Oedipus The King Summary

To fully understand Sophocles’ play, the context must be explained. Oedipus the King takes place in mythological ancient Greece. In the city of Thebes, the events of this play happen all in a single day. In front of the Palace of Thebes, the people of this day are experiencing a famine in the land. An oracle tells that this famine is present because the murderer of the old king, Laius, has not been found and subsequently punished. In this age, it is important to note that the people of ancient Greece rely heavily on religion. For this play in particular, the sun god Apollo is prayed to. They ask him for his divine light to show them the truth. The main character is the protagonist, King Oedipus. He is the ruler of the city of Thebes. He comes into power after moving from his hometown of Corinth. He moves to Thebes to avoid killing his …show more content…
It is later revealed that she is actually his mother. Jocasta seems to be the one who wants to put the whole search for her former husband’s murderer to rest. She does not actually believe Tiresias’s prophecy. Furthermore, she does not believe the oracle presented at Oedipus’ birth because she was told her husband died at the hand of robbers. This is where the themes of truth, fate, and free will appear. Jocasta wants to protect Oedipus from the truth because she loves him. However, she cannot protect him and ends her life in the final scenes of the play. Creon is the brother of Jocasta. He and Oedipus have an apparent rivalry during the course of the play. Creon and Oedipus seem to have similar personalities. They both are bossy, stern, and demanding in nature. It is likely that is the reason they clash. Another reason is that Oedipus thinks that Creon is his enemy and wants to be king. Oedipus thinks that he has consulted with the prophet in a scheme to take the crown. Creon strikes down this allegation and suggests that they are equal. In the end, the truth is uncovered, and Creon becomes the