He is very selfish to that extent because he only thought about being King and marrying the Queen. He did help the city of Thebes by solving the riddle of the Sphinx, but he also got something out of it. In many ways he got too involved in his role as hero that he grew blinder after he became King. Oedipus was a hero to the people of Thebes, but a blind ruler that did not know himself. .
Oedipus the King is indeed righteous, but has hidden secrets that he does not even know is causing a plague to curse the people of Thebes. He shows all the people of this city mercy. Oedipus is trying to presume why these people are dying and he does not give up until he finds answers. At this point Oedipus does not realize what is the root of this epidemic that has plagued his people. Despite of anything, Oedipus is going to know the truth. Oedipus is not a vile man. He shows empathy for these people. They look to him for help. This shows a sympathetic side of Oedipus. He wants to help rid these people of their pain. By doing so, he knows he is doing the right thing. This makes him a virtuous King.
King Oedipus is in great desperation to resolve the mystery of who murdered King Laisus. He becomes greatly concerned in resolving the murder of King Laius. Oedipus goes as far to say that the murderer is, "the plague of the city"(Lawell 606). He curses the man who committed the act and ever man who helps that person. Realistically, he curses himself and his family. Yet, sincerely he speaks to the people of Thebes about the murderer and is never aware that he is the guilty person. Oedipus is guilty, yet guiltless of the immoral acts he committed (Lynch 22). He committed parricide and incest, yet he does not have any acknowledgement that he committed these dissolute acts. He cannot be held accountable for his actions.
Aristotle quotes, "for a moral act to possess moral consequence there must be consciousness of the will" (Lynch 22).
