Oedipus
Reading Oedipus Rex is like playing the board game Clue. You need to figure out who murdered the previous king, how they murdered him, and the consequences of the murder. Sophocles plays the role of Deep Throat, giving you all the information you need. And he’s great at that, thanks to his excellent foreshadowing.
Thank good ole Sophocles for being concise in his tantalizing plays. He doesn’t try to get crafty like Shakespeare. He goes for the shock factor, and he definitely succeeds. His style makes for a superb read.
Many of you probably groaned and skimmed this play in high school when your monotone English teacher assigned it for winter break reading. But if you skimmed and did not thoroughly enter Oedipus’ world, then you missed out.
Oedipus has one hundred times the amount of drama as all your friends on social media sites combined. He is far more intense than the characters in the “literary” work Fifty Shades of Grey. A play written long before you were born kicks the butt of most dramas in present day.
With that said, I want to clarify that I will not spoil the incredible twist Sophocles included in his story. That would ruin the entire point of me trying to get you to read the play. However, describing the play without spoiling is very difficult to do; the twist is pivotal to making the play a success. So, I will use what Sophocles did: foreshadowing.
Let’s set the scene. Oedipus is living the comfortable life in ruling over Thebes, married to his wife, Jocasta. But when a plague hits Thebes, Oedipus must relieve his people from their anguish. He learns that to do so, he must avenge the murder of the previous king. No matter who the murderer is revealed to be, he must be punished.
Sophocles sure knows how to set the stakes high.
The best part of this play is that it is a perfect example of foreshadowing. Sophocles gives you all the clues you need to put the puzzle together. He sets up the problem. He gives you the options. And then you watch as the characters crumble, realizing the falsities their reality depends on. It gives me shivers just thinking about it.
Play detective, my dear readers. This will be the biggest case you will ever break. You will be known as a hero to Thebes. All you need to do is follow these hinting words from Oedipus’ buddy, Tiresias:
“I say that you secretly have lived most foully with those who should be most dear, nor do you see to what extent of evil you have come.”
But who is Tiresias? He is that good friend who tries his best to keep a secret from slipping so as not to ruin your reputation. Jocasta is the gal pal of your friend that you can’t tell if you like or not; there’s just something off about her. And Oedipus is that pal that you want to love, but he is always so scattered brained that he can never seem to match his socks in the morning.
It is the perfect drama, the perfect mystery, and the perfect play. Sophocles is genius in his foreshadowing, making everything come full circle.
I will leave you with the final words of the Chorus in the play, setting the tone for what readers are in for:
“People of our country Thebes, behold this Oedipus,
Who knew the famous riddle and was a most powerful man,
Whose fortunes all the citizens watched with emulation, how deep the sea of fire misfortune that has taken him!
Therefore, it is necessary to call no man blessed as we await the final day, until he has reach the limit of life and suffered nothing grievous.”