‘Oedipus the King’: Timeline of Events
The Blind Oedipus Commends his Family to the Gods, by Bénigne Gagneraux, 1784, National Museum of Sweden
‘Oedipus The King’ by Sophocles is a phenomenal text about the tension between free will and fate that is studied around the world, but it can be a lot to wrap your head around. The majority of the play is spent focusing on uncovering past events, which can make the timeline of events somewhat confusing. To make studying this text easier, we have broken down the ‘true’ timeline of events and the ‘plots’ timeline of events.
True timeline of events
Queen Jocasta and King Laius receive a prophecy that their son (Oedipus) will kill his father (Laius).
Jocasta and Laius tie the baby’s ankles and give him to a messenger to take him up to Mount Cithaeron so that he may not live to fulfil the prophecy.
The servant, feeling pity for the baby, gives him to a shepherd.
That shepherd then gives him to the Corinthian King and Queen (Polybus and Merope), who were childless.
They raise him as their own, never telling him that he is adopted.
As an adult, Oedipus attends a party where someone tells him that he is not the King and Queen’s biological son.
Concerned, he speaks to the King and Queen, who deny that they aren’t his parents.
Not feeling convinced, Oedipus seeks the oracle at Delphi (Apollo’s oracle) and asks if his parents (King Polybus and Queen Merope) are truly his parents.
Instead of answering that question, the oracle reveals that Oedipus will kill his father and sleep with his mother.
Thinking that the oracle is referring to King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth, he leaves the city.
On his journey escaping the city, he meets King Laius at the crossroads, and after refusing to give King Laius right of way, King Laius orders his attendants to attack Oedipus. In the fight, Oedipus kills the attendants and Laius.
After that, Oedipus continues his journey and ends up in Thebes, where the Sphinx is causing suffering to the city.
To save the city from the Sphinx, her riddle must be solved (which Oedipus does).
After this, the city then wants him to be King (since their previous King, Laius, is dead), and he ends up being the King of Thebes and marrying Queen Jocasta.
The events of the play now begin (See below for more details)
Plot’s timeline of events
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