Oedipus Rex Oedipus, King of Thebes
by Sophocles

Believed to be the son of Polybus of Corinth and Merope, Oedipus is introduced as a man who shows great responsibility toward the land he rules, though he cannot seem to cure the sickness that has settled over it. Oedipus is often ruled by his emotions and his incessant desire to know the truth about his own birth, even if it means causing his own sickness to ruin his life. Oedipus is a man of justice and is not lenient on himself in regards to punishing himself for his own crime. He is able to accept his horrible fate and willingly leave the land he once ruled.