Assignment task:
The son of Laius and Jocasta, King and Queen of Thebes, Oedipus is the unfortunate main protagonist of "one of the best-known of all legends" in Ancient Greek - or any other - mythology. Left, while still a baby, to die in the mountains by his father - who had been warned that his son would kill him and marry his wife - Oedipus was eventually adopted by the childless King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth. After accidentally finding about the gruesome prophecy himself, in fear and disgust, the young Oedipus fled Corinth and - guided by cruel destiny - wound up crossing paths with his real father at a narrow crossroad; after a brief argument with Laius' charioteer over who had the right to go first, Oedipus killed both of them. Wandering aimlessly, he subsequently reached the city of Thebes where he encountered the monstrous gate-guarding Sphinx; after he answered her riddle, the Sphinx went mad and hurled herself to her death. As a reward for rescuing the city from this vicious beast, Oedipus was afterward offered the vacant throne of Thebes and the hand in marriage of the ex-king's widow, his very own mother. Jocasta bore her son four children - Polynices, Eteocles, Antigone, and Ismene.
Sophocles's play begins at this point. Oedipus is unaware that in trying to escape his fate (prophecy), he has run directly into it. The gods send a plague on Thebes for this taboo marriage and procreation, and Oedipus sends Creon (brother-in-law/uncle) to the Oracle at Delphi to gain some insight into how to rid Thebes of Plague.
And, so the play begins...