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

Renew your subscription to regain access to all of our exclusive, ad-free study tools. After much prodding from Oedipus, Tiresias claims that Oedipus is the source of . Regarding the plays approach to treatment of the disease, reading through the drama we once again come across with the theocratic perceptions of ancient Greece. Her description of Laiuss murder, however, sounds familiar to Oedipus, and he asks further questions. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! 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 sends for the man who survived the attack, a shepherd, in the hope that he will not be identified as the murderer. 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.. 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. $24.99 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. 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. The Chorus enters, calling on the gods Apollo, Athena, and Artemis to save Thebes. From the start of the drama, the plague in Thebes is a serious matter, as in line 23 where it is referred to as weltering surge of blood ( ). Free trial is available to new customers only. Purchasing These diseases mainly include typhoid fever, epidemic typhus, smallpox, plague, measles, and influenza, all of which could be initial candidates for the plague in Oedipus Rex and have been taken into account in this study (Technical Appendix) (9,10). Oedipus acts quickly to find the killer. Regarding the specific clinical features of the disease, it is clear that the causative pathogen leads to miscarriages or stillbirths (a blight on wives in travail, lines 2627, meaning women give birth to dead babies) (2,3). We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Creons son then took a sword and thrust it at his father. The main conflict is when Tiresias tells Oedipus that he is responsible for the plague, and Oedipus refuses to believe Tiresias. Kousoulis AA, Economopoulos KP, Poulakou-Rebelakou E, et al. The first writing of Oedipus Rex most probably took place during the time of the plague of Athens. We're sorry, SparkNotes Plus isn't available in your country. Oedipus responds with a terrible curse, upbraiding his son for letting him be sent into exile, and predicting that Eteocles and Polynices will die at one anothers hands. The critical reading of Oedipus Rex, its comparison with Thucydides history, as well as the systematic review of the existing historical data, lead us to strongly suggest that this epidemic, for which the name Plague of Thebes may be used, was an actual historical fact, likely caused by B. abortus. Creons wife, Eurydice, hears this terrible news and rushes away into the palace. Figure 1. Much of the fascination of the play comes from watching Oedipus, the remorseless detective, hunt down Oedipus, the unwitting criminal. Hellenic holocaust: a historical clinico-pathologic conference. Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybuss death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus would murder his father. Creon returns to report that the plague is the result of religious pollution, since the murderer of their former king, Laius, has never been caught. Theseus grants them this, and the Chorus tells the girls to stop their weeping, for all rests in the hands of the gods. 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. Soon, a nervous sentry arrives at the palace to tell Creon that, while the sentries slept, someone gave Polynices burial rites. Oedipus, now blind, entrusting his children to the gods. Jocasta rejoices, convinced that Polybus's death from natural causes has disproved the prophecy that Oedipus . You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link. Shame was believed to have real-world consequences. 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 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). The plague results from the shame of not punishing Thebe's former king's murderer. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. He has already anticipated the priests' request for help and has done what a good Greek ruler should doseek advice from an oracle. In this way Theseus and his heirs may always rule over a safe city. Sophocles is one of the most noted playwrights of the ancient world and, along with Aeschylus and Euripides, belongs to the trinity of the Attic tragedians who flourished during the golden century of Pericles in Athens (Figure 1). Antigone, in spite of Creons edict and without the help of her sister Ismene, resolves to give their brother a proper burial. Oedipus replies that he already sent his brother-in-law, Creon, to the oracle at Delphi to learn how to help the city. Thus, the most probable cause of the plague in Thebes is B. abortus. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. Guilt sits with regard to actionin the case of Oedipus, the action of killing his father and marrying his mother. All the people were led by an old priest having garlands and flowers. Theseus and the Chorus exit toward Athens; Antigone and Ismene head for Thebes. Contact us 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). Jocasta has hanged herself, and Oedipus, finding her dead, has pulled the pins from her robe and stabbed out his own eyes. 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). Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. Section 6: Oedipus the King, lines 338-706, Section 8: Oedipus the King, lines 1008-1310, Section 9: Oedipus the King, lines 1311-1684, Section 10: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1-576, Section 11: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 577-1192, Section 12: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1193-1645, Section 13: Oedipus at Colonus, lines 1646-2001. Creon decides to pardon Ismene, but vows to kill Antigone by walling her up alive in a tomb. Antigone freely confesses her act to Creon and says that he himself defies the will of the gods by refusing Polynices burial. He prays for the safety of his sisters and then leaves for Thebes. The stage directions state that. 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). WebOedipus is the king of Thebes when the action commences, and one facing the crisis of a plague. A plague has stricken Thebes. 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. 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). 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. The plague symbolizes the effect that Oedipus's defiance of the will of the gods . Oedipus was perhaps doomed from birth, for many prophecies were told about Oedipus before and after his birth. | Ancient typhoid epidemic reveals possible ancestral strain of. Oedipus the King: What is the significance of the plays title? Skip to document. Tiresias advises that Creon allow Polynices to be buried, but Creon refuses. