Only a few of the stories and plays that were written hundreds of years ago still remain. Through the years most stories are either lost or forgotten. However, one story has lived through the centuries and still makes an impact on people today. The story of Oedipus was written around 420 B.C. by a leading playwright named Sophocles. The theme of Oedipus is fate. Oedipus is a story of about the life of one man who before birth was prophesized to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus seeks to learn if the prophecies that he will kill his father are true. He does not know that he has already killed him. .
The Latin meaning of the word Oedipus literally translates into bound or tied feet. As predicted, Oedipus was rejected by his parents as an infant and he was left to die on a remote hill-side with his feet tied. A passing Shepard saw the young boy and saved him from a sure death. Oedipus grew up to be a strong and wise man. When he grew older, he left the Shepard's protection and traveled to Thebes. A magical Sphinx was destroying the city and would not stop until someone could answer its riddle. Everyone that tried to answer the riddle was killed. Oedipus found the solution and defeated the Sphinx. As his reward, he became king of Thebes and he marred the widowed queen. The queen, unbeknownst to him, was his mother. He ruled with a strong hand but is still a very noble character. .
Oedipus ruled Thebes for many years without any difficulties, until a blind man named Teiresias reminds Oedipus of Apollo's prophecies. Teiresias tells Oedipus that he killed his own father. Oedipus does not believe Teiresias but is concerned because Teiresias has never been known to lie. In order to determine if Teiresias was lying, Oedipus tracks down the man who gave him to his foster parents as an infant. The Sheppard said that he found Oedipus on a hillside with his feet tied. Oedipus's legs are still scared from his bondage as an infant and he is forced to believe Teiresias.
