Thebes In Sophocles Oedipus The King

Oedipus the King was a play written by Sophocles and first premiered in 429 B.C. (Wiki Oedipus the king). The play was an ironic tale of the life and downfall a man name Oedipus whom was cursed from birth. Thebes was a city in central Greece located in Boeotia. In mythological history it is told to be the place of the birth of Hercules and also the home of the sphinx (A mythological creature that terrorized the area until the riddle was solved by Oedipus platforming him to his place as King of Thebes. The setting and staging is that of a darker era in Theban history when plague and famine stretched it arms across the land. The setting of the play is significant because of the dramatic irony of his fate in a tragic situation where a man went …show more content…
as one of the most powerful and influential city-states. Thebes is the host for many important Greek myths such as: Hercules (one of the greatest heroes of Greek history); Cadmus; Oedipus; Dionysus and others. Thebes was a rival of Athens and Sparta and all fought for dominance of the land. The play was performed in in Athens in front of the Athens crowd in time the Theban people were sided with Persians to war with Athens and Sparta. That may explain the reason of placing the story in Thebes, to show the people of Thebes as descendants of such gross incest and shame. Most Greek playwrights were Athenian; their plays are hardly ever set in their home town. In fact, they weren't allowed to do so. (Shmoop Editorial Team "Oedipus the King Setting") Athens also may have been going through a plague in the time of Sophocles and some historians believe this may have contributed to the plague of the play. Thebes is told to be the place where the sphinx(A mythical creature usually portrayed as half lion half man with a face of a human) lived and terrorized the people of Thebes if they could not answer its riddle until Oedipus solved the riddle freeing them from the sphinx oppression making him king of land of his fathers (unknowingly). The irony is the location in the play is that it is the land that hosted King Laius, Queen Jocasta, and Oedipus greatest Fears …show more content…
Sophocles showed a glimpse of what government was like is his time. The Greeks were moving towards a democratic society and the needs and wants of the people must be heard. Most arguments were heard in this time in front of the assembly of people and also the boule which met on Pnyx hill to decide laws and govern the land. The king is this story was so open to the people and hearing and seeing to their needs the he hid nothing from them even when he was warned that it may be something that needs to be spoken of in the privacy of the palace Oedipus wanted all to know the news not knowing the irony is his honesty. The Movie-play gave me a better visual of what Sophocles envision of the people and also what time period they lived and the importance of characters roles as well as the irony in it all. For example, The Oedipus was portrayed in gold with a glorious crown and all the attributes of his royal place but ironically as he boasted of his kingship he had no clue the truth behind his being. He had all the power and all the Glory but did not know who he truly