Beginning of Essay
The play Oedipus the King, by Sophocles, begins at a point where Oedipus has been king of Thebes for many years. As a baby, Oedipus was cast out by his own parents, the king and queen of Thebes, Laius and Jocasta, because Laius was informed by an oracle concernin ....

Middle of Essay
.... off the road, and in the struggle he killed all but one of the men as a result of their act of aggression, not knowing that one of the dead was his own father Laius. Oedipus then traveled on and came across the Sphinx, which was terrorizing the countryside in Thebes. He solved the Sphinx’s riddle and was anointed king of Thebes for his heroic act. This provides the setting for the action in the play. The action begins while there is a terrible plague devastating Thebes, and Oedipus, the king of Thebes, is trying to stop it. The answer he receives from the oracle he consults is, “Pay the killers back--whoever is responsible,” for the dea ....