The Infernal Machine (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Jean Cocteau
- First Published: 1934
- Type of Work: Play
- Type of Plot: Allegory
- Time of Work: Mythological ancient Greece
- Setting: Ancient Thebes
- Genres: Drama, Allegory, Mythological literature, Farce, Burlesque
- Subjects: Mothers, Parents and children, Mythology or myths, Murder or homicide, Blindness or blind persons, Mistaken or secret identity, Guilt, Incest, Punishment, Death or dying, Kings, queens, or royalty, Ethics, Corruption, Fate or fatalism, Prophecy or prophets, Greek or Roman times, Priests, Greece or Greek people, Oracles
- Locales: Greece, ancient, Thebes, ancient
Characters Discussed
Oedipus (EH-deh-puhs), the son of Jocasta and Laius, sovereigns of Thebes. A ruthless, smug, conceited, headstrong, and ambitious young man, he was found on the mountain when still an infant, taken to Polybus and Merope, sovereigns of Corinth, and adopted by them. To escape the dire prediction of the oracle of Delphi, he leaves home and sets out to kill the Sphynx so that he can marry Queen Jocasta and become king of Thebes. Although he was given the answer to the riddle by the Sphynx, he believes himself to be a hero in defeating her and revels in his...
[The entire page is 847 words long]
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