According to some ancient sources preserved through quotations, the

was written in the last years of Sophocles’ life, when the poet was ninety. It was probably produced in 401 BCE after the poet’s death (404 BCE) by his grandson who had been named after him. The drama is a reflection on the ending of Oedipus, who dies at the end of the tragedy, on the ending of Athens, which lost its status in 404 BCE, when it surrendered to Sparta, and on the end of the Sophocles’ own life. It looks again at the character of Oedipus, whom Sophocles depicted in his earlier plays

(perhaps produced in 442 BCE) and

(maybe staged in 430 BCE). The drama also looks ahead to a future that the poet offers to his audience as a gift. Athens was humiliated by Sparta…

3118 words

Citation: Francisetti Brolin, Sonia. "Oedipus Coloneus". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 August 2017 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=3152, accessed 21 November 2024.]

• View recommended reading for this article