Who is Oedipus rex?

Answer 1

Oedipus Rex is the main character of an ancient Greek tragedy written by Sophecles. He is the only son of King Laios and Queen Iokaste of Thebes, who were given an oracle by the greek god Apollo at his birth stating that the child would grow up to kill his father and marry his mother. In fear, Laois takes the infant to mount Cithaeron and skewering his ankles so he cannot move, (Oedipus means: swollen feet) leaves him there to die. Unbeknownst to the king and queen however, Oedipus is found by a shepherd who delivers him to the king and queen of Corinth. They raise the child as their own until the day when his lineage is called into suspect. Oedipus journeys to Delphi to ask the gods there the truth about his birth. While he doesn't receive an answer, the oracle prophasies that he will one day murder his father and sleep with his mother. In terror he flees Corinth and wanders the lands until he comes upon a road where three highways join together. A small company of men surrounding a chariot force him off the road, and he becomes angry and kills all of them but one. The man driving the chariot is his father, Laois, although neither of the men are aware of the fact. Thinking little of the incident, Oedipus continues his journey and finds himself in the city of Thebes, which has just recently lost their king and has been beset by a Sphinx who demands sacrifices of their young men unless someone can answer her riddle: what has one voice and four legs, then two legs, then three legs? Oedipus alone can solve the riddle, (the answer is man, crawling as a child, walking on two legs for much of his adult life and then finally walking with a cane as an old man) and he frees the city from the monster. In gratitude, the city officials offer him the hand of Iokaste and the crown of Thebes. The city prospers for a few years until a horrific plague is sent on them by Apollo who has seen the pollution in the city (namely Oedipus who has unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother). He demands that the murderer of Laios be found.

Oedipus, eager to save his city and newfound kingship, initiates a hunt which eventually leads him to the truth: he is the murderer, and the husband of his mother. When Iokaste discovers the news she hangs herself in shame. In his agony of losing both wife and mother and realizing how cursed he is, Oedipus blinds himself and exiles himself from Thebes, going back to the mountain where he was placed as a child and welcoming death.