a) Oedipus
Parentage: Laius and Jokasta of Thebes, adopted and fostered by Polybus and Merope of Corinth
Place of birth: Thebes
Marital status: Married to Jokasta, Queen of Thebes
Children: Antigone, Ismene, Polynices, Eteocles
Societal Status: Tyrranos of Thebes
Name Etymology: “swollen-foot”, so named because of the injury dealt to him to ensure his exposure on Mount Cithaeron. The first half of his name also bears significant (and resonant) resemblance to the Greek verb oida, “to know”, which is incorporated into the text at multiple points in the play.
b) Jocasta
Parentage: Menoeceus and an unknown woman
Place of birth: Unconfirmed, likely Thebes
Marital status: Widow of Laius, wife of Oedipus
Children: Oedipus, Antigone, Ismene, Polynices, Eteocles
Societal Status: Queen of Thebes
Name Etymology: Unknown, associations with ‘brightness’ or ‘adornment’, potentially stemming from kekadmai or kainumai, “to be distinguished, to excel” (Papadodima, Acta Classica, 145)
c) Kreon
Parentage: Menoeceus and an unknown woman
Place of birth: Unconfirmed, likely Thebes
Marital Status: Married to Eurydice
Children: Haemon in the Sophoclean canon, joined by Henioche, Pyrrha, Megareus/Menoeceus the Younger and Lycomedes in alternate versions
Societal Status: Respected nobility in Thebes, afforded a third of the power
Name Etymology: “Ruler”
d) Tiresias
Parentage: Everes, a mortal shepherd and Chariclo, a nymph
Place of birth: Unknown, potentially Thebes or Sparta
Marital status: Single
Children: None
Societal Status: Priest of Apollo, highly respected but outside of traditional social hierarchy
Name Etymology: Unknown
Additional Information: Tiresias is well-known in the classical canon as the archetypal ‘blind prophet’, a wild and powerful figure whose favorite haunt has always been Thebes. He is a pivotal figure in three tragedies, two of which are the first and last plays of the Theban cycle (the other being Euripides’ Bacchae), appearing to warn the protagonist off their course of action. The seer and reader of bird-omens is often a representative of divine law within the play, railing against mortal efforts to circumvent the will of the gods. He rarely shows respect for mortal authority, most famously in the insult-slinging between him and Oedipus.
As with every figure, there are multiple versions of his backstory, but his intimate ties to Apollo remain consistent. Wherever Tiresias appears, Apollo is not far behind; the seer acts as the god of prophecy’s representative on Earth, a semi-papal figure (but much wilder and separate from society; perhaps John the Baptist is a closer match). His dwelling-place is unclear, but likely either within or on the borders of Thebes; logistically, if he is to answer Oedipus’ summons in the time constraints the play provides, he must not be coming from very far away.
-Emma