Oedipus Trilogy

Sophocles Montrose Jonas MosesJul 2015

4.3

Word count: 44K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Oedipus was the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta. Before he was born, his parents consulted the Oracle at Delphi, which prophesied that Oedipus would murder his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to prevent the fulfillment of this prophecy, Laius ordered the infant's feet to be bound together and pierced with a stake. The baby was then given to a herdsman who was told to kill him. Unable to go through with his orders, the herdsman instead gave the child to a second herdsman, who took the baby Oedipus to the king of Corinth, Polybus. Polybus adopted Oedipus as his son, and the boy was raised as the crown prince of Corinth. Many years later, Oedipus was told that Polybus was not his real father. Seeking the truth, he sought counsel from an Oracle, and thus began the greatest tragedy ever written.

Editor's review

Sophocles' Oedipus Trilogy is a summit of ancient Greek tragedy, centered on fate, truth, and self-knowledge. The story begins with the prophecy of the Delphic oracle and gradually reveals how a man, in trying to escape his fate, moves step by step toward it. The power of the work lies not in suspense but in the shock of watching the truth unfold even though the audience already knows the outcome. The chorus, the dialogue, and the structural design display the high craft of classical drama, and the tension between fate and free will still resonates today. This edition serves well as an entry point to ancient Greek tragedy and rewards rereading for its layers of meaning. As you read, note the recurring images of oracles, blindness and sight, and knowledge and ignorance, which form the work's core metaphors.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Beginning readers interested in ancient Greek literature and tragic form
Students who want to understand the theme of fate and the origins of Western drama
Theater enthusiasts and performers in need of script material
Readers who wish to reread the classics and savor textual structure

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer light entertainment and are unused to classical dramatic form
First-time readers impatient with mythological background and choral structure
Readers expecting modern novelistic psychological description

Reading tips

Read the trilogy through once to grasp the story, then return to the foreshadowing and prophecies in the first play.
Mark the choral passages as you read and consider their dual role in narrative and commentary.
Consult background material on the House of Laius in Greek myth to help understand the relationships.
After finishing, try retelling the motive behind each of Oedipus's choices to test your understanding of the theme of fate.

Copyright information
OEDIPUS THE KING
OEDIPUS AT COLONUS
ANTIGONE

FAQ

In what order should the trilogy be read?

Read in the internal chronology of the story: first the part recounting Oedipus's origins and the revelation of the truth, then his subsequent fate, and finally the closing chapters concerning his children. This makes it clearer how the family's fate continues and helps you see each work's place in the whole.

Can I understand it without a background in Greek myth?

Yes. The key oracles and relationships are gradually explained through dialogue and the chorus, so you need not know all the myths in advance. If a name or place is unfamiliar, a brief mythological dictionary will suffice and will not hinder your grasp of the main conflict and themes.

What if the choral passages are hard to read?

The chorus serves commentary, lyric, and transition, and its language is condensed. On a first reading, grasp the general sense rather than every word; on a second pass, look closely at the recurring images and judgments, and you will find them echoing the characters' fates—key to understanding the play's overall attitude.

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About the author

Sophocles Montrose Jonas Moses Author

Sophocles Montrose Jonas Moses is an author about whom little public information is currently available. One work by this author is held in the collection, Oedipus Trilogy. Judging from the title, the book centers on the story of Oedipus from ancient Greek tragedy, touching on classic themes such as fate, truth, and self-knowledge. It is categorized in the collection under inspirational growth, perhaps for its reading value regarding fate and life choices. Because the author's dates, nationality, and biographical details cannot be confirmed, this introduction does not invent any education, profession, or writing career. It offers only an objective note based on the available bibliographic information: the author's profile is mainly reflected in the arrangement and presentation of classical material, and the work may be of interest to readers drawn to Greek tragedy and reflections on life.