Q. Write the summary of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles.

Characters and Places (Pronunciation Guide)

• Antigone /anˈtɪɡəni/ (an-TIG-uh-nee)
• Apollo /əˈpɒləʊ/ (uh-POL-oh)
• Ares /ˈɛəriːz/ (AIR-eez)
• Artemis /ˈɑːtɪmɪs/ (AR-tem-iss)
• Athena /əˈθiːnə/ (uh-THEE-nuh)
• Bacchus /ˈbakəs/ (BACK-us)
• Citheron /sɪˈθɪərɒn/ (sith-EER-on)
• Corinth /ˈkɒrɪnθ/ (KOR-inth)
• Creon /ˈkriːɒn/ (KREE-on)
• Danube /ˈdanjuːb/ (DAN-yoob)
• Daulia /ˈdɔːliə/ (DAW-lee-uh)
• Delphi /ˈdɛlfaɪ/ (DEL-fye)
• Dionysus /ˌdaɪəˈnaɪsəs/ (dye-uh-NYE-sus)
• Eteocles /ɪˈtiːəʊkliːz/ (i-TEE-oh-kleez)
• Hades /ˈheɪdiːz/ (HAY-deez)
• Ismene /ɪsˈmiːni/ (is-MEE-nee)
• Jocasta /dʒəˈkastə/ (juh-KASS-tuh)
• Labdacid /ˈlabdəsɪd/ (LAB-duh-sid)
• Laius /ˈleɪəs/ (LAY-us)
• Lycéan /laɪˈsiːən/ (lye-SEE-un)
• Merope /ˈmɛrəpi/ (MER-uh-pee)
• Oedipus /ˈiːdɪpəs/ (EE-dip-us)
• Phasis /ˈfeɪsɪs/ (FAY-sis)
• Phoebus /ˈfiːbəs/ (FEE-bus)
• Phocis /ˈfəʊsɪs/ (FOH-sis)
• Polybus /ˈpɒlɪbəs/ (POL-ib-us)
• Polynices /ˌpɒlɪˈnaɪsiːz/ (pol-ih-NYE-seez)
• Sophocles /ˈsɒfəʊkliːz/ (SOF-oh-kleez)
• Sphinx /sfɪŋks/ (SFINKS)
• Thebes /θiːbz/ (THEEBZ)
• Tiresias /taɪˈriːsiəs/ (tye-REE-see-us)
• Zeus /zuːs/ (ZOOSS)

Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Summary

A City in Distress

The play begins at the palace in Thebes. A large door is in the middle, allowing characters to enter the stage from inside the palace. Side entrances are for others, like the Chorus or people arriving from places like Delphi and Corinth. The scene is solemn. A crowd of people from Thebes sits on the palace steps.

This group includes old men and young children who are desperate for help. An old priest of Zeus stands with them. Oedipus, the king of Thebes, comes onto the stage.

Knowing he is a famous ruler, he walks over to the crowd. His wish is to hear their problems himself, not from someone else. Oedipus promises to help in every way he can. For the group, he asks the Priest to speak and explain what they need.

The Priest’s Plea

The Priest of Zeus tells Oedipus about the terrible situation. He says the crowd includes people of all ages, and they have all gathered at the altars of Oedipus. The city of Thebes, he explains, is like a drowning person, too weak to survive. The fields are not growing food.

All the animals are sick. Women are having trouble giving birth. A horrible plague is attacking the city, leaving it empty. This sickness has made death very wealthy, a dark joke about Hades, the god of the dead, who was also known as the “Wealth Giver.”

While Oedipus is not a god, the Priest says people see him as the best man to deal with life’s problems and the gods. He reminds Oedipus of how he saved Thebes before from the deadly Sphinx.

That remarkable victory was achieved without help, as if a god assisted him. Now, the people have come to Oedipus for help again, hoping he can find a way to keep them safe.

Creon’s Return with a Message

The Priest asks Oedipus to save the city once more, reminding him of his past success. He hopes that Oedipus’s rule will not be remembered as a time when the city was saved only to fall again. Oedipus says he knows their suffering very well. In fact, he feels that he is sicker than anyone because he feels the pain of the whole city.

