to the "now" story to give depth and understanding to the events. Mystery plays a large role in Oedipus Rex. His history, the "past" story, is given to the audience in sections to allow the mystery to play out.The first section of Oedipus's life we learn is the story of the Sphinx. In this story we learn that Oedipus came to power in Thebes after he solved the riddle of the sphinx and saved the city. This was just after the death of Laius. We learn that Oedipus is seen as a savior because of this and that is why the citizens look to him to have an answer to the pestilence.The second story of Oedipus's history is the prophecy of patricide. Jocasta tells of the prophecy to reinforce the notion that seers are wrong. In actuality, it foreshadows what is to be learned in the discussion with the messenger and herdsman. Jocasta tells of Oedipus's abandonment as well. She tells how Laius received a prophecy that his son would kill him. Upon this warning, Jocasta and Laius had their child brought into the mountains to die. After Jocasta tale of prophecy, Oedipus tells of his own prophecy and his flight from Corinth. The tale goes that Oedipus had been at a party at which a drunken man told him that he was a bastard. He went to Pytho to speak with an oracle and get an answer to birth. He learned, instead, that he was fated to kill his father and lie with his mother. After hearing this, he fled. On his flight, he came to a crossroad in which a carriage of men shoved him from the road. He became angry and killed them all. Unknowingly, he had just killed Laius and fulfilled the prophecy of patricide both he and Laius had been given. The rest of Oedipus's history is just the completion of his abandonment and confirmation of his heritage. These come from the messenger and the herdsman. The messenger tells the tale of how he had received Oedipus in the mountains from another man and he had brought Oedipus to Polybus to raise. He to...
