Study Guide

Oedipus

Profile

Widely known as "that-dude-who-killed-his-dad-and-slept-with-his-mom," Oedipus is one of the most famous people in all of Greek mythology. (Figures, right? All it takes to be mega-famous is to do something totally messed up.) The thing with Oedipus, though, is that he had no idea that he was doing anything wrong. His parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes, abandoned him at birth. Why? Because it was prophesied that he would do exactly what he eventually did. So when he killed Laius on a highway, he thought he was just defending himself against some random angry dude. And when he married Jocasta and became the King of Thebes, he thought it was just an awesome reward for saving Thebes from the Sphinx by solving her riddle. Talk about tough luck.

Basic Information

Name	Oedipus
Nickname	That-dude-who-killed-his-dad-and-slept-with-his-mom
Sex	Male
Current city	Elysium

Work & Education

Occupation	Hero Riddle Solver Sphinx Slayer King of Thebes
Education	Athena's Academy of Puzzles The Fates' School of Hard Knocks

Beliefs

Political views

Ugh, why did I ever get involved?

Family & Friends (& Enemies)

Parents	Laius (my dad, who I unknowingly killed… oops) Jocasta (my mom, who I unknowingly married and had babies with… extra oops)
Siblings	None (I'm not even sure why my parents had me, considering that whole prophecy thing.)
Children	Antigone Ismene Eteocles Polyneices
Friends	I freak everybody out. Only my daughter Antigone ever stuck by me.
Enemies	The Sphinx Myself (I caused all my own problems) The Fates (who got seriously twisted when they decided on mine)

Relationships

Relationship status	Was married to Jocasta. Yes, my mom. I get it.
Interested in	I just don't risk it anymore.

Favorites

TV Shows	Sherlock House (Kind of my hero.) Breaking Bad
Quotations	"Truth, like light, blinds. Falsehood, on the contrary, is a beautiful twilight that enhances every object." – Albert Camus "We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered." – Tom Stoppard "Mama, just killed a man..." – "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen "Mama, take this badge from me I can't use it anymore It's getting dark too dark to see Feels like I'm knockin' on heaven's door" – Bob Dylan "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." – Samuel Beckett
Books	All My Sons by Arthur Miller As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner (This book always reminds me of fading away in Colonus.) Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee (I know all about it.) Endgame by Samuel Beckett (I feel like I was always playing an endgame and never knew it.) The Plague by Albert Camus (Kind of like the one I unknowingly caused in Thebes. Talk about embarrassing.) One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez Oedipus the King by Sophocles "When I Consider How My Light is Spent (Oh His Blindness)" by John Milton The Biggest Riddle Book in the World by Joseph Rosenbloom (Good bathroom reading.)
Music	Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You) by Kelly Clarkson Wide Awake by Katy Perry Oedipus by Regina Spektor Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Guns N' Roses I See a Darkness by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Hurt by Johnny Cash Sweet Blindness by Frank Sinatra (I mostly like this song for the outfits in the video.)
Movies	The Dark Knight (Another misunderstood hero.) Inception (Okay, this movie confused me.) Scent of a Woman Citizen Kane (I totally solved the riddle of what "rosebud" means.) Final Destination The Ten Commandments The Miracle Worker Ted (Hey, everybody needs to not think sometimes.)

Activities & Interests

Likes	Sunglasses Braille Riddle books Rubik's cubes
Dislikes	Everything that happened to me?
Interests	Riddle-ology Enigmatology
Groups	Heroes Kings of Greece Riddle Solvers

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