To find an answer, Oedipus tells them he has been thinking constantly. His brother-in-law, Creon, has already been sent to Delphi. Creon’s job was to ask the god Apollo what they could do to save the city. Now, Oedipus is worried because Creon has been gone for a long time. Just then, Creon is seen approaching.

A wreath of bay leaves, a sign of good news, is on his head. Oedipus prays that the news is as happy as Creon’s face looks.

Apollo’s Command

Creon confirms he has good news. When Oedipus asks to hear the god’s exact words, Creon offers to speak in private. Oedipus insists he will reveal the city’s problems to everyone, stating that their problem is more important than his own. Creon then shares Apollo’s command.

They must find and punish a person in Thebes who has committed a heinous crime. According to Creon, the city is stained with blood. They must either send the killer away or kill him.

When Oedipus asks who was killed, Creon says it was Laius, the king before Oedipus. Oedipus says he has only ever heard of Laius but never met him. The order from Apollo is to punish the murderers.

The Interrupted Investigation

Oedipus asks how they can find clues to such an old crime. Creon says that Apollo told him the answer is in their own land. Oedipus then asks where Laius was killed. According to Creon, Laius was on a journey and never came back. Oedipus wonders if anyone survived to tell the story.

Creon says only one man came back. This survivor was terrified and only knew one thing for sure. A large group of robbers, he said, attacked and killed Laius. Oedipus immediately thinks something is wrong. He believes that robbers would only do such a thing if someone from inside Thebes paid them.

Although Creon agrees they had thought of this, the city had no leader after Laius died, and times were very hard. Most importantly, Creon says that the riddle-singing Sphinx distracted everyone. This situation prevented them from properly investigating the murder at the time.

Oedipus’s Solemn Oath

Oedipus promises to solve this mystery himself. He says that both Apollo and Creon are right to care about the dead Laius. Vowing to fight for his country and for the god, he also says his reason is personal. The person who killed Laius might try to harm him too.

He promises to fight for Laius as if he were his own father and will do everything he can to catch the killer. A terrible curse is put on the murderer.

Oedipus says the killer will live a lonely, miserable life and be banned from all religious and social gatherings. He even puts the curse on himself if he knowingly gives the killer shelter.

Any person in Thebes who does not help is also cursed. He wishes them to have no crops and no children. The Priest agrees with Oedipus’s decision and asks the god Apollo to be their saviour and stop the plague.

A Prayer from the Chorus</span>

After this, the Chorus of elders from Thebes enters. They sing and dance together. Their song shows they are terrified. Asking Apollo what his plan is, they wonder if he will do something new or reveal an old secret. They ask three main gods for help.

Athena, the daughter of Zeus and goddess of wisdom, is one they call on. Another is Artemis, Apollo’s sister and goddess of the hunt.

And they call on Phoebus Apollo, who strikes from far away. A prayer is offered for these gods to come and help them again, just as they did in the past, wanting the gods to chase away the burning pain of the plague.

The Chorus then describes how much they are suffering. The city is sick, and they have no way to defend themselves. In their song, they say their famous land is not growing any food. Women are in labour, but it is for nothing. The dying people fly away like birds to the shore of the dark god, Hades. The city is dying, and no one is showing any pity.

On the ground, the dead lie unmourned. Wives and mothers cry at the altars. Their sad voices rise as they pray. They ask Athena to send them some hope.

A Desperate Plea for Help

In the last part of their song, the Chorus prays for Ares, the god of war, to leave. They blame him for the plague. Describing him as charging at them, he scorches them with a fierce heat even though he has no shield.

This connection between Ares and the plague might be a reference to a real plague that happened in Athens, which felt like an invasion to the people living there.

They pray for Ares to go far away, into the sea. They ask Zeus to strike him down with his lightning. Calling on Apollo again, they name him the Lycéan lord. This name connects him to wolves and his role as a protector. They ask for his golden arrows to defend them and for Artemis to help with her blazing torch.

Finally, they call on Bacchus, also known as Dionysus, to use his own flaming torch against Ares, the god whom other gods dislike. After the Chorus finishes their song, Oedipus comes out from the palace. He tells the Chorus that if they follow his orders, they will find help and be saved from the plague.

