SOPHOCLES: OEDIPUS REX -- A SYNOPSIS                  158

PROLOGUE

• Priest and others ask Oedipus for help against plague.
• Creon, returning from Delphi, says murderer of Laius must be found.
• Oedipus gets information - place of murder, 1 witness, robbers.
• Oedipus promises to hunt murderer down.

PARODOS
Chorus asks various gods for help against plague

 EPISODE 1

• Oedipus asks for information (none is given) and curses the murderer.
• Chorus repeats rumour of Laius being killed by "travellers”.
• Teiresias is called, and refuses to answer Oedipus
• Teiresias says
• Oedipus is the murderer: Oedipus is outraged
• Oedipus' marriage is sinful.
• Oedipus accuses Teiresias of being paid to lie by Creon.
• Teiresias repeats his assertions, and adds subtle hints about Oedipus' parentage.
• Oedipus dismisses Teiresias

STASIMON 1
Chorus wonders who murderer is.

They decide Oedipus cannot be guilty, at least until he is proved so.

EPISODE 2 

• Creon enters , to refute Oedipus’ accusation against him.
• Oedipus accuses Creon of trying to overthrow him.
• Oedipus questions Creon - why didn't Teiresias say all this years ago at the time of the murder?
• Creon claims that his secondary position is more comfortable than being king: so why should he want to overthrow Oedipus? Bitter argument between Oedipus and Creon.
• Jocasta enters: she and chorus persuade Oedipus to let CREON go away.
• Oedipus explains his attitude to Jocasta

Jocasta "disproves" reliability of divination :

1.      it was prophesied Laius would be killed by his son, but
2.     his son was exposed (and "died”) when a baby, and
3.    Laius was killed by robbers at a crossroads .

• Oedipus question Jocasta about crossroads (he remembers) - he sends for the one witness.
• Oedipus tells his life-story: Corinthian parents; doubts about his parentage; visit to oracle and news of prophecy that he'd kill his father and marry his mother; runs away from Corinth ; kills a man at crossroads.
• Oedipus and Jocasta hope witness will confirm his story of “robbers”

STASIMON 2 
Chorus warns of dangers of arrogance.

They worry about fallibility of Apollo

EPISODE 3

• Corinthian messenger tells Jocasta of death of Polybus (Oedipus' "father").
• Oedipus enters and hears news: glad that father is dead (prophecy now can't come true), but wishes mother was too - he's afraid he may still marry her .
• Messenger (to be helpful) reassures him: Polybus and Merope are not his real parents;
• Oedipus was given to them by him (the messenger).
• Oedipus questions messenger: discovers that messenger was given baby Oedipus ( wearing ankle rivets ) by a shepherd, who happens to be the one witness of Laius's murder.
• Jocasta realises the truth, and tries to stop Oedipus asking questions;
• She goes out in a panic

STASIMON 3
Chorus wonder about Oedipus’ birth: is he a child of a god or a mountain?

EPISODE 4

• Oedipus questions shepherd, who doesn't want to talk.
• Shepherd at last admits Oedipus is Laius’ son.

STASIMON 4
Chorus reflect on fall of Oedipus, and frailty of human happiness.

EPISODE 5

• Attendant tells chorus of Jocasta’s suicide, and Oedipus's gouging his eyes out
• Oedipus emerges from palace, blind and bleeding.

KOMMOS
Chorus and Oedipus swap moans about the situation.

 EXODOS

• Oedipus justifies his self-blinding: he's cursed by his own curse.
• He reflects bitterly on the past, and asks to be taken away.
• Creon enters and takes charge .
• Oedipus asks to be banished, for Jocasta to be buried, and for his daughters to be looked after.
• He commiserates with his daughters, whom Creon brings in.
• Creon agrees to escort Oedipus out of Thebes.
• Chorus reflect again on frailty of human happiness.

C. Scupham