Greek Literature

A detailed Summary of Greek Literature

Cadmus, the founder of Thebes, angered Apollo by killing the God's favorite snake. As punishment, the descendants of Cadmus lived under a curse prophesized to each generation by Apollo's oracle. According to the prophecy, if Laius, king of Thebes, had a son by Jocasta, his queen, that son would kill his father and marry his mother. In response to this prophecy, Laius had a rivet driven between his infant son, Oedipus' ankles, and instructed a household servant to leave him on Mt. Citheron to die from exposure to the elements. Instead, the servant pitied the infant, and without revealing his identity, gave him to a Shepard. In turn, the Shepard gave Oedipus, to Merope, the wife of Polybus, king of Corinth. They named him Oedipus, which means "swollen foot," for the wounds in his feet.

As a young man, Oedipus was taunted for not being the true son of Polybus. Deeply troubled, Oedipus consulted the oracle of Apollo at Delphi about the accusation. But before he could ask this question, the priestess, Pythia, drove him away from Apollo's shrine, declaring that Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified, Oedipus fled Corinth, the home of his supposed parents, in attemp

Dramatic Irony: is the contradiction between what the character thinks and what the audience knows to be true. Oedipus is famous for dramatic irony such as when Oedipus curses the murderer of Laius, (which the audiences knows of Oedipus being the murderer and he doesn't) and then Oedipus is basically cursing himself. Dramatic irony plays a large role in the story mostly being the fact that Oedipus the King is a play, where different characters, roles, and audiences know more or less knowledge differing amongst each group.

Not far from Delphi, Oedipus met a man in a chariot whose charioteer demanded that Oedipus move aside. When he refused the charioteer drove his horses forward, so that the wheel of the car grazed Oedipus' foot. As the chariot passed him, someone inside struck Oedipus on the head with a goad. Enraged, Oedipus killed the rider and Charioteer and continued on his way.

The oracle of Apollo at Delphi, which the Greeks call the navel, or the center of the world, was where the Greeks and foreigners alike traveled form all over the Mediterranean to eek the advice of the god who knew all things and who always spoke the truth.

Apparently, Creon sent a prophet to Oedipus, and Jocasta tells Oedipus the exact story of Laius' death. It is said that in Phocis, where the road splits, one way from Delphi and one from Daulia, just before Oedipus became king that Laius was killed. He was a tall, grizzled man. Then Oedipus looked at Jocasta, and realized that something horrid has happened. Oedipus realized that he was the murderer of Laius.

Oedipus makes a speech and asks if any man knows the murderer, and that he will have no punishment, but will help to save the city of Thebes. Oedipus offers a reward, and his gratitude as a prize. He invokes a curse on the man who killed Laius that he may wear out his life in misery to miserable doom. He says that if the man lives at his hearth, then let he himself feel the curse. Oe

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Approximate Word count = 1307
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

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