Finding the killer of Laius, he admits, is a strange task for him. As a new citizen in Thebes, he had no involvement in the crime. He demands help from all the people of Thebes and gives a strong order. If anyone knows who killed Laius, they must tell him.

Oedipus’s Search for the Truth

Oedipus says that if the killer comes forward himself, he will only be sent away safely. Should someone know the killer is from another country, they should speak up. A reward and Oedipus’s thanks will be given. But Oedipus then gives a severe order for anyone who stays quiet to protect the killer.

He forbids anyone in his kingdom to speak to the man or let him join in prayers. That person must be pushed away from every door because he is their “pollution.” Oedipus says he is fighting on the side of the god and the murdered man. The Choral Leader suggests that since Apollo brought up the problem, he should be the one to name the killer.

Oedipus agrees this would be fair, but he knows that no one can force the gods to do something they do not want to do. The Choral Leader then suggests another idea. Their next step should be to question the prophet Tiresias, who is said to see things as clearly as Apollo. Oedipus reveals that he has already sent for Tiresias and is surprised that the prophet has not arrived yet.

The Prophet’s Unwelcome Wisdom

The Choral Leader believes that the killer will get scared and run away if he hears the curses Oedipus has made. But Oedipus is confident that a man who was bold enough to commit murder won’t be frightened by mere words.

Just then, the Choral Leader announces that Tiresias has arrived. He says that the truth lives in Tiresias alone. Led by two young boys, Tiresias enters. Oedipus greets him respectfully, acknowledging that Tiresias is blind but knows about the plague that is destroying the city. Oedipus says that Thebes’s only hope is in Tiresias.

He reminds the prophet of Apollo’s command to find the killers of Laius and begs Tiresias to use all his powers to save the city. Tiresias speaks, but not to Oedipus. To himself, he says that wisdom is a dreadful thing when it does not help the person who has it. He says he knew about these things but chose to forget them.

Oedipus can see that Tiresias is upset. He asks him what’s wrong, but Tiresias just asks to be sent home, telling Oedipus it’s better if they both just deal with their own burdens. This makes Oedipus angry, and he accuses the prophet of breaking the law by refusing to help his city.

A Terrible Accusation

Tiresias cryptically says that Oedipus is also speaking carelessly. Oedipus insists that Tiresias must share what he knows. Calling everyone foolish, Tiresias refuses to reveal his secrets, which he says are also Oedipus’s sorrows. Oedipus becomes even more angry and accuses Tiresias of trying to destroy the state.

Remaining silent, Tiresias says he will not cause more pain. Oedipus’s anger boils over, and he calls Tiresias the most evil of men. Tiresias replies that Oedipus is yelling at him, but does not see the problems in himself. Oedipus demands that Tiresias do his job and tell the future. When Tiresias refuses again, Oedipus accuses him of planning the murder of Laius.

He says that if Tiresias could see, he would say Tiresias committed the murder himself. This accusation finally makes Tiresias speak. He tells Oedipus to follow his own order. He says that Oedipus should not talk to anyone, because Oedipus is the unholy man who pollutes the land. Oedipus is shocked by these insults.

Tiresias says he is safe because he holds a mighty truth. Mocking him, Oedipus asks who taught him this truth. Tiresias says that Oedipus himself did, by forcing him to speak. After a moment of confusion, Tiresias finally speaks the terrible prophecy, declaring, “The murderer you’re looking for is you!”

Pride Before the Fall

Oedipus is enraged and threatens Tiresias. The prophet replies that Oedipus lives in a terrible state of evil that he is too blind to see. Oedipus mocks Tiresias, calling him blind in his eyes, ears, and mind. Tiresias then mocks Oedipus back, saying that soon people will be saying the same things about Oedipus.

The prophet says that Oedipus’s fall will not be his fault; it is in the hands of Apollo. Oedipus immediately suspects that Creon is plotting against him with Tiresias.

Tiresias insists that Creon is not the problem; Oedipus is. Oedipus then complains about how wealth and power make other people jealous. He accuses Creon of wanting his throne and hiring Tiresias to help him.

He calls the prophet a tricky sorcerer who is blind in his art. Oedipus makes fun of Tiresias for not being able to solve the Sphinx’s riddle.

