Oedipus Rex The tragedy of Oedipus the King is a classic representation of irony in a Greek play. Oedipus, king of Thebes emerges as a powerful ruler after solving the riddle of the Sphinx and is initially regarded as a concerned leader. The story of Oedipus Rex Centers around what caused the events before the play begins and the tragedy of what happens after Oedipus opens his eyes to the truth. The exposition of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex occurs seamlessly. At the beginning of the play, we learn that there is a plague afflicting the city of Thebes and in order to find a permanent solution Oedipus sends Creon to the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi to ask what needs to be done to alleviate the city. As he is explaining this to the priest and citizens of Thebes, Creon emerges with an answer from the oracle. They learn that the cause of the plague is due to the fact that the city is still harboring the murderer of Laius, the former king of Thebes and that they must get rid of him in order to restore the city. Oedipus vows to bring the murderer to justice and curses anyone who is directly involved with the murder which ignites the central conflict of the play.
In order to find an answer to the murderer of the previous king, Oedipus sends for the blind prophet Teiresias. When Teiresias arrives he is initially hesitant to answer who it is that killed the previous king but Oedipus forces him to speak. Teiresias finally answers “I say you are the murderer of the king whose murderer you seek.” After hearing what Teiresias was holding back, Oedipus threatens to punish him for what he believes are false statements. Teiresias continues to answer with “I say with those you love best you live in foulest shame unconsciously and do not see where you are in calamity.” Oedipus continues to refuse the truth and instead accuses Teiresias and Creon of attempting to take his thrown. Jocasta emerges to resolve the issue between Oedipus and Creon and she talks about the oracle that claimed that Laius was meant to be killed by his