Oedipus Rex

“Oedipus Rex” also known by its Greek title, “Oedipus Tyrannus” is a powerful Athenian tragedy written by Sophocles, first produced sometime around 429 BC. The story picks up with Oedipus, who has become King of Thebes after solving the Riddle of the Sphynx. However, after receiving a prophecy by the Oracle at Delphi, Oedipus learns he is doomed to suffer the fate of killing his father and marrying his mother.

The story leans into the lesson that no man can escape the fate set out for him by the gods as, ironically, Oedipus searches for his father’s killer who is in fact, himself. Considered a masterpiece of ancient Greek antiquity, “Oedipus Rex” has become the base for many modern tales today. This story has been in circulation for more than 2,500 years and has truly withstood the test of time.