Proudly, he says that his own logic solved the riddle when the prophet’s birds and magic told him nothing. He accuses Tiresias of trying to get rid of him to make room for Creon.

The Choral Leader steps in, saying that both men have spoken in anger. He advises them to focus on what god wants. Tiresias, claiming his right as a citizen of Thebes, gives a final, chilling prophecy.

He says that Oedipus, who has made fun of him for being blind, has eyes but cannot see his own evil life. He does not know where he lives or even who his parents are.

A Prophecy of Doom

Tiresias continues his prophecy, saying that a curse from Oedipus’s parents is coming for him. He predicts that soon Oedipus will be blind and running in fear as a beggar in a foreign land. Tiresias also says that Oedipus’s marriage will become a source of great sorrow for his family.

He warns of many other unseen evils that will show Oedipus that he is equal to his own father and his own children. Oedipus, furious, orders Tiresias to leave his house immediately. Tiresias reminds Oedipus that he only came because he was summoned. As Tiresias leaves, he says that the man Oedipus is looking for is right here.

This man will be revealed as a citizen of Thebes. Though he was born with sight, he will become blind. Though he was once rich, he will become a beggar. Tiresias gives the final, terrible part of the riddle.

He says the man is the father and brother of his children, the son and husband of his mother. He killed his father. After Tiresias leaves, the Chorus sings again. They are scared and confused by the prophecy and do not know what to believe.

Remembering how Oedipus saved them from the Sphinx, they find it hard to believe he could be guilty of such a crime. Then, Creon enters. He is angry because he has heard that Oedipus has accused him of terrible things.

Creon Defends His Innocence

Creon enters, loudly protesting his innocence. He says he would not want to live if people thought he was an enemy of the city. The Choral Leader suggests that Oedipus spoke out of anger, not careful thought. Creon asks if Oedipus publicly accused him of telling Tiresias to lie. When the Choral Leader confirms this, Oedipus enters and confronts Creon again.

He accuses Creon of trying to kill him and steal his throne. Creon asks Oedipus to listen to him before making a judgment, but Oedipus says it is hard to learn from an enemy. He asks if Creon was the one who suggested he talk to Tiresias, and Creon confirms it was his advice.

Oedipus then points out that the prophet said nothing about him at the time Laius was killed. Creon replies that he does not speak about things he does not know, leading Oedipus to directly accuse him of working with Tiresias to frame him for the murder.

Creon defends himself calmly, asking Oedipus to think logically. He argues that no one would choose to rule with fear when they could have equal power without the stress.

Creon explains that he already has influence and is not disliked by the people, so why would he give that up for the burden of being king?

He tells Oedipus to go to Delphi to check if his report was accurate and says he will accept death if there is any proof he plotted with the prophet.

He warns Oedipus not to convict a good man without evidence, as losing a friend is like losing one’s own life. The Choral Leader agrees Creon has spoken well, but Oedipus is stubborn, insisting he must act quickly against his enemies.

Jocasta Tries to Make Peace

Just as they are arguing, Jocasta enters. She is angry about their senseless argument while the city is so sick. She tells them both to go inside. Creon explains that Oedipus wants to kill him or banish him.

Oedipus confirms this, saying he caught Creon doing evil things. Creon swears an oath to the gods that he is innocent.

Jocasta begs Oedipus to believe him for her sake and for everyone else. The Chorus also begs Oedipus to change his mind. They remind him that Creon has always been a loyal friend.

Moved by their sadness, Oedipus reluctantly agrees to let Creon go. But he says he will always hate Creon.

After Creon leaves, Jocasta asks what happened. Oedipus tells her that Creon accused him of being the murderer of Laius.

He says Creon used a “wicked seer” to spread the story. Jocasta tries to calm Oedipus down, telling him not to believe in prophecies. She claims that no human possesses the skill to see the future and provides evidence.

An oracle once told Laius, she says, that his own son would kill him. But, she says, Laius was killed by foreign robbers at a place where three roads met.

She also says that her baby was only three days old when Laius had its feet tied together. He had a servant leave the baby on a remote mountain to die. Jocasta concludes that the prophecy never came true.

