An oracle prophesied to Laius, the king of Thebes, that his child by Queen Jocasta would kill him and marry her (Storr, trans 1912). People of that time deeply believed in oracles and so when Oedipus was born, the king bound his feet and was left to die in a mountain. But a shepherd found the infant and turned him over to another shepherd who gave him to Polybus, then king of Corinth, who was childless. Oedipus grew up in the belief that he was the son of Polybus until developments led him to suspect. He consulted the Delphic oracle and learned about his destiny. In trying to avoid killing his father and marrying his mother, he fled from Corinth. On his way to Thebes, he met and killed his unknown father. In Thebes, he subdued the Sphinx and became king as a reward. He also unknowingly married Jocasta, his mother, and they had 4 children. Thebes prospered under his rule. But a deadly plague led him to the truth he tried with all his might to escape from. Detail by detail, he and his mother came to know the truth. Jocasta hanged herself and Oedipus struck himself blind and urged Creon to exile him or have him killed (Storr).
             At the very start, Oedipus shows earnestness, compassion for others, a deep sense of justice, swiftness of thought and action and candor (Storr, trans, 1912). He did not want to slay the man he believed to be his father or marry his wife. He had innate goodwill and sense of justice so endeavored to prevent this crime by escaping from Corinth. In Thebes, he displayed both wit and courage in dealing with and defeating the Sphinx. Quickly installed as the deserving king, he showed compassion for and the well-being of his people. He was also open and honest with them in that he wanted them to hear the prophecies affecting them, rather than keeping them to himself, as Creon once suggested. It disturbed him that the investigation of the murder of Laius was not thoroughly made but quickly dropped (lines 145-14...