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of Thebes, and they demand that the murderer ("the pollution of this land") be killed or exiled. He marries Jocasta, Laius' widow. Creon, appointed ruler of Thebes, offered the kingdom and the hand of his sister, Jocasta, to anyone who could answer the riddle. The free trial period is the first 7 days of your subscription. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Unfortunately, the story comes out that Oedipus murdered Laius on the road from Corinth to Thebes, when Laius and his party would not move aside to let him pass. Oedipus, king of Thebes, is determined to find out the cause of the plague ravishing the city, little suspecting the cause is him. Ismenus: A temple to Apollo Ismenios where burnt offerings were the basis for the priest's . Oedipus also discovers that he married his mother. Sophocles lived between 496 and 406 bc; although he seems to have written 123 plays, only 7 have survived in a complete form (1). Oedipus asks who the other shepherd was, and the messenger answers that he was a servant of Laius. Oedipus a Tragedy. He must be driven out in order for the plague to end. C. The sphinx was terrorizing Thebes, so citizens couldn't investigate. Credit: Wikipedia/Public domain. Tiresias defends his skills as a prophet, noting that Oedipuss parents found him trustworthy. It is set in the kingdom of Thebes in A., Economopoulos, K. P., Poulakou-Rebelakou, E., Androutsos, G., & Tsiodras, S. (2012). plague; the plague in Thebes has three features which are closely associated with supernatural forces and appear in re-ligious contexts. "The Murder of Laius by Oedipus," 1867, by Joseph Blanc. Before the palace of Oedipus, King of Thebes. 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. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! A severe plague is described in Sophocles drama Oedipus Rex. DNA examination of ancient dental pulp incriminates typhoid fever as a probable cause of the Plague of Athens. The plot - an old myth already known to most of the audience - was . Oedipus, stunned, tells his wife that he may be the one who murdered Laius. Oedipuss wife, Jocasta (also the widow of King Laius), enters and asks why the men shout at one another. He tells Jocasta that, long ago, when he was the prince of Corinth, he overheard someone mention at a banquet that he was not really the son of the king and queen. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. When Creon returns from the oracle, he informs Oedipus that the person responsible for murdering the former King Laius must be banished from Thebes in order to put an end to the devastating plague. Theseus does in fact return with Oedipuss daughters shortly. Latest answer posted September 14, 2020 at 1:34:55 PM. According to the World Health Organization, an epidemic is defined as a disease outbreak and, therefore, the occurrence of cases of disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographic area, or season (15). The date of the Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. Several sections, primarily in the first third of the play, refer to the aforementioned plague; the epidemic, however, is not the primary topic of the tragedy. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% The story would have been a familiar one to Sophocles's audience. The shepherd therefore passed the boy on to the shepherd in Corinth. Best Answer. 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). Antigone embraces Polynices, saying that he is condemning himself to death, but he resolutely says that his life remains in the hands of the gods. The plague of Athens: epidemiology and paleopathology. 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). Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. The gods serve punishment for Oedipus's guilt by inflicting a plague on Thebes. Surely it suggests exactly the opposite. He calls it a plague that disrupts the production of humans and crops. Creon reports that the gods have caused this plague in response to the murder of Laius, the previous king of . Brucellosis is a highly contagious zoonosis caused by ingestion of unsterilized milk or meat from infected cows or close contact with their secretions. They went in and saw Antigone hanging from a noose, and Haemon raving. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! Oedipus frequently alludes to sight and blindness, creating many moments of dramatic irony, since the audience knows that it is Oedipuss metaphorical blindness to the relationship between his past and his present situation that brings about his ruin. Oedipus sends for Tiresias, the blind prophet, and asks him what he knows about the murder. He sends Creon, his brother-in-law, to the oracle at Athens. 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). Skip to document. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Oedipus arrives in Thebes, solves the riddle of the Sphinx, and is made their king. Oedipus, in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes who unwittingly killed his father and married his mother. Hence, the citizens of Thebes were often called children of Cadmus or Cadmeians. He now feels much more inclined to agree with the queen in deeming prophecies worthless and viewing chance as the principle governing the world. Immediately following the ode, Oedipus enters and says that he will answer the Choruss prayers. A blight, the priest tells Oedipus, has destroyed their crops and livestock - and even rendered their women sterile, unable to have children. . Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. Summary. Message not sent. Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King, is the first play in this trilogy of Athenian Tragedies . Please use the form below to submit correspondence to the authors or contact them at the following address: Antonis A. Kousoulis, History of Medicine Department, School of Medicine, University of Athens, 131 Lambrou Katsoni Str., Athens, 18344 Greece. This article is republished from The Conversation.Read the original article.. We adopted a critical approach to Oedipus Rex in analyzing the literary description of the disease, unraveling its In his first speech, which he delivers to an old priest whose suffering he seeks to alleviate, he continually voices his concern for the health and well-being of his people. The priest begs Oedipus to help the city and rescue it from the clutches of famine, fire, and plague. Oedipus himself remained in Thebes for a few years, a blind and aging misfit cared for only by his daughters, Antigone and Ismene. The Thucydides syndrome. The Plague in the Land of Thebes. Creon condemns both Antigone and Ismene to death. