2. Oedipus- The protagonist who is the King of Thebes. He’s known for his intelligence and saved the city by solving the riddle of the sphinx. Without knowing, he kills his biological father and marries his biological mother. Jocasta- Oedipus’ wife & mother. She tries to comfort Oedipus and urges him to reject the prophecies given.

3. Creon- Oedipus’ brother-in-law; Jocasta’s brother. Says he doesn’t want to be king, but quickly grabs power when the opportunity presents itself. Tiresias- The blind soothsayer of Thebes. Tiresias predicts the murderer hunted by Oedipus is himself. Oedipus does not believe him.

4. Chorus- Group of chanters who reacts to the events onstage. The chorus’ reactions help the audience know how they should react. They provide comedy, perceptive reactions, or become melodramatic. Antigone & Ismene- The daughters of Oedipus and Jocasta. They are also Oedipus’ half-siblings.

5. The people of Thebes continued to be terrorized by a monster known as the Sphinx after their king’s death (the face of a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of a bird). Only the person who could answer the Sphinx’s riddle could destroy the monster.

7. A plague strikes Thebes, and the citizens surround the palace requesting the king act to bring an end to the plague. Oedipus sends Creon to consult the oracle at Delphi to find out how to help the city. The oracle sends word to Oedipus that until the King Laius’ murderer, who resides in the city, is captured and exiled from the city the plague will continue. This begins Oedipus’ search for the truth of King Laius’ murder.

8. Tiresias, the city’s blind prophet, is called on to bring truth into the murder of King Laius. He prophesies that Oedipus killed King Laius through cryptic statements. Oedipus refuses to listen to the blind prophet’s words, and accuses the prophet and Creon of conspiring against him. Tiresias leaves with one final cryptic prophecy: the murderer will be both father and brother to his own children, and son to his own wife.

9. Oedipus learns that he is the one who killed King Laius in a fit of anger. Jocasta kills herself out of suffering and grief. Oedipus is so grieved that he gouges out both eyes, and, he requests to be allowed to say goodbye to his children and then be exiled from the city. Creon becomes king of Thebes.