1. Greek Drama
Early Greek Theatre

2. The Amphitheatre

11. Greek Comedy

12. Thalia,
muse of
comedy

13. An actor playing Zeus in a comedy

17. Early comedies were much like
burlesque—crude humor and lots of sexual
antics

21. Later, when Athens became a democracy,
plays began to incorporate political satire

22. Lysistrata, by Aristophanes, is a comedy
still performed frequently today

23. The women of
Greece, tired of
war, go on a sex
strike for peace.

25. The men suffer,
but the women
are adamant.

28. Tragedy

29. A key part of tragic drama was the chorus

31. All the actors were men, and all wore
masks

35. Oedipus Rex (the king) or Oedipus
Tyrannus (the tyrant)

36. The action takes place in front of the
palace in the Greek city of Thebes

37. Thebes was founded by Cadmus, cursed
because he killed a dragon

39. An Oracle consulted at Oedipus’ birth said
the child would murder its father

43. The child was taken to the mountains

44. Its ankles were pierced, and it was left to
die

45. Oedipus is known in Greek mythology for being declared a Greek hero. In the myth of
Oedipus, he lived up to the requests of what was called the Delphic oracle and murdered his
father, King Laius out of pure rage and jealousy. As the story evolves, Oedipus unknowingly
marries his own mother, Queen Jocasta and creates a family with her (Freeman and Strean
13).
Resulting from his marriage, Oedipus created three intersecting crossroads. In stating this, it
is meant that he engaged in sexual activity with Jocasta and had children as an outcome of
their copulation.. Therefore, Oedipus helped to create three generations (or crossroads) in
which he was a part of all of them (Rudnytsky 265).
The Greek meaning of Oedipus’ name is "swollen foot". Oidus means swollen and pous
means foot. The first syllable of Oedipus’ name, ‘oido’, means "I know." Thus his full name
could be depicted as know-foot (Rudnytsky 266). The meaning of his name reverts to his feet
so much particularly because of a special marking he received when he was an infant. When
he was young, he had his ankles pierced, therefore, he lives up to his name of "swollen foot"
and he even had difficulties in walking (Rudnytsky 265).
Ironically enough the term "swollen foot" is meant to be an allusion of an erect penis
(Rudnytsky 261). Because of this association, it would be simpler to decipher the true
meaning of the Oedipus myth. Overall, it has evolved into an entire story about how a boy
feels towards his father in a jealous way and how a boy feels towards his mother in a sexual
way.
Works Cited
Freeman, Lucy, and Dr. Herbert S. Strean. Freud and Women. New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1981.
Rudnytsky, Peter L. Freud and Oedipus. New York: Columbia University Press, 1987.

46. Oedipus was adopted by the King and Queen of
Corinth, but left Corinth as a young man when
he heard what the oracle had to say

47. At a place where three roads met, he
killed some travelers who would not
give way

50. When Oedipus
came to the city of
Thebes, he found it
without its king and
under the curse of
a sphinx.

51. The sphinx killed any passer-by who could
not answer her riddle

55. Oedipus confronted the monster

57. He was able to solve the riddle

61. The sphinx threw herself into the sea and
Thebes was saved

62. King Laius having been found murdered,
Oedipus was named king

63. He married Queen Jocasta

66. Oedipus and Jocasta had 2 sons and 2
daughters

67. His most famous child was his daughter
Antigone

69. The action of the play begins when Thebes
is suffering a terrible plague

70. Priests and citizens come to beg Oedipus
for help

73. Oedipus has sent his brother-in-law
(and uncle) Creon to an oracle to ask
how to rid the kingdom of disease

74. Creon returns, telling Oedipus and the
people that the murderer of Laius must
be found and removed from the city

75. Oedipus vows to find and punish the
murderer

77. He sends for a witness to the murder and
for the blind seer Tiresias

78. Oedipus questions Tiresias

79. Tiresias refuses to name the murderer

80. The furious Oedipus demands an answer

81. Tiresias tells the king that he murdered
Laius

82. Oedipus refuses to believe Tiresias

83. He accuses Creon of plotting to seize the
throne of Thebes

84. Jocasta reveals information about the
murder of her first husband

85. The witness admits that Laius and his men
were killed by one man

86. The murder occurred at a place where
three roads meet

87. Oedipus becomes worried

88. A messenger arrives from Corinth

89. He reveals that Oedipus was adopted by
the king and queen of Corinth

90. The shepherd who brought the child to
Corinth is sent for

91. Jocasta gets nervous

92. Jocasta urges Oedipus to ignore oracles

93. But Oedipus presses on

94. The shepherd is questioned and admits to
taking Jocasta’s child to Corinth

95. As Oedipus realizes it is he who indeed
murdered his father and married his mother, he
receives news of Jocasta’s suicide

96. Oedipus blinds himself with the brooches
from Jocasta’s robe

99. He requests exile from king Creon

100. He will be guided by his young daughters

101. He leaves Thebes, and the plague ends