A Disturbing New Clue

Jocasta’s story is meant to comfort Oedipus, but it has the opposite effect. He is suddenly very disturbed. The detail about Laius being killed where three roads meet makes his mind race. He asks Jocsta where exactly this place is. She tells him it was in a region called Phocis, where the roads to Delphi and Daulia split.

Oedipus asks how long ago this happened, and Jocasta says the city heard the news just before Oedipus arrived and became king. Oedipus is terrified. He cries out to Zeus, wondering if the gods have been plotting against him. He asks Jocasta to describe what Laius looked like. She says he was tall, looked a bit like Oedipus, and his hair was starting to turn grey.

Crying out in horror, Oedipus realizes he may have put a terrible curse on himself without knowing it. He fears that the prophet Tiresias was not blind after all. Oedipus then asks if Laius was travelling with a few or many guards. Jocasta says he had a single carriage. In total, there were five people, including a herald.

This final detail makes the truth seem very clear to Oedipus. He asks who told Jocasta this story. She says it was a slave, the only person who survived the attack. She explains that when the enslaved person came back and saw Oedipus was the new king, he begged to be sent away to work in the fields, far from the city.

Oedipus Tells His Story

Oedipus immediately demands that this slavé be brought to him. He then decides it is time to tell Jocasta his own story.

He explains that he grew up in Corinth, and he always believed his parents were King Polybus and Queen Merope. But one day at a party, a drunk man yelled out that he was illegitimate, which bothered him deeply.

He asked his parents about it, and they were furious at the man. Still worried, Oedipus secretly went to Delphi to ask the god about his parents. But Apollo did not answer his question. Instead, the god told him other terrible things. The oracle said he would marry his mother and kill his father. To escape this horrible fate, Oedipus fled from Corinth.

He travelled, looking for a place where the prophecy could never come true. During his journey, he went to the same triple crossroads that Jocasta mentioned. There, he met a herald and a man in a carriage. They tried to push him off the road. When Oedipus fought back, the older man in the carriage hit him on the head with a double cattle prod.

In a rage, Oedipus struck the man with his walking stick, knocking him out of the cart. He then killed everyone in the group and feared that the man he killed was Laius. Oedipus realizes he is the one who has stained Laius’s bed by marrying his wife. He is horrified that his own curse will now fall on him.

Fading Hope

Oedipus feels a saváge god dooms him. The Choral Leader tells him to hold onto hope until they can talk to the surviving witness. Oedipus agrees that his only hope is that the shepherd’s story matches Jocasta’s. He needs the shepherd to confirm that Laius was killed by a group of robbers, not a single man.

Jocasta tries to reassure him, saying the shepherd’s original story was about robbers, and he cannot change it now because the whole city heard him. She also says that even if the story changes, it will not make Apollo’s prophecy true. The prophecy said her own child would kill Laius, but that poor baby died long ago. She says this is why she no longer pays any attention to prophecies.

Oedipus and Jocasta go inside the palace. The Chorus then sings a song about fate. They sing that pride, or hubris, creates a tyrant. When pride climbs too high, it must have a sharp fall. They pray to the gods to keep the city safe and express doubt in the oracles, saying they will stop going to holy temples if the prophecies do not prove to be true.

It shows that at the time the play was written, some people were starting to question traditional religion. Jocasta returns and goes to the temples to pray, driven by Oedipus’s frantic and upset state.

News from Corinth

As Jocasta is praying, a messenger from Corinth arrives. He asks to see Oedipus. He brings what he calls good news, saying the people of Corinth want Oedipus to be their new king because the old king, Polybus, is dead. Jocasta is overjoyed and immediately sends for Oedipus.

She cries out, “O sacred oracles, where are you now?” She believes this news proves the prophecy Oedipus fled from was false. Polybus died from sickness, not at the hands of his son. Oedipus comes out and hears the news. He is also relieved, questioning why anyone should respect the oracles at Delphi when they have been proven so wrong.

He says that the prophecies are worthless and Polybus has taken them with him to the grave. Jocasta tells him she had been saying this all along. Oedipus admits that fear had driven him mád.

Jocasta then tries to calm his remaining fear, the one about marrying his mother. She tells him not to worry about it. She says that many men have dreamed of sharing their mother’s bed, advising him that life is easiest for people who ignore such things.

