Was Oedipus his own step-father?

[Dulcie]

Okay, this year in literature, we were studying works by Sophocles.

Oedipus was sent away by his father, after it was said that Laius's son would grow up to kill him and marry his wife. Sadly, the boy did kill his father, marry his mother, and have children with her.

In class, I raised my hand and asked my teacher, "If Oedipus married his mother and had children with her, wouldn't that make him his own step-father, his children his step-siblings, and...?" But then she cut off and told me the entire relationship gave her a headache.

So, now I'm relying on someone on ZU to further elaborate on this entire family tree and perhaps provide a nice diagram.

[andi]

Yes, he was his own stepfather. Also, just for the record, your teacher is either a total imbecile or has never actually read a book that she is supposed to be teaching you guys about... x.X Either way, I think you need a new school that's made of less concentrated failgasm.

[GDwarf]

The family of Oedipus isn't all that complex. He married his mother. Ergo, he is his own step-father.

In addition, he is step-father to his siblings, but true father to his children.


...That's actually about all the genealogical weirdness right there, actually.

[Asci]

Originally Posted by GDwarf

The family of Oedipus isn't all that complex. He married his mother. Ergo, he is his own step-father.

In addition, he is step-father to his siblings, but true father to his children.


...That's actually about all the genealogical weirdness right there, actually.

This made me laugh.

[DrZaius1]

Then there's Antigone, Oedipus' daughter, who is romatically involved with Haimon, Creon's son. Of course, Creon is Jocaste's brother, who just happens to be Antigone's mother (and Oedipus' wife and mother, obviously).

[Azarimanka]

Originally Posted by DrZaius1

Then there's Antigone, Oedipus' daughter, who is romatically involved with Haimon, Creon's son. Of course, Creon is Jocaste's brother, who just happens to be Antigone's mother (and Oedipus' wife and mother, obviously).

of course Oedipus Bazileus is so much better in the original Greek!

[Gracie]

You've got Jacosta and Laius. They have Oedipus. Oedipus leaves, kills his father, marries mother. Anyone that marries your mother is your stepfather. So yeah, technically, he is.

http://www.gradesaver.com/classicnot...images/?n=5881

[Power Shot]

Let the Greek handle this one...

The correct answer is yes. He is his own step-father, having married his mother and becoming both her second husband and his own father, making him a step-parent to himself. However, with his children, he becomes both father and brother, as he has a mutual mother with both of them.

If the above paragraph didn't chill you slightly with disgust, you are either a scholar like myself, or from the state of Arkansas.

[Azarimanka]

[quote=Power Shot;1814533]Let the Greek handle this one...

yup Classical Greek all the way as far as i am concerned - Oedipus Bazileus and for that matter all of Greek tragedy loses a lot in the translation to english - in particular the poetry of the original

[andi]

Originally Posted by AzaISaZELDALORD

yup Classical Greek all the way as far as i am concerned - Oedipus Bazileus and for that matter all of Greek tragedy loses a lot in the translation to english - in particular the poetry of the original

Why in the world would anybody transcribe a classic Greek sigma into English as a Z? o.O

Also, you do realize that the Greek title is actually Oἰδίπoυς τύραννoς, or Oedipus Tyrannus, right, and that a tyrannos and a basileus are entirely separate people? o.O

Do you... even know ancient Greek, sir? o.o In which case, why are you talking about something as if you know anything about it - read: the equivalent of me pretending that my blood magically carried the power to let me translate and perfectly understandstand such beautiful and ancient works as the Charter of Cnut. :O

[Eternal Paradox]

Originally Posted by Dulcie

In class, I raised my hand and asked my teacher, "If Oedipus married his mother and had children with her, wouldn't that make him his own step-father, his children his step-siblings, and...?" But then she cut off and told me the entire relationship gave her a headache.

You have a terrible teacher.

Originally Posted by Asci

This made me laugh.

Somehow I didn't see it until you pointed it out. That was quite funny.

Originally Posted by Power Shot

If the above paragraph didn't chill you slightly with disgust, you are either a scholar like myself, or from the state of Arkansas.

Since I'm not from Arkansas, I guess that makes me a Scholar.

[Azarimanka]

[quote=andi;1815293]Why in the world would anybody transcribe a classic Greek sigma into English as a Z? o.O


Do you... even know ancient Greek, sir? o.o In which case, why are you talking about something as if you know anything about it - read: the equivalent of me pretending that my blood magically carried the power to let me translate and perfectly understandstand such beautiful and ancient works as the Charter of Cnut. :O[/

Well I am talking as though I know about it because I do know about it...
To ignore this knowledge is akin to Kroesus ignoring the oracles at the start of the Histories: When a mule sits on the Median throne run then tender footed lydian along pebbly hermus flee then and do not fear to be a coward - Kroesus disregards this oracle - at his cost, you are like Kroesus - you seized on a minor mistake concerning the title of a play, and jump to the obvious conclusion Kroesus assumed that a mule could never be king but you assume I have no knowledge of Greek. In both the assumption was wrong

[Dulcie]

Okay, thank you. This was not actually for something school-related, it was something that was just...bothering me.

I just thought that there may have been some unwritten law about these relationships somewhere, but I guess there isn't.

[andi]

Dulcie - the unwritten law is "it's super-gross". Honestly, that's all anyone needs to know about it, and common sense pretty much dictates that it's the case. :3

An Essay On Morality By: Some Stuck-Up Whiner
"Well I am talking as though I know about it because I do know about it...
To ignore this is akin to Kroesus ignoring the oracles at the start of the Histories: When a sits on the Median throne run then tender ed lydian along pebbly hermus flee then and do not to be a coward - Kroesus disregards this oracle - at his cost, you are like Kroesus - you seized on a minor concerning the of a play, and jump to the obvious conclusion Kroesus assumed that a could never be but you assume I have no of Greek. In both the assumption was


My Retort, Ho Ho Ho:
Ah, so you're just an egotistical chump, unable to either quantify or clarify this knowledge you have of ancient Greek but to instead throw crappy google translations of what is a wonderful and intricately-written line at me? :3 I see, I see. You should know perfectly well the words of Aeschylus, for it was HE who said the following, and today it would seems as though he has written all of his works and had them passed down through generation upon generation just so you'd have to chance to read what he has to say today! Wow, don't you feel special! Thank the gods the world has so aligned to deliver this critical message to you in safety!

ἀλλ' ὦ κακόδαιμον ἀνάγκη
μεγάλων γνωμῶν καὶ διανοιῶν ἴσα καὶ τὰ ῥήματα τίκτειν.

Thanks for the clarification, though, kiddo. :3 It's good to know where exactly I'm standing in this battle of Useless (but cool) Skills To Have.