Oedipus King of Thebes / Translated into English Rhyming Verse with Explanatory Notes

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

27673

Title

Oedipus King of Thebes / Translated into English Rhyming Verse with Explanatory Notes

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Sophocles' timeless tragedy of fate and self-discovery, translated into English rhyming verse. This edition offers Gilbert Murray's insightful commentary on the play's primitive religious atmosphere, dramatic technique, and the profound pessimism of its characters, inviting readers to confront the terrifying power of the gods and the limits of human knowledge.

Summary up to 500 words

Set against the backdrop of a plague-stricken Thebes, Sophocles' *Oedipus Rex* unfolds as a relentless unraveling of truth and identity. The play opens with King Oedipus, a beloved ruler who solved the Sphinx's riddle and saved the city, now desperate to lift the divine curse afflicting his people. He is confronted by the blind seer Tiresias, who accuses him of patricide and incest, a charge Oedipus vehemently denies. When his brother-in-law Creon arrives, Oedipus's suspicion turns to rage, leading to a tense confrontation that is only diffused by the intervention of Queen Jocasta. Seeking to prove his innocence, Oedipus questions Jocasta about the death of the previous King, Laius. She recounts an oracle predicting Laius's death at the hands of his own son, a prophecy she believes was avoided by abandoning their infant son on Mount Kithairon to die. Oedipus, however, reveals a terrifying parallel: he too was abandoned as an infant and fled Corinth after an oracle warned him he would kill his father and marry his mother. The narrative reaches its catastrophic climax when a Corinthian messenger arrives, intending to announce Oedipus's supposed parents' death, only to reveal that Oedipus was actually the son of Laius and Jocasta. A shepherd summoned to confirm the infant's fate admits to handing the baby to Oedipus's former guardians. The horrific truth is undeniable: Oedipus has unknowingly fulfilled the prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother. Jocasta, realizing the truth, hangs herself. Overwhelmed by the horror of his unwitting crimes and the pollution of his actions, Oedipus blinds himself with Jocasta's brooches. The tragedy concludes with Oedipus accepting his exile, leaving behind a city scarred by the realization that human intent is powerless against the terrifying machinery of divine will. Gilbert Murray's translation highlights the play's primitive atmosphere, emphasizing the themes of destiny and the gap between human innocence and divine judgment.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Classics
• Drama