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Oedipus Tyrannus

Oedipus Tyrannus

a new translation. Passages from ancient authors. Religion and psychology: some studies. Criticism.
Drama
Pages
261
Published
429 BCE
Language
English

Synopsis

Oedipus Rex chronicles the story of Oedipus, a man that becomes the king of Thebes and was always destined from birth to murder his father Laius and marry his mother Jocasta. The play is an example of a classic tragedy, noticeably containing an emphasis on how Oedipus's own faults contribute to the tragic hero's downfall, as opposed to having fate be the sole cause. Over the centuries, Oedipus Rex has come to be regarded by many as the Greek tragedy par excellence.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkMelancholicTense
Tragic HeroBetrayal

Genres

Drama

About the author

S
Sophocles

Sophocles (circa. 496 BCE - 406 BCE) was the second of the three ancient Greek tragedians whose work has survived to the present day. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than those of Euripides. According to the Suda, a 10th century encyclopedia, Sophocles wrote 120 or more plays during the course of his life, but only seven have survived in a complete form, namely Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus....

Frequently asked questions

  • What order should I read the Theban plays in?

    Oedipus Tyrannus (also called Oedipus Rex or Oedipus the King) comes first in the story's internal chronology, followed by Oedipus at Colonus and then Antigone. Sophocles did not write them in that order or as a planned trilogy — Antigone was actually written first, decades before Oedipus Tyrannus — but most editions group and present them in story order since each was written as a standalone play for a different festival.

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