Characters In Oedipus Rex:
Oedipus Rex:
The protagonist of the play and by birth he is the prince of Thebes but at the start of the play he did not know reality and believes that his father is the king of Corinth. His parents thrown him by the fear of prophecy.
Queen Jocasta:
Jocasta is the one of the main character of this play. She is the mother of Oedipus Rex and wife of king Laius and queen of Thebes but unknowingly she marries her son Oedipus and shows blasphemy that Oracle prophecy would not be true. At the end of the play she hang herself.
King Laius/Laios:
King Laius is also the one of the main character of this play. He is the former king of Thebes and unfortunately he kills by his son. He thrown to Oedipus after knowing the prophecy of Oracle. Unfortunately, according to the Greek Mythology man cannot defeat his fate as like with him.
Creon:
Jocasta’s brother and Oedipus uncle but unknowingly he becomes the brother-in-law of Oedipus Rex. He is a God-fearing person. After Oedipus he takes his charge and becomes the king of Thebes.
Ismene And Antigone:
Ismene and Antigone are the daughter of Oedipus Rex. Oedipus entrusted them to Creon that he take care his daughters after him.
Teiresias:
An old blind man who can see the future. He was legendary in his profession and it was he who tells to Oedipus about his reality and says you are the killer of your father and husband of your mother and the brother of your children and don’t make the fun of my blindness because one day you would become a blind.
King Polybos/Polybus:
Polybus is the king of Corinth and supposed father of Oedipus. Polybus brings him.
Queen Merope:
Merope is the wife of Polybus and queen of Corinth and supposed mother of Oedipus.
Menoeceus:
Father of Creon and Jocasta.
Labdacus:
Father of Laius.
Messenger/Corinthian:
A resident of Corinth who comes to Thebes for telling to Oedipus that his father Polybus has died and people of Isthmia wants him their new king and it was he who tells to Oedipus that king Polypus and queen Merope was not his real parents they adopted him and messenger got him a Theben residence.
Second Messenger:
Second messenger tells to people that Queen Jocasta has to hang herself and King Oedipus made him blind.
Herdsman/shepherd:
Jocasta gives Oedipus to shepherd that he throws to child and kill near to mountain Kithairon but shepherd does not kill to child and entrusted to messenger.
Chorus:
In Greek dramas writers used this techniques for releasing the depression and make the situation normal. These groups of actors tell the story by dancing and singing.
Objects And Places In Oedipus Rex:
Thebes:
Thebes is main place in this play. That’s was the Oedipus home state where he born but at the start of the play Corinth was his home state. Thebes is place where all events take place.
Corinth:
Corinth is the place where Oedipus brings up but he run away when he come to know the prophecy of Oracle that he would marry his mother and kill his father. After the death of King Polybus people of isthmia (Corinth is the capital of Isthmia) wants him become their new ruler.
Mountain Kithairon:
This is the place where King Laius and Queen Jocasta decided to kill and throw to Oedipus for avoiding the prophecy and they ordered to shepherd to get rid him but shepherd did not kill him and he entrusted Oedipus to Corinthian. From this way, he got his new homeland.
Delphi:
Delphi is small town which is situated on Mountain Parnassus. Greeks believes that temple of Apollo was situated at Delphi and which is situated at the center of the earth. We see that Oedipus sends to Creon towards Oracle for knowing the solution of plague.
Phocis:
Phocis is place where three roads meet and where Oedipus meet from Laius and there confrontation start between them and the result of this Oedipus kills to King Laius.
Oracle:
Ancient temple of Greeks where people came for knowing their future and in this play Oracle predict the Oedipus tragic and horrible fate that he would marry his mother and kill his father. According to the Greeks man cannot defeat his fate.
Apollo:
Ancient Greek and Roman god of light, healing, music, prophecy and poetry.
Ares:
Ares is the god of war and the son of Zeus and Hera. The elders people of Thebes pray to him that he help them to stop the destroying and save the Thebes.
Spinx:
Spinx was a monster who had woman bust and lion body and Oedipus defeated to Spinx by answering the riddle. People of Thebes selected him their king because of his intelligence.
Riddle Of Spinx:
What is it that walk on four legs in the morning, on two at noon, and on three in the evening. Oedipus correctly answered this riddle that this is man who crawls with the help of knees and hands as an infant and after this he walks his own legs and then in the old age he takes the help of stick ( in this riddle morning shows to infant baby and noon shows to young age and evening shows to an old man).
Plague:
Plague is a disease, that was destroying and burning Thebes and that was the curse of God because they did not take the revenge of King Laius murder.
