Oedipus the King by Sophocles
T
Theodoros Kafantaris
Published on July 07, 2026
Introduction
Sophocles' Oedipus the King (c. 429 BCE) is the archetype of all tragedy. A plague devastates Thebes. The oracle says it will end when the murderer of the previous king is found. Oedipus vows to find the killer. He does not know he is hunting himself.
The Irony of Knowledge
The audience knows the truth. Every step Oedipus takes toward it tightens the trap. The blind prophet Tiresias tells him directly—and Oedipus accuses him of conspiracy.
The Catastrophe
Oedipus learns he killed his father at a crossroads and married his mother. Jocasta hangs herself. Oedipus blinds himself with her dress pins. "What use are eyes to me?"
Key Takeaways
- Fate cannot be outrun
- Self-knowledge is devastating
- The wise are blind, the blind wise
