters to stop their weeping. Historical medical literature has suggested many infectious diseases over time, but few have lasted as the most probable. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Already a member? 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 sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. All of this, of course, was unbeknownst to him. . 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). The guilt for the murder of Laius preexists Oedipus's shame. Another example of Oedipus's strong leadership. A messenger enters to narrate the mysterious death of Oedipus: his death seemed a disappearance of sorts, the lightless depths of Earth bursting open in kindness to receive him (18861887). March 3, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 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. The plot - an old myth already known to most of the audience - was . The limp marks Oedipus's fate, even though he does not know it yet. The blind prophet Tiresias arrives, and Creon promises to take whatever advice he gives. Creon was told by Apollo that in order to be free of the plague, they must "Pay the killers back- whoever is responsible" (Sophocles 1430). Oedipus saved Thebes by answering correctly, "Man, who crawls in infancy, walks upright in his prime, and leans on a cane in old age." Outraged, the Sphinx destroyed herself, and Oedipus became King of Thebes A plague followed and the stage was set for the action of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex. $24.99 Later in the play (300),Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias so that he may discover the murderer. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. Creon returns, bearing good news: once the killer of the previous king, Laius, is found, Thebes will be cured of the plague (Laius was Jocasta's husband before she married Oedipus). Joel Christensen is an associate professor of classical studies at Brandeis. At the beginning of Sophocles'Oedipus Rex,there issterility and a plague at Thebes. 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. He inadvertently killed his father, solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and became king of Thebes. 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 . The stage directions state that. Oedipus, now blind, entrusting his children to the gods.