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The Pre-Oedipus Story

The Pre-Oedipus Story. “Riddle me this, riddle me that…”. A long time ago, in a country far, far away…. Who: Laius, King of Thebes and his wife, Jocasta What: A prophecy Where: Greece, in the city of Thebes When: A very long time ago Why: A curse? The gods? Fate?.

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The Pre-Oedipus Story

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  1. The Pre-Oedipus Story “Riddle me this, riddle me that…”

  2. A long time ago, in a country far, far away… • Who: Laius, King of Thebes and his wife, Jocasta • What: A prophecy • Where: Greece, in the city of Thebes • When: A very long time ago • Why: A curse? The gods? Fate?

  3. Meet Queen Jocasta and King Lauis

  4. THEY FINALLY GET PREGNANT!

  5. EXCEPT…. • King Laius and Queen Jocasta received a very disturbing prophecy about their infant son:

  6. Their son would kill his father!

  7. What do they do? • Laius and Jocasta decide to kill their infant son • They pierce his ankles and give him to a shepherd • The shepherd is supposed to leave the baby on Mt. Cithaeron to be exposed (to the wild beasts) http://www.lib-art.com/artgallery/24191-the-child-oedipus-revived-by-the-shepherd-phorbas-chaudet-antoine-denis.html

  8. Mt. Cithaeron • The mountainside where the shepherds bring their sheep to graze • Shepherd #1 gives the infant to shepherd #2 • Shepherd #2 is from Corinth, the city on the other side of the mountain S:\Cindy Schumacher\Photos\oedipus pictures\mountainside2.jpg

  9. Does the baby live or die? • The shepherd takes pity on the infant and decides that he cannot allow this murder to happen… http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artwork_e.jsp?mkey=10757

  10. Welcome to Corinth, home of King Polybus and his wife Merope • The shepherd gives the infant to Polybus and Merope, who cannot have their own children • Polybus names the infant Oedipus (literally “swollen foot”) because of his deformity. • Polybus and Merope never tell Oedipus one small detail… http://people.hofstra.edu/terese_p_friedlander/students/resumeak.html

  11. That he is adopted!

  12. The truth will set you free…maybe. One night at a party a guest who has over-indulged tells Oedipus that Polybus and Merope are not his real parents… Picture of Greek dancers from the side of a vase http://www.bencourtney.com/ebooks/dance/

  13. The confrontation… • Enraged, Oedipus confronts his parents who quickly dispel the rumor that Oedipus is not their real son. • Oedipus, however, is not satisfied, so he goes to consult the oracle (a female prophet who speaks for Apollo). http://www.as.miami.edu/english/wiki_blythe/index.php?title=Jay's_Project http://www.wcbufm.com/Greece.html

  14. The second prophecy • Instead of a clear answer, the oracle gives Oedipus the following prophecy… “You will kill your father and beget (have) children by your mother.” Just the news Oedipus wanted to hear…

  15. Decisions…decisions… • Not wanting to kill dad and sleep with mom, Oedipus decides to flee Corinth • He sets out on the road toward Thebes… • Does anyone see a problem with this???

  16. http://plato-dialogues.org/tools/greece.htm

  17. The truth the audience knows… • As the audience of this horrible tragedy we know…. • That Oedipus is not the real son of Polybus and Merope • That he is the real son of Laius and Jocasta • Therefore, going back to Corinth would be the better idea • Going to Thebes would be a bad idea…so that is exactly where Oedipus decides to go…. • WHAT IS IT CALLED WHEN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS MORE THAN THE CHARACTERS?

  18. The Place Where Three Roads Meet… • At the triple roads Oedipus meets an old man and his guards • The old man and his entourage refuse to give Oedipus right of way, and Oedipus refuses to give the old man right of way…

  19. You think you have road rage… • So, in the earliest instance of road rage, the two men fight to the death. • Oedipus wins and heads on toward Thebes. http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/15700/15726/laiusdeath_15726.htm

  20. Meanwhile, in Thebes • A plague has beset the people of Thebes in the form of the Sphinx. • The Sphinx asks a riddle, and if you can’t answer it, you die. • If you do answer the riddle correctly, you live! http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oedipus_und_die_Sphinx_(Gustave_Moreau).jpg http://www.oceansbridge.com/oil-paintings/product/69814/oedipusexplainstheriddleofthesphinx

  21. “Riddle me this, riddle me that…” • Oedipus confronts the Sphinx and correctly answers her riddle: “What goes on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and three legs in the evening?”

  22. The answer: MAN! (he crawls, then walks, then uses a cane) http://www.dukeart.net/greek-myth/

  23. So, I solved the riddle. What do I win? • After correctly answering the riddle and ridding Thebes of the Sphinx, the people wish to reward Oedipus by making him their king (who has mysteriously disappeared). • The play begins in media res (in the middle of things)

  24. Only one question remains… http://www.vroma.org/~araia/lachesis.html • Whose fault is it? Laius? Jocasta? Oedipus? Fate? http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/AntigoneOedipusCFJalabeat.html http://www.deathdyinggriefandmourning.com/Death-&-Dying-Images%201-20/8-b-Oedipus-&-Jocasta.jpg

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