We Should All Love Our Mothers

In the play, “Oedipus Rex,” the king is visited by an elderly Messenger from a distant land with important news.

Oedipus- “Never, I will never go near my parents.”
Messenger- “My boy, it is clear, you don’t know what you’re doing.”


Why does the Messenger refer to Oedipus as “my boy?”

A. The messenger knows that Oedipus is male
B. Oedipus is actually a child
C. The messenger thinks that Oedipus is naïve like a child
D. The messenger knows that Oedipus is a Momma’s boy

Scroll down for the answer.

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Answer- C- Based upon how familiar the Messenger seems to be with the king, the Messenger holds knowledge that the king does not have.


A is irrelevant. B. Typically non-royals do not address Kings in a condescending or familiar manner, unless they have just cause to do so.
D is simply wrong. On multiple levels. Forgive me.



Thanks to Jaxon, Daniel, and Daniel, three guys who love their mothers (not like Oedipus, though...  Ewww!)