Antigone Notes Back story: Oedipus Rex A Play By Sophocles Created by J. Naujokas LHHS English Department Fullerton Joint Union High School District 2011

Back story to Antigone: Oedipus Rex –Athenian tragedy by Sophocles first performed c. 429 BC second of Sophocles's three Theban plays first in the internal chronology followed by –Oedipus at Colonus –Antigone

Oedipus Rex A play about a man who is cursed because of something his father did Since Oedipus’ father was cursed, Oedipus and his entire family would also be cursed

Characters you need to know Laius—Birth-father to Oedipus Jocasta—Birth-mother to Oedipus Polybus—Adopted father to Oedipus Merope—Adopted mother to Oedipus

More Characters you need to know Oedipus—Father to Antigone, Ismeme, Polyneices, Eteocles Creon—Maternal uncle to Antigone, Ismeme, Polyneices, and Eteocles Teiresias—A famous blind prophet

Oedipus’ Family Was Cursed Long Ago Laius was a guest of the King of Elis –became the chariot racing tutor of Chrysippus Chrysippus –youngest of the king's sons

Oedipus’ Family Was Cursed Long Ago (continued) Laius abducted and sodomized Chrysippus Chrysippus killed himself in shame The gods cursed Laius and his descendants for his actions

Oedipus’ Family Was Cursed Long Ago (continued) Laius (now king of Thebes) learns from an oracle that his son will kill him he ties the baby’s feet and orders his wife, Jocasta, to kill the infant

Oedipus’ Family Was Cursed Long Ago (continued) Jocasta cannot kill her baby Jocasta orders a servant to kill the child The servant leaves the baby on top of a mountain to die

Oedipus Early Life A shepherd rescues the infant and names him Oedipus (or "swollen feet") He takes Oedipus to Corinth, to be raised in the court of the childless King Polybus and his wife, Merope as if he were their own

Bad news for Oedipus Oedipus hears that he is not the biological son of Polybus and Merope –they deny it, of course he goes to an Oracle The Oracle tells him that he will kill his dad and marry his mom Oedipus leaves Corinth so he won’t harm his parents

Oedipus on the Run On the road, Oedipus and another man crash chariots They argue Oedipus kills the man That man was Laius—Oedipus’ birth-father

Riddle of the Sphinx A Sphinx lays a curse upon Thebes, and it can only be lifted by answering her riddle Oedipus arrives in Thebes and solves the riddle His prize is the kingdom of Thebes and a smokin’ hot new wife named, Jocasta –You remember who she is, right?

EteoclesePolyneices Oedipus and Jocasta have four lovely children… AntigoneIsmene

The Plague A plague hits Thebes and Oedipus does not know why Creon tells Oedipus that the gods are angry because the former king was murdered and his killer was never caught Not knowing the truth, Oedipus vows to find the killer

The Plague (continued) Oedipus demands to know who killed the former king Teiresias—the blind prophet—tells Oedipus the murderer is a citizen of Thebes; brother and father to his own children; and son and husband to his own mother –Gross!

The Plague (continued) Teiresias doesn’t give Oedipus a straight answer, so he kicks Teiresias out Jocasta tells Oedipus not to trust prophets because their prophesies often don’t come true

The Plague (continued) She then tells him about a prophet who predicted that her own son would kill her former husband and end up marrying her…Ha, ha, ha! Huh? UH-OH!

The Big Reveal Both Oedipus and Jocasta figure it out –They look at each other…EEYOO! Needless to say, they are both upset

The kids are upset…

Jocasta is really upset… Jocasta is so upset that she hangs herself in her bedroom Oedipus finds her hanging there, and in a rage takes her hair pins and gouges out his own eyes saying that he was too blind to see the truth

Oedipus Leaves Oedipus leaves his kingdom, eventually cursing his children to suffer horrible fates of their own

Who will Lead Thebes? Both Eteocles and Polyneices want to take over as king, but they don’t know who should do it They decide to share kingship, swapping the job every other year Eteocles would be king first (Rock beat scissors)

A Slight Problem After a year, it turns out that Eteocles liked being king so much that he refused to give the job to his brother, Polyneices Polyneices was not pleased –He said what?

Thebes at War Polyneices shows up at the gates of Thebes with an army from Argos (Thebes’ sworn enemy) and demands the kingdom Eteoclese says “Whachoo got?”

Thebes at War The two brothers face off in a great battle They end up killing each other Eteocles and Polyneices die by each others’ hands fulfilling Oedipus’ curse

The Play, Antigone Thebes defeated the Argive army Creon, the new king, declares that Eteocles is to be buried with honor He also declares Polyneices a traitor, and his body is to be left to rot on the battle field, unburied

The Play, Antigone Antigone thinks that Polyneices deserves a proper burial or his spirit will be doomed to haunt the earth Antigone vows to bury her brother, Polyneices, or die –-Showing total disdain and disrespect for the King –What will happen now!?!!