Explore this Show

Overview

Synopsis

The newly crowned young king of Thebes, Oedipus, having solved the riddle of the sphinx, has married the widowed Theban queen Jocasta and fathered two daughters. A plague, however, has overtaken his kingdom since he took the throne. Through a series of reveals and hubristic missteps that bring Oedipus’ past to light, he discovers that it is Oedipus himself who has brought this ill fate to his city, having fulfilled a prophecy made when he was born–that he would kill his own father and marry his mother. In its tragic ending, Oedipus the King, or Oedipus Rex as is it known by its Latinized name, is the inspiration for many modern literary and social philosophies, including the concepts of hubris, literary tragedy, and the Freudian Oedipal Complex. This Sophoclean drama, first performed in 455 BCE, is the first in the Oedipus trilogy, which follows the tragic lives of Oedipus and his daughters, culminating in the death of Antigone. Sophocles’ Oedipus is not an original story or plot; the myths and characters of the play would have been well-known to the Greek audience. However, classicists believe that Sophocles added the unique and horrifying element of Oedipus’ self-blindness to his production, a new element that would have made a powerful and memorable impact on a well-known story. Today, Oedipus is perhaps the most well-known and one of the most frequently performed Greek tragedy. It is written without any intermission although some directors choose to divide the play into two acts.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
1
Genres
Drama
Settings
Simple/No Set
Time & Place
palace of oedipus, ancient times, thebes
Cast Size
medium
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
college, professional, university, community, College/University, Diverse Cast, High School, Large Cast, Mature Audiences, Mostly Male Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, Star Vehicle Male, Includes Young Adult, Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Child, Early Teen Characters, Medium Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

Oedipus

Lead

Male

Spoken

Creon

Lead

Male

Spoken

Jocasta

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Tiresias

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Priest

Featured

Male

Spoken

First Messenger

Featured

Male

Spoken

Second Messenger

Featured

Male

Spoken

Herdsman

Featured

Male

Spoken

Oedipus' Daughters (Antigone and Ismene)

Featured

Female

Silent

Chorus of Theban Elders

Ensemble

Male

Spoken

Songs

Sorry, we currently do not have content for this section.

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Key Terms

Videos

Quizzes

Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Quote Analysis

Sorry! We do not currently have learning modules for this guide.

Guide Written By: