The political meaning of Oedipus Tyrannus: Do we need an answer to an eternal question?

Abstract

The article explores current political interpretations of Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus that treat its main character either as a sort of embodiment of Athenian democracy (B. Knox), or as a personifcation of its renowned leader, Pericles (V. Ehrenberg). These interpretations lead to the commonly accepted dating of the tragedy to the 420s BC. Having demonstrated some problems (both literary and historical) arising from such an approach, the author tends to agree with a recent suggestion made by M. Vickers who argued that the Sophoclean Oedipus has some characteristics in common with another prominent Athenian political leader, Alcibiades. The article contains several additional arguments supporting this idea (in particular, resulting from an analysis of the pseudo-Platonic dialogue Alcibiades Minor). However, contrary to Vickers, the author believes that such an understanding compels us to date the play to the 410s, perceiving in it allusions to the famous trial on the ‘mutilation of the herms' and to Alcibiades' exile, during which he spent some time at Thebes. Although this interpretation doesn't claim to make our comprehension of the eternal meaning of Sophocles' Oedipus much more profound, it still might give a more adequate insight into the ways the play was received and evaluated by the Athenian audience.