ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus Rex, and Oidipous Tyrannos) is one of seven plays by Sophocles that have survived complete, out of the more than one hundred and twenty that he wrote.

Detailed explanation-2: -What is Sophocles known for? Sophocles was one of the three great Greek tragedians. Of his eight plays (seven full, one fragmented) that remain today, his most famous is Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex), which is known for its impressive construction and use of dramatic devices.

Detailed explanation-3: -The story was not invented by Sophocles. Quite the opposite: the play’s most powerful effects often depend on the fact that the audience already knows the story. Since the first performance of Oedipus Rex, the story has fascinated critics just as it fascinated Sophocles.

Detailed explanation-4: -Oedipus Rex, also known by its Greek title, Oedipus Tyrannus (Ancient Greek: , pronounced [oidípoːs týrannos]), or Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy by Sophocles that was first performed around 429 BC.

Detailed explanation-5: -The Plot. The plot of Oedipus Rex is a straightforward interpretation of a Greek myth. When the king and queen of Thebes give birth to a son, Oedipus, an oracle tells them that their child will kill his father. To avoid this the king, Laius, orders the child to have his feet broken and then be left for dead.