Source edition
Sophocles, Volume 1. Storr, Francis, editor. London; New York: William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company, 1912.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This drama is a masterpiece of Ancient Greek tragedy depicting the tragic fate of a man undone by unavoidable destiny. The story begins in the plague-stricken city of Thebes, where King Oedipus vows to find and punish the murderer of the previous king, Laius, in order to save his people. Despite the warnings of the blind prophet Teiresias and the anxieties of Queen Jocasta, Oedipus relentlessly pursues the truth using his own intellect. However, through the testimonies of a messenger from Corinth and an old shepherd, the horrifying truth is revealed: Oedipus himself is the murderer of his father and the husband of his own mother. In despair, Jocasta hangs herself, and Oedipus gouges out his own eyes, accepting his blind and ruined state before requesting banishment. This work powerfully illustrates the fragility of human existence, where a noble quest for truth leads directly to one's own catastrophic downfall.