Oedipus Rex

Q: What is Oedipus Rex about?

Oedipus Rex , or Oedipus the King , is a play by Sophocles that examines the story of Oedipus —the king of Thebes —who tries to escape his fate but ends up fulfilling it. He discovers he has killed his father, King Laius, and married his mother, Jocasta. The play was performed sometime between 430 and 426 bce.

Q: What causes the plague in Oedipus Rex ?

In the play Oedipus Rex , the citizens of the city of Thebes have been stricken by plague. The plague will cease only when the murderer of King Laius, Queen Jocasta’s first husband, is found and punished. Oedipus , who is now married to Jocasta, resolves to find Laius’s killer.

Q: What is the significance of Oedipus at Colonus ?

Oedipus at Colonus , a later play by Sophocles produced posthumously in 401 bce, depicts Oedipus in exile, finding refuge in a sacred grove near Athens , where he is protected by King Theseus and ultimately becomes a source of defense for the land.

play by Sophocles

Also known as: “Oedipus the King”, “Oidipous Tyrannus”

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Last updated

Nov. 6, 2026 •History

What is Oedipus Rex about?

What causes the plague in Oedipus Rex?

What is the significance of Oedipus at Colonus?

Oedipus Rex, play by Sophocles, performed sometime between 430 and 426 bce, that marks the summit of classical Greek drama’s formal achievement, known for its tight construction, mounting tension, and perfect use of the dramatic devices of recognition and discovery. It examines the story of Oedipus, who, in attempting to flee from his fate, rushes headlong to meet it.

Plot

At the outset of the play, Oedipus is the beloved ruler of the city of Thebes, whose citizens have been stricken by a plague. Consulting the Delphic oracle, Oedipus is told that the plague will cease only when the murderer of Queen Jocasta’s first husband, King Laius, has been found and punished for his deed. Oedipus resolves to find Laius’s killer. His investigation turns into an obsessive reconstruction of his own hidden past when he discovers that the old man he killed when he first approached Thebes as a youth was none other than Laius. He also learns that Laius was his biological father and that Jocasta, whom Oedipus has married and with whom he has had children, is his biological mother. At the end, Jocasta hangs herself in shame, and the guilt-stricken Oedipus blinds himself.

Oedipus at Colonus

In Sophocles’ later play Oedipus at Colonus (produced posthumously 401 bce; Oidipous epi Kolōnō), the blind, aged Oedipus has spent many years wandering in exile. When he arrives at a sacred grove, he is guaranteed protection by Theseus, the noble king of Athens. He ultimately departs to a mysterious death at Colonus, a village near Athens, where he will become a benevolent source of defense to the land that has given him final refuge. The play is remarkable for its melancholy and beauty, the power of its lyric odes, and its majestic characterization of Oedipus.