What really happened to Oedipus? - Stephen Esposito

Dig into the tragic tale of Oedipus, who unknowingly fulfills a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother.

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When Queen Jocasta of Thebes gave birth to Oedipus, a grim air seized the occasion. Her husband, King Laius, had received a prophecy from Apollo's oracle foretelling that he would die at the hands of his own son. Determined to escape this fate, Laius abandoned the newborn on Mount Cithaeron. But divine prophecies can be quite stubborn. Stephen Esposito shares the tragic Greek tale of Oedipus.

Lesson by Stephen Esposito, directed by Yael Reisfeld.

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[reedorridwan]

"One often meet his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it"

[awesomehpt]

Freud: “hmmmm this makes total sense! I’m sure everyone ends up like this! I’m an amazing scientist!”.

[princesingh]

Another Greek legend that traumatizes my mind and relations, yet it is good because who doesn't like drama.

[practicalpen]

I read the first story in university but never knew it had a sequel. It's immensely meaningful that he forgave himself and moved on in peace.

[claudio]

I always found it very perplexing how Oedipus just casually kills the king, like WTF did the dude just not have any guards???

[SirsasthNigam.]

Sigmund Freud - Freudian slip
Oedipus complex

" Dude, I neither loved my mother nor knew she was my mother " - Oedipus

[poweroffriendship.]

Oedipus married his own mom, Jocosta, shows that the prophecy takes _"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"_ way too seriously.

[lixie_xx]

"Kill Daddy, Marry Mommy" Freud is probably rollin with laughter in his grave right now.

[PalladiumOfDragons]

What’s crazy to think about is that if the oracle did not tell the king that he would die by his son, none of this would have happened. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.

[iam_a_sad_khan]

"Oedipus blinded himself in anguish, expunging his deceitful sense of sight which had kept him from truly seeing so much."

[Jon-Rimmer]

The animation makes this 5000 times creepier

[Chinag]

2:13 this is the most blursed Ted Ed image I've seen

[jessicadecuir]

Sophocles: “Oedipus’s story may have ended at Colonus, but his family’s woes aren't over yet. Come see my play, Antigone, to see more family drama unfold.”

[anjolasburnbook]

A popular Nigerian retelling of this story, “The Gods Are Not To Blame” by Ola Rotimi, tells the story the same way, but with a few differences. Oedipus or Odewale, is raised by farmers. He kills his birth father on a farm, is told the prophesy by a friend, runs away and comes to his home land. He leads the army of Kutuje against invaders and becomes king, marrying his mother in the process.

It is a very thrilling drama. I was proud to be cast as Ojuola or Jocasta in the original story.

Well done, Ted-Ed!

[colbyduhon]

The horror movie "Hereditary" and "Oedipus" both have this whisper of "you can't escape your fate"

[Kvd]

Watching this whole animation while being high and sleepy is a serene experience 😂

[Vocalsonly]

One often meets their destiny on the path they take to avoid it.

[InvaderFlasher]

There is a book from French novelist Pierre Bayard called 'Oedipe n'est pas coupable' which argues that Oedipus is not guilty for the murder of its father. It was fascinating, as all of it made sense. Why would the Gods unleash the Sphinx and the plague on Thebes, even though the prophecy is thought to have occurred? Why did the witness from Laios' murder said, right after it, that it was a mass attack? Why was he also the same man who was ordered to kill Oedipus when he was a baby? How could Oedipus kill his father and all his guards, he who is handicapped by its foot bruise? I won't spoil the murderer, but I heavily recommend it. It also debates the effect of the true story on the world of psychology.

[Puggalug]

This Greek tragedy was covered in high school English for me. And despite this being an ancient story, it found its way into Hollywood. One of our assignments was to identify films that used the concept of the Oedipus complex, and one example was Back To The Future.

Can anyone think of more movies?

[JurassicTheory]

Finding out the truth like Oedipus is like having a movie like “Avengers: Endgame” spoiled for you 😭