Importance Of The Sphinx Riddle In Oedipus

Oedipus is defined as Latinized form of the Greek Οιδιπους (Oidipous), meaning "swollen foot" from (oideo) "to swell" and πους (pous) "foot". In Greek legend Oedipus was the son of Laius and Jocasta. He unwittingly slew his father and married his mother. Oedipus was a great king but the Sphinx riddle was a perfect analogy of Oedipus’s life and this is evident through the plot events.

Firstly there is three parts of the sphinx riddle, and the first part of the riddle was “What is the creature that walks on four legs in the morning…” this riddle was first mentioned in the story when Oedipus wanted to pass through the gates of Thebsis but was stopped by the sphinx. And this first part of the riddle was very relevant to Oedipus’s life as how he was taken to the mountain by the shepherd to be killed. Oedipus was at the weakest point of his life at that time, which is related to the first part of the riddle of him walking on four legs meaning he is still young. But this relevance is evident through the way the Omen of the god Apollo that Lauis’s son would kill him and wed Jocasta would not come true. And in Other words Oedipus did not know what was waiting for him at the other side of the gate and what he had done was brilliant but it lead to fatal consequences later on. To recap Oedipus has solved the riddle based on his view of the riddle, but did not know that the sphinx riddle meant that it will happen to him.

The Second part of the riddle ‘ Walks on two feet’ is