Oedipus Rex
Also known as: Oedipus the King · Soph. OT · Oedipus Tyrannus · Oidipous Tyrannus
- 1The play was written by the Athenian playwright Sophocles.
- 2It is estimated to have been first performed around 429 BC.
- 3Aristotle regarded it as one of the greatest Greek tragedies.
- 4It is widely considered one of the most famous works in Western literature.
Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus, or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy written by Sophocles.
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dramatic exploration of hubris and fate
The play illustrates how the protagonist's pride and intellectual overconfidence in trying to outmaneuver the gods lead directly to his tragic downfall.
Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus Tyrannus or Oedipus the King, is a seminal Athenian tragedy authored by Sophocles. It is believed to have been first performed around 429 BC, though the exact date remains a subject of academic uncertainty.
Oedipus after he solves the riddle of the Sphinx (1864), [ 13 ] Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, Walters Art MuseumWikimedia Commons: File:Jean-Auguste-Dominique_Ingres_-_Oedipus_and_the_Sphinx_-_Walters_379.jpgJoseph Blanc, The murder of Laïus by Oedipus, 1867, Paris, Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-ArtsWikimedia Commons: File:Joseph_Blanc_Le_meurtre_de_Laïus.JPGBénigne Gagneraux, The Blind Oedipus Commending his Children to the GodsWikimedia Commons: File:Bénigne_Gagneraux,_The_Blind_Oedipus_Commending_his_Children_to_the_Gods.jpgP. Oxy. 1369, a fragmentary papyrus copy of Oedipus Rex, 4th century BCWikimedia CommonsA Greek amphora depicting Oedipus and the Sphinx, c. 450 BCWikimedia CommonsOedipus and Antigone, by Charles JalabertWikimedia CommonsVittorio Gassman as OedipusWikimedia CommonsPlay by the Celje Slovene People's Theatre in 1968Wikimedia Commons Although the play did not secure the top prize during its initial performance, it later gained immense prestige. Aristotle famously identified it as one of the greatest examples of Greek tragedy, and it remains a cornerstone of Western literature, celebrated for its profound exploration of fate and human error.