One important leadership quality Oedipus demonstrations, is the compassion he has towards his people. As ruler of Thebes, he seeks to find a solution that brought hardship to his village. Through determination and sympathy, Oedipus questioned everything and everyone to unravel the truth behind Laius' death. Oedipus states "I know you are all sick, yet there is not one of you, sick though you are, that is as sick as myself. Your several sorrows each have single scope and touch but one of you. My spirit groans for city and myself and you at once." (Sophocles, 68-73 I believe Sophocles shows his audience that Oedipus is a man of action and would do whatever it takes to save his village. After finding that it is he who has caused the death of Laius, being a man of action, he punished himself. .
The irony of the tragedy, is that Oedipus is a good man. As the audience, we can identify and sympathize with him although he has committed evil deeds. Oedipus showed inner strength when he makes the ultimate decision to let himself live in shame and exile himself from Thebes. In the play, Oedipus takes full responsibility in his action as he pleaded to the Chorus " Come-its unfit to say what is unfit to do- I beg of you in God's name hide me somewhere outside your country, yes, or kill me, or throw me into the sea, to be forever out of your sight. Approach and deign to touch me for all my wretchedness, and do not fear. No man but I can bear my evil doom." (Sophocles, 1585- 1591) Fate predestined his fortune and Oedipus is committed to let fate decide his death. A typical King would have great pride in themselves, but it takes a true leader and a good man to give away his position as king and vanish; leaving behind his legacy. As Oedipus gave Creon this prayer, "Give me a life wherever there is opportunity to live, and better than was my father's" (Sophocles, 1702-1704), this prayer Oedipus conveys provides the humility he has towards his family's future and his village.