Oppidus Rex

Oedipus Rex Summary

The play focuses on Oedipus, son of King Laius of Thebes and Queen Jocasta, also known as Iocaste; a mythical character that was chastised to avoid a prophecy that he would kill his father. He was found by a shepherd and raised in the court of King Polybus of Corinth and his wife Merope. Hearing from an oracle that he was destined to kill his father and marry his mother, and believing Polybus and Merope to be his real parents, he left Corinth. Meeting Laius by chance on a road and not recognizing him, Oedipus became involved in a fight with Laius and killed him. He then married his mother, not recognizing her either.

The plot thickens after Thebes had been cursed by the gods as punishment for Oedipus' unintentional wrongdoing. The play shows Oedipus' investigation, in which he curses and promises to find and exile those responsible for the murder of his father. Although the blind prophet blatantly tells Oedipus at the beginning of the play that he is the cause of the plague, Oedipus at first does not understand. Instead he accuses Tiresias of conspiring with Creon, Jocasta's brother, to overthrow him.

Oedipus then calls for a former servant of Laius, the only surviving witness of the murder, who fled the city when Oedipus became king. Soon a messenger from Corinth also arrives to inform Oedipus of the death of Polybus, whom Oedipus still believes is his real father, until the messenger informs him that he was adopted. In the conversations between Oedipus, Jocasta, the servant, and the messenger, Jocasta discovers the truth and runs off; eventually Oedipus learns the truth. The chorus fills in the unseen details: Jocasta has killed herself, and Oedipus, upon discovering her body, blinds himself. The play ends with Oedipus entrusting his children to Creon and going into exile, as he promised at the beginning.