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The Furies were the avenging spirits of Greek mythology who punished those who broke the laws of nature or of the gods—such as killing a parent or sibling—or who broke their oaths. The fact that Oedipus is at peace in the grove that is sacred to the Furies suggests that he is no longer being persecuted for his past deeds. The grove represents Oedipus's atonement and redemption.
The Grove of the Furies Quotes in Oedipus at Colonus
The Oedipus at Colonus quotes below all refer to the symbol of The Grove of the Furies. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Lines 577-1192
Quotes
So now I cry to those Great Goddesses,
I beg them, I storm them with my prayers—
Come to the rescue, fight for me, my champions!
So you can learn your lesson, Creon, learn
what breed of men stands guard around this city.
I beg them, I storm them with my prayers—
Come to the rescue, fight for me, my champions!
So you can learn your lesson, Creon, learn
what breed of men stands guard around this city.
Related Characters:
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Explanation and Analysis:
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The Grove of the Furies Symbol Timeline in Oedipus at Colonus
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Grove of the Furies appears in Oedipus at Colonus. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Lines 1-576
...after Oedipus was banished from Thebes, the city he once ruled. The play begins in the grove of the Furies at Colonus, which is close to and ruled by the great city of Athens. Oedipus...
(full context)
...approaches and demands that they move from their resting place, because it is holy ground, the grove of the Furies . Oedipus responds that this is a sign and that in fact he must not...
(full context)
...terrible Furies. When Oedipus speaks to them, they tell him he must step out of the grove of the Furies . He does, with Antigone's help, and sits on a rocky area just outside the...
(full context)
