Oedipus Rex Summary (Oedipus the King Story) - Animated

Summary

The story of Oedipus unfolds in ancient Thebes, where a prophecy foretells that the king's son will murder him. To prevent this fate, the king and queen abandon their baby, who is rescued and raised by another royal couple. Unbeknownst to him, Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother, Jocasta, after solving the riddle of the Sphinx. When a plague strikes Thebes, he discovers the truth of his actions, leading to Jocasta's suicide and his own self-inflicted blindness. Ultimately, Oedipus banishes himself, embodying the tragic consequences of fate and identity.

Takeaways

• 👑 The story is set in Thebes, Greece, which is modeled after Thebes in Egypt.
• 🔮 A prophecy foretold that Oedipus would kill his father, leading to his abandonment as a baby.
• 👶 Oedipus was adopted by the king and queen of Corinth after being left on a mountain.
• 🍷 Oedipus learns he is adopted and seeks the truth, prompting a journey to Delphi.
• ⚔️ Oedipus accidentally kills his father during a confrontation on the road to Thebes.
• 🦁 Oedipus defeats the Sphinx by solving her riddle, becoming a hero and king of Thebes.
• 👸 He marries the queen of Thebes, who is actually his biological mother, without knowing.
• 🌾 A drought in Thebes leads Oedipus to investigate the murder of the former king.
• 🔍 The blind prophet reveals Oedipus is the murderer, leading to a tragic revelation.
• 😱 Oedipus blinds himself after discovering he fulfilled the prophecy and banishes himself from Thebes.

Q & A

What prophecy did the oracle deliver to the king of Thebes?

The oracle foretold that the king's child would rise up and murder him.

How did the king and queen attempt to prevent the prophecy from coming true?

They ordered that their newborn son be taken away and killed, but the servant abandoned him instead.

What name did the king and queen of Corinth give to the rescued baby?

They named him Oedipus, which means 'swollen foot.'

What shocking revelation did Oedipus learn from his friend?

Oedipus learned that he was adopted.

What was the riddle posed by the Sphinx, and what was its answer?

The riddle was 'What walks on four legs in the morning, two at noon, and three in the evening?' The answer is 'a human.'

What happened to the Sphinx after Oedipus solved her riddle?

The Sphinx was so upset that she hurled herself off a mountain.

What was the cause of the drought in Thebes?

The drought was a result of the murder of the former king, and it would not be lifted until his murderer was found.

Who revealed to Oedipus that he was the murderer of the former king?

A blind prophet revealed this shocking truth to Oedipus.

What tragic realization did Oedipus come to after learning about the former king's murder?

He realized that he had killed his father, the former king, and married his mother, Jocasta.

What did Oedipus do in response to the revelation of his tragic fate?

Overwhelmed with grief, he gouged out his eyes and banished himself from Thebes.