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The plot follows Oedipus, the king of Thebes, who is determined to rid his city of a plague ravaging it. Seeking to uncover the cause, Oedipus consults the prophet Tiresias, who reveals that the plague will end only when the murderer of the previous king, Laius, is found and punished. In a shocking twist, Oedipus learns that he himself is the murderer, and in a series of revelations, it is uncovered that Oedipus had unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, fulfilling a prophecy that he had desperately tried to avoid.The play unfolds as Oedipus seeks the truth about his origins, leading to his tragic realization that his efforts to defy fate were futile. This realization brings about his downfall—he blinds himself in despair and exiles himself from Thebes. Oedipus Rex is a profound exploration of human limitations, the inevitability of fate, and the complexity of truth and self-awareness. The play remains one of the most powerful examples of dramatic irony and tragedy in Western literature.