In the play Oedipus Rex Oedipus is the King of Thebes. As the king, he is asked by the people of the city lift the curse of the plague that has stricken them. In order for the curse to be lifted, Oedipus has to exile them man who killed the former king, King Laius. Throughout the story Oedipus relentlessly tries to find out who the killer was. The Climax of the story is when Oedipus was informed that he was the assassin of King Laius. It was also discovered that King Laius was Oedipus’s father and was married to Oedipus’s current wife Jocasta. Upon finding out this news, Jocasta was driven to the point suicide. The sight of Jocasta dead, Oedipus gauged his eyes out. After he had blinded himself, Oedipus exiled himself from the city of Thebes in order to lift the curse and save the people from the plague.
In the story “The Widow of Ephesus” and the play Oedipus Rex, both the soldier and Oedipus selflessly saved others from suffering and death. The solider helped the widow by showing her there is more to life by saying “No, begin your life fresh. Shake off these woman’s scruples; enjoy the light while you can. Look at the corpse of your poor husband: doesn’t it tell you more eloquently than any words that you should live?” When the solider gave the widow food and wine he filled her weakened stomach the same way he filled her heart with love. Oedipus having not been able to bear to see his people suffer, any longer from pain and death finds who killer is himself and man of his word leaves the city
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