Oedipus Rex · Character

Laius

Thebes's murdered former king, whose unsolved death at a crossroads is the crime the oracle orders Oedipus to avenge.

supporting

First appearance: oedipus rex

As a supporting figure in Oedipus Rex, Laius is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

See Laius in oedipus rex Book page

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Laius ruled Thebes before Oedipus and died abroad on the road to Delphi, killed by robbers — or so the one surviving witness claimed. His murder, never avenged amid the city's troubles, is the 'fell pollution' the god commands be driven out, and his name is the first clue Oedipus follows. Long before the play begins, an oracle warned Laius that his own son would kill him, and the measures he took to prevent it are the buried machinery of everything that follows.

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The fuller portrait of Laius sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Laius in oedipus rex

Character Web

9 connections

A slice of how Laius sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Professional
Psychological

Character groups

Truth Revealers and Seekers
Protagonist

+4 more in the full Character Web

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Relationships

Jocasta
family · ambivalent
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the… How this plays out →
Creon
family · positive
Herdsman
professional · ambivalent
Apollo
psychological · negative
Oedipus
family · negative
Herdsman
professional · ambivalent
Creon
family · positive
Jocasta
family · ambivalent
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the… How this plays out →

Jocasta
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the tragic prophecy concerning their son Oedipus.
Creon
Creon is Laius's brother-in-law, and their relationship is one of political alliance and familial duty within the royal house of Thebes.
Herdsman
The Herdsman was a loyal servant of Laius, entrusted with the task of disposing of the infant Oedipus to avoid the prophecy.
Apollo
Apollo's oracle foretold Laius's death at the hands of his own son, making Laius a victim of divine manipulation and fear.
Oedipus
Laius is Oedipus's biological father, but their relationship is defined by Laius's attempt to kill his son and Oedipus's unwitting patricide.
Herdsman
The Herdsman was a loyal servant of Laius, entrusted with the task of disposing of the infant Oedipus to avoid the prophecy.
Creon
Creon is Laius's brother-in-law, and their relationship is one of political alliance and familial duty within the royal house of Thebes.
Jocasta
Jocasta and Laius were married, and their relationship is defined by shared rule and the tragic prophecy concerning their son Oedipus.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Laius in oedipus rex