Short Stories

Introduction to Quintessence

Before we start, let's begin with a brief introduction. Sophocles did a loathsome job at developing my character, he left out the fact that I was indescribably in love with my first husband Laius and that all my life I was strikingly enamored with music, then out of nowhere I am expected to marry a foreigner, Oedipus, while I'm still grieving my first love.  Before everything fell to pieces- I was a pianist. But of course you wouldn't know that- so along with the lyrics to this playlist, I have generously included snippets of my diary entries that might help you piece together a story lost in translation.

-Jocasta

Here's a timeline to help put everything in perspective:

·         1963: I was  born

·         1978: I meet Laius for the first time

·         1979: I became pregnant with Oedipus

·         1980: Oedipus is born {President}

·         1997 (April): Laius is murdered {Everything We Had}

·         1997 (May): Oedipus marries me {Welcome To My Life}

·         1998: I become attached to Oedipus {Medicine}

·         2003: Oedipus and I have a big fall out {End Of Me}

·         2014 (Oct. 17): Oedipus starts trying to find the truth {Ghost Town}

·         2014 (Oct. 21): Oedipus learns of his accidental incest with me {Breath}

·         2014 (Oct. 21): I  commit suicide

{If you couldn't tell this has been modernized because I decided I'd have more fun with my project if I played around with it a bit}

{There is a link to my 8tracks account- this a playlist from the point of view of Jocasta from Oedipus Rex (Oedipus the King by Sophocles). The diary entries will be found in the annotations of each song- enjoy}

{Here is a link to the play http://www.pbs.org/empires/thegreeks/educational/lesson4.html

I know you have to type it in but if you type 'Oedipus the king full text abridged' in Google it should be the second option. I really liked this play and it was super epic but I would read the 'Reader's Theater Version' if you're not so great at decoding old text.}