What really happened to Oedipus? - Stephen Esposito
309,882
Published 2024-06-18
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When Queen Jocasta of Thebes gave birth to Oedipus, a grim air seized the occasion. Her husband, King Laius, had received a prophecy from Apollo's oracle foretelling that he would die at the hands of his own son. Determined to escape this fate, Laius abandoned the newborn on Mount Cithaeron. But divine prophecies can be quite stubborn. Stephen Esposito shares the tragic Greek tale of Oedipus.
Lesson by Stephen Esposito, directed by Yael Reisfeld.
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Animator's website: www.yaelreisfeld.com/
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All Comments (21)
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Freud: “hmmmm this makes total sense! I’m sure everyone ends up like this! I’m an amazing scientist!”.
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Another Greek legend that traumatizes my mind and relations, yet it is good because who doesn't like drama.
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"One often meet his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it"
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Sigmund Freud - Freudian slip Oedipus complex " Dude , I neither loved my mother nor knew she was my mother " - Oedipus
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3:38 NOT THE MEME
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2:13 this is the most blursed Ted Ed image I've seen
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I always found it very perplexing how Oedipus just casually kills the king, like WTF did the dude just not have any guards???
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I read the first story in university but never knew it had a sequel. It's immensely meaningful that he forgave himself and moved on in peace.
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Oedipus married his own mom, Jocosta, shows that the prophecy takes "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" way too seriously.
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The animation makes this 5000 times creepier
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Imagine accidentally having kids with your mother. If only Oedipus double checked if his mother had green eyes, then he could have left.
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"Kill Daddy, Marry Mommy" Freud is probably rollin with laughter in his grave right now.
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"Oedipus blinded himself in anguish, expunging his deceitful sense of sight which had kept him from truly seeing so much."
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A popular Nigerian retelling of this story, “The Gods Are Not To Blame” by Ola Rotimi, tells the story the same way, but with a few differences. Oedipus or Odewale, is raised by farmers. He kills his birth father on a farm, is told the prophesy by a friend, runs away and comes to his home land. He leads the army of Kutuje against invaders and becomes king, marrying his mother in the process. It is a very thrilling drama. I was proud to be cast as Ojuola or Jocasta in the original story. Well done, Ted-Ed!
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One often meets their destiny on the path they take to avoid it.
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Sophocles: “Oedipus’s story may have ended at Colonus, but his family’s woes aren't over yet. Come see my play, Antigone, to see more family drama unfold.”
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What’s crazy to think about is that if the oracle did not tell the king that he would die by his son, none of this would have happened. It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.
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The horror movie "Hereditary" and "Oedipus" both have this whisper of "you can't escape your fate"
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Watching this whole animation while being high and sleepy is a serene experience 😂
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"Aw, man! And I thought I had problems!"