Oedipus is still not fully comforted. He says that while his father’s death is a relief, he still fears his living mother, Merope. The messenger from Corinth asks who this woman is.

A Shocking Revelation

Oedipus explains the second part of the prophecy. The messenger, wanting to help, tells Oedipus that he can end his worries. He then reveals a shocking truth: Oedipus is not related to Polybus. Oedipus is stunned and asks why Polybus always called him his son.

The messenger explains that Oedipus was never Polybus’s real son, but a gift. He tells Oedipus that he himself was the one who gave the infant to King Polybus, who was sad because he had no children of his own.

When Oedipus asks if he was found or bought, the messenger says he found him in the woods of Mount Citheron. He was working there as a shepherd at the time and explained that he was the one who saved Oedipus’ life that day

The messenger then explains the origin of Oedipus’s name, which means “swollen-foot.” He says that when he found the baby, its ankles were pierced and tied together, and he was the one who set him free. Oedipus asks who did this to him. The messenger says the man who gave him the baby would know, explaining that another shepherd gave Oedipus to him.

When Oedipus asks for this shepherd’s name, the messenger says he thinks the man called himself one of Laius’s men. Oedipus asks if this shepherd is still alive and is desperate to meet him. The Choral Leader says that this is the same man they have already sent for, noting that Jocasta would know for sure.

The Awful Truth Unravels

Jocasta now understands the horrible truth and desperately tries to stop Oedipus. She begs him not to ask any more questions, saying her own sickness is enough for them to bear. But Oedipus is determined to find out who he is, thinking that Jocasta is worried that he might have been born to a family of enslaved people.

He proudly says he is a child of Fortune and is not ashamed of a possibly lowly birth. Jocasta makes one last, desperate plea, praying that he never discovers who he really is. Seeing that she cannot stop him, she says her final words to him. She calls him an unfortunate and says that is all she will ever say, then runs into the palace.

The Choral Leader is worried by her sudden exit, fearing that something terrible will happen. Oedipus remains firm. He wants to know his origins, no matter how humble they are. The Chorus sings a short, happy song reflecting Oedipus’s hopeful mood. They guess that the mountain Citheron, where he was found, will be honoured as his birthplace.

They wonder if a god like Pan or Apollo was his father. This happy song creates a sharp contrast with the terrible truth that is about to be revealed. The shepherd, who was Laius’s man, is brought onto the stage. Oedipus asks the Corinthian messenger to confirm if this is the right man, which he does.

The Shepherd’s Confession

Oedipus then questions the shepherd. The shepherd confirms he worked for Laius and spent most of his life tending sheep on Mount Citheron. The Corinthian messenger helps him remember their time together, grazing flocks on the mountain many years ago. The messenger then asks the shepherd directly if he remembers giving him a baby boy to raise.

The shepherd panics and tells the messenger to hold his tongue. But Oedipus steps in, tells the shepherd that his words, not the messenger’s, are the ones that need discipline. He threatens the old shepherd with pain if he does not speak. Fearing torture, the shepherd gives in. Oedipus demands to know if he gave the messenger the child.

The shepherd confesses that he did, and says he wishes he had died that day. Oedipus then asks where the child came from. The shepherd begs him not to ask any more. Oedipus warns him that if he refuses again, he will die. Finally, the shepherd breaks down completely, saying the child was one of Laius’.

Oedipus asks if it was the child of an enslaved person or of Laius himself. The shepherd, groaning in despair, knows he is close to saying the terrible truth. Oedipus insists he must hear it. The shepherd then confirms that people said Laius was the father, but that Oedipus’s wife, Jocasta, would know the story best.

The Horrible Realization

Oedipus asks if Jocasta gave him the child. The shepherd confirms that she did. At this final, devastating revelation, Oedipus cries out in agony. He screams, “Now everything’s becoming clear!” and says it is the last time he will ever see the light, realizing everything in his life has been wrong.

He is wrong in his parents, wrong in the woman he married, and wrong in the man he killed. Oedipus and the shepherd exit the stage. The Chorus sings another sad song, reflecting how quickly human happiness can disappear and uses Oedipus’s fate as an example, saying that no human is ever truly blessed.