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. In other words, he became a hero by figuring out the truth. 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 Sphinx had been terrorizing Thebes for an undisclosed amount of time before Oedipus was able to defeat it. No one was following the rules of the land. Creon, the brother of Jocasta, has learned from soothsayers that the city is being punished for harboring the murderer of the late King Laius. Therefore, although the first part of the play is rife with references to the plague and its consequences, in the second part there are only sporadic referrals to the epidemic. Many people are falling ill, and Oedipus begins to believe that there is a divine cause for the plague. 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. Yet in saying he would fight for Laius as if he were his own father, Oedipus further displays his own blindness to the truth. Searching for the miasma, Oedipus summons the blind prophet Tiresias to reveal who is responsible for this evil (lines 300313) (2,3). 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. Creon informs King Oedipus that until the killer of King Laius is identified, the plague cannot be ended. According to the Oracle, Apollo regards religious or moral pollution (miasma) resulting from the murder of the former king, Laius,to be the cause of the plague and that the cause of it (i.e. Pedagogical Institute, Hellenic Ministry of Education. Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? Youve successfully purchased a group discount. As when he faced the Sphinx, Oedipus is presented with a puzzle to solve: the identity of Laius's murderer. This is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus, the king, and the Priest (167). In despair Jocasta hanged herself, while Oedipus blinded himself in an agony of remorse. SparkNotes PLUS The devastating plague that dominates Thebes is presented to the audience through the dialogue between Oedipus and the Priest (lines 167) (2,3). Members will be prompted to log in or create an account to redeem their group membership. Oedipus promised to save his city, so he ordered his brother-in-law Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi. . Creon asks him his opinion on the issue. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% Hearing this, Oedipus resolves to solve the mystery of Laiuss murder. You can view our. In Oedipus's new kingdom of Thebes, there was a plague that was hurting the kingdom, so Oedipus searched for answers. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Significant Myths and Structure of the Text. Creon enters, carrying Haemons body and wailing against his own tyranny, which he knows has caused his sons death. Teiresias reluctantly informs Oedipus that he is the murderer and has been living intimately with his mother. Creon appears in order to abduct Oedipus, but, proving unsuccessful, he kidnaps Antigone and Ismene instead. D. The sphinx was indulging in sexually and other pleasure and wasn't paying much attention to state affairs. Each man in the city grieves for himself, but the king grieves for the city and everyone in it. The _____ is that Tiresias is blind but can see the truth, and Oedipus has sight but refuses to see the truth. There was an unexpected error. Creon curses him and threatens to slay Antigone before his very eyes. The blight Discount, Discount Code 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 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. Apparently, it has not heard Creons news about Laiuss murderer. Creon returns with a message from the oracle: the plague will end when the murderer of Laius, former king of Thebes, is caught and expelled; the murderer is within the city. View data is from . The citizens gather outside the palace of their king, Oedipus, asking him to take action. The fate of Oedipus emerges as a truly tragic one, not so much because he caused the plague, but because of the characters own personal tragedy (Figure 2). The twins Eteocles and Polyneices, who had been cursed by their father, Oedipus, failed to agree on which of them was to succeed to the Theban throne and decided to rule in alternate years. At that time, a Sphinx held the city captive and refused to leave until someone answered her riddle. A lethal plague is described in this drama. 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). 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. Already a member? What does it suggest about the authors overall emphasis? He has already sent Creon to ask the Delphic Oracle's advice. The reference to the Sphinx reminds the audience that Oedipus is a genuine hero. For example, when the old priest tells Oedipus that the people of Thebes are dying of the plague, Oedipus says that he could not fail to see this (6872). He did not know that his parents in Corinth were not his real parents. 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.. answer choices . SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. . How does Oedipus Rex by Sophocles follow the unities? Troy, Mycenae, and the otologic demise of Herr Heinrich Schliemann. 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). Only one of his fellow travelers escaped alive. In the most familiar version, first attested in Sophocles' tragedy Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus' downfall all began with a plague. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. What is the cause of the plague in Thebes quizlet? His play, Oedipus Rex, tells the sad tale of a king who discovers that he has murdered his father and married his mother. King Theseus arrives and says that he pities Oedipus for the fate that has befallen him, and he asks how he can help Oedipus. This meant that they must find the killer of their dead king, Laius. He thinks he knows what happenedthieves killed Laiusbut is actually blind to the truth. Sophocles epidemic seems to have enough strength to appear as a historical base on which the theatrical economy of the play is evolving (12). 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 answers that he will lead the king to the place where he will die, and that Theseus must never reveal that spot, but pass it on to his son at his own death, who in turn must pass it on to his own son. He inadvertently killed his father, solved the riddle of the Sphinx, and became king of Thebes. The writing of the tragedy Oedipus the King (original Greek title , most commonly known as Oedipus Rex) is placed in the first half of the decade 430420 bc.