CLASS 40 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Haemon, Menoeceus, Polynices
11/10/17
Oedipus the King
Oedipus sends Creon to seek the advice of Apollo
➔Curse on Thebes
➔Creon=brother-in-law
Creon says the curse will be lifted if the murderer of Laius, former king, is found and
prosecuted
➔Oedipus dedicates himself to finding the murderer
Teiresias tells Oedipus that he killed Laius
➔Oedipus is upset by this news
➔Jocasta, his wife, tells him not to believe Teiresias because prophets are not
always correct
An old man gave young Oedipus a prophecy
➔He was adopted
➔He would eventually kill his father and sleep with his mother
Oedipus questions a messenger and shepherd about his past
➔Both confirm that he was adopted and killed a man at a crossroads
◆Similarly, Laius was killed at a crossroad
Jocasta realizes she is Oedipus’ mother and Laius was his father
➔She kills herself
Oedipus realizes the truth
➔He was Laius’ murderer
➔He married and had children with his mother
➔Gouges out his eyes
➔Exiled from Thebes
Phoenician women
Jocasta summarizes the story of Oedipus
➔Sons Eteocles and Polynices locked him away in the palace
◆Hoped people might forget what happened
Oedipus cursed them
➔Neither would rule without killing each other
➔To try and avoid the prophecy, they agreed to rule every other year
Eteocles refused to give up the throne
➔Forced Polynices into exile instead
➔Polynices went to Argos and married the princess
◆Convinced the king to send forces to help him reclaim Thebes
Jocasta arranged a cease-fire to mediate between her sons
➔Listens to the arguments of both brothers
➔Polynices explains how he is the rightful king
◆Eteocles says that he desires power above all else and will not surrender
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Document Summary
Oedipus sends creon to seek the advice of apollo. Creon says the curse will be lifted if the murderer of laius, former king, is found and prosecuted. Oedipus dedicates himself to finding the murderer. Jocasta, his wife, tells him not to believe teiresias because prophets are not always correct. An old man gave young oedipus a prophecy. He would eventually kill his father and sleep with his mother. Oedipus questions a messenger and shepherd about his past. Both confirm that he was adopted and killed a man at a crossroads. Similarly, laius was killed at a crossroad. Jocasta realizes she is oedipus" mother and laius was his father. He married and had children with his mother. Sons eteocles and polynices locked him away in the palace. Neither would rule without killing each other. To try and avoid the prophecy, they agreed to rule every other year. Polynices went to argos and married the princess.
