Oedipus at Colonus is about the last day of Oedipus’ life, and he is one of the few tragic figures of ancient Greek drama to die of old age. He isn’t murdered by any family member and doesn’t’ commit suicide; he’s just old and tired of living. This enters into the plot of the play in a pretty big way because, well, the whole play is about Oedipus dying. Of old age.
His age doesn’t remind him of all the good times he’s had, either; his long life has been a punishment in and of itself, each passing day another reminder of Oedipus’ ultimate crime against the gods. Fun times.
Questions About Old Age
- Why do you think that the Chorus is made up of old men and not young men?
- Do you think that Oedipus and Creon’s old age makes them change their minds about life?
- How does Antigone’s youthfulness compare to her father’s old age?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Because Oedipus is an old man, he understands the way society works.
Even though Oedipus is an old man, he still doesn’t have any idea how he ended up in this situation.