They remember his past greatness, how he defeated the Sphinx and became their honoured king. But now, they lament his cruel and tragic story, horrified that the same harbour served him as both a child and a husband.

Also, they say that Time, which sees everything, has finally exposed the monstrous truth. A servant then enters from the palace. He says that great rivers like the Danube and Phasis could not wash the palace clean of the terrible things it now hides.

The servant describes how Jocasta ran into the palace in a state of torment. She went straight to her bridal bed, tearing her hair. There, she cursed the bed for giving her a husband from her own husband, and children from her own child.

Blindness and Despair

The servant says he could not see Jocasta’s actual death because Oedipus burst into the hall, shouting and demanding a sword. He was looking for his wife, calling her a “double field” that gave birth to both him and his children. As if led by a spirit, Oedipus crashed through the doors of her room. Inside, they saw Jocasta hanging from a rope.

Oedipus, crying out in sorrow, took her down. Then, in a horrific act, he took the golden brooches from her dress. He raised them and stabbed his own eyes and shouted that his eyes would never again see the evil things he had done and suffered.

He wanted to see only darkness. The servant says that Oedipus will now banish himself from Thebes, fulfilling his own curse.

He says that the palace doors are opening, and everyone will see a sight that would make even an enemy feel pity. Oedipus, now blind, enters the stage. The Chorus sings another lament. They are horrified by his suffering. They ask what mádness could have caused this. Oedipus cries out in anguish.

He asks where he is and where his voice is going. He calls out to Destiny. The Chorus tells him he is in a dreadful place. He mourns the darkness that now surrounds him. He feels the sharp pain of his recent actions and his evil memories.

A Plea for Exile

The Chorus acknowledges that Oedipus is suffering a double pain. He wishes he had never been saved as a baby, and curses the shepherd who untied his feet and saved his life. Oedipus says he would not have killed his father and would not have been known as his mother’s husband. He is now a godless child, born from an unholy relationship.

The Choral Leader tells him that blinding himself was not a wise choice. But Oedipus disagrees, says he could not bear to look at his father or mother in the underworld.

He could not look at his own children, born from such sin. Oedipus also says he could not bear to see the people of Thebes. He wishes he could have made himself deaf as well, to shut out the world completely.

Oedipus curses Mount Cithaeron for saving him and wishes it had killed him so he would never have to show the world who he really was. Oedipus speaks to Polybus and Corinth, the home he thought was his. He cries out to the crossroads where he killed his father and calls out to his wedding, which gave him his birth and then reused his seed to create his children.

Oedipus demands to be driven away, killed, or thrown into the sea where no one will ever see him again. He begs the Chorus to touch him and not be afraid of his filthy stain. Creon then enters.

A Final Farewell

Creon shows surprising kindness. He says he has not come to gloat or criticize Oedipus for his past mistakes. He tells the attendants to take Oedipus inside so that only his family has to see his grief.

Oedipus, surprised by Creon’s goodness, asks for a favour. He wants to be exiled, sent to a place where he will never have to see another person.

Creon says he will do it, but first he wants to ask Apollo for instructions. Oedipus insists that Apollo’s command to get rid of the “father-killer” was clear. Creon agrees to care for Oedipus’s two sons, Polynices and Eteocles. But Oedipus pleads for his two young daughters, Antigone and Ismene.

He asks Creon to take care of them. He wishes to touch them one last time. Creon, in another act of kindness, has already brought the crying girls to him. Oedipus expresses his gratitude. He holds his daughters, who are also his sisters, in his hands and weeps for the terrible life they will have to live because of his actions.

He asks Creon to promise to care for them, gives his daughters his final advice, praying they have a better life than his.

The Play’s Closing Message

Creon urges Oedipus to go inside. Oedipus agrees to leave but asks Creon to let him live outside the land. Creon tells him to stop giving commands, reminding him that his power is gone. With this, Creon, Oedipus, and the others exit. The Chorus delivers the play’s powerful closing lines.

Native residents of Thebes, consider Oedipus, one who solved the famous riddle, mightiest of men.
Everyone who looked on him was jealous of his fate.
What a flood of grim misfortune overwhelms him now!
Thus we learn how necessary seeing the final day is for judging mortals blest.
Otherwise refrain. Happiness means ending life without being crushed by pain.