Oedipus the King Pursues the Advice of Apollo - 552 Words

King Oedipus, mindful that a dreadful spell has fallen in Thebes, directs his brother-in-law, Creon, to pursue the advice of Apollo, the sun god. Creon tells Oedipus that the spell will vanish if the murderer of Laius, the previous king, is found and prosecuted. Laius was murdered several years ago at a crossroads. Oedipus devotes himself to finding and prosecution of Laius’s murderer. Oedipus questions a variety of reluctant citizens, including a blind prophet named Teiresias. The blind prophet tells Oedipus that Oedipus was the murderer of Laius himself. This information really troubles Oedipus, but his wife Jocasta tells him to disregard what the prophet has said, â€Å"they’ve been wrong before.† As an example, she shares a story with Oedipus about how she and King Laius bore a son who was predicted to murder Laius and sleep with her. Jocasta and Laius had the child executed; therefore that prophecy didnt come true. Jocastas story doesnt ease Oedipus’ worries. When Oedipus was a child, an old man told him that he was adopted, and that he would ultimately murder his birth father and sleep with his birth mother. Not to mention, Oedipus previously assassinated a man at a crossroads, which very similar to the way Laius died. Jocasta commands Oedipus not to look into the past any more, but he stubbornly snubs her command. Oedipus goes on to interrogate a messenger and a shepherd, both of whom have knowledge about how Oedipus was deserted as a baby and adopted by a newShow MoreRelatedThe Psychological Connection to Oedipus the King1387 Words   |  6 Pagesquestions that children ask, such as ‘Who made the world? How will it end? Who was the first man? Where do souls go after death?’†¦The second function of myth is to justify an existing social system and account for traditional rites and customs.† Oedipus the King written by Sophocles in 430 B.C. focuses around the second function that Graves noted. The play has been around for centuries, has evoked psychological theories, and will remain a classic. Sophocles has managed to touch on social, ethical, psychologyRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus Rex 2527 Words   |  11 PagesAri Victor Honors English 28 July, 2015 Summer Reading Oedipus Rex 1. The people of Thebes are suffering from a god attacking their city. 2. The Priest asks Oedipus to save Thebes and the people living there. 3. The Thebans plead Oedipus for his help because 1) they think that Oedipus has help from the gods, and 2) they know that he already saved their town before, so he can save it again. 4. Oedipus has already taken the step of sending Creon to Apollo’s temple to ask how to save the city. 5. TheRead MoreOedipus and Antigone2785 Words   |  12 Pagesmany aspects that reflected the moral values and ideals of society. Their customs were tightly woven into the scripts of plays. Antigone and Oedipus the King, two renowned works of the Greek playwright Sophocles, explore these values through a plot thick with corruption, virtue, and determination. These plays reveal the burdens two Theban kings, Oedipus and Creon, as their lies and poor judgment corrode the integrity of their city, their families and themselves. Possessing a strong faith in theirRead MoreGreek Mythology8088 Words   |  33 PagesGreek  Mythology   I   INTRODUCTION   Temple  of  Apollo  at  Didyma   The  Greeks  built  the  Temple  of  Apollo  at  Didyma,  Turkey  (about  300  bc).  The  temple  supposedly  housed  an  oracle   who  foretold  the  future  to  those  seeking  knowledge.  The  predictions  of  the  oracles,  delivered  in  the  form  of  riddles,   often  brought  unexpected  results  to  the  seeker.  With  Ionic  columns  reaching  19.5  m  (64  ft)  high,  these  ruins   suggest  the  former  grandeur  of  the  ancient  temple.   Bernard  Cox/Bridgeman  Art  Library,  London/New  York