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Plot Map of Sophocles Oedipus the King
Plot Map Diagram
Climax: Oedipus sends for the man who survived the tragic attack in which his father was killed to see if the man killed his father or not. He also realizes that the man he thought was his father wasnt his biological father. He, therefore, seeks answers from the man who found him. This man happens to be the man he has sent for.
The end
The middle
The beginning
Before the play
Rising Action: Oedipus sends for the blind prophet, Teiresias him about the man. This is when Oedipus finds out that he was the culprit all along, and in an attempt to deny this revelation, accuses the prophet and Creon of wanting to steal his throne. Therefore, he throws Teiresias out.
Denouncement: Oedipus finds out that the king he killed was his biological father and that the woman he is married to is his biological mother, Jocasta. The events that follow make Jocasta hang herself. After seeing what has happened to his mother/wife, Oedipus removes his eyes, thereby becoming blind. In turn, he accepts the terms given by Creon as his punishment which is exile.
Inciting Incident: Creon is sent to find out how the pollution can be stopped.
He also tells Oedipus that he must kill whoever killed his father, the old King Laius.
Point of Attack: Oedipus is in the priests company before a crowd of children, discussing the pollution in the town.
Storyline begins
The story ends
Setting
The story is set during an ancient period in Greece in the land of Thebes, in front of the palace found in this land. However, the land of Corinth is also mentioned from time to time. Oedipus reigns in the same place where his father, Oedipus, also reigned during his time (Johnson). He sleeps on the same bed his father slept in, and ironically, he also meets his downfall in the same place where he sprung. At the beginning of the story, he seems to be a good king who sees himself as the father to his subjects.
Characters
The story contains various characters, including Oedipus, Teiresias, Jocasta, Antigone, Creon, Polynices, Haemon, Ismene, Theseus, Chorus, and Eurydice. These characters have different descriptions, as discussed below.
Protagonist
The protagonist character in this book is Oedipus, the King himself. The real son of Jocasta and Laius. He was born with a bad prophecy of killing his birth father, the King, and eventually marrying his mother. Thus, his father orders his death, but instead, he ends up with a childless king and...…blind to reality. Therefore, the point of view within this story is the third person, objective or dramatic, with an observer in the form of an audience or narrator. This is revealed through the action of dialogue. As the characters continuously interact through the story, tensions develop out of their varying views of perspectives. The characters also interpret the actions of the characters and what they say. Also, after the King is killed, Oedipus swears to find the culprit, unaware that it was him. Thus, his search for the truth is the same thing that keeps the truth from him (Johnson).
Perspective on the Story after Creating a Plot Map versus Reading the Story
Breaking the story down into a plot map diagram facilitates an easier understanding of the story than if I just read it. Creating the plot diagram has allowed me to summarize the story while highlighting the key scenes. Additionally, it helped me properly organize and identify the characters behind the story, its setting, and every relevant theme. This enhances my ability to develop a graphic or visual memory of the storyline, the plot, and the main themes captured by the story. Thus, my overall understanding of the key elements and the book in its entirety is…
Work Cited
Johnston, Ian. Sophocles: Oedipus the King. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
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