Oedipus on a quest filled with devastating revelations. At the start of the play, Thebes is in turmoil due to a devastating plague, prompting Oedipus to seek answers from the oracle at Delphi. He learns that the plague is tied to the unsolved murder of the previous king, Laïus, and commits to uncovering the truth. The opening scenes introduce a crowd of supplicants beseeching Oedipus for help, highlighting the king's initial nobility and determination. As he sends his brother-in-law Creon to consult the oracle and subsequently demands the truth about Laïus’ death, a sense of impending tragedy begins to build as Oedipus unwittingly edges closer to his own dark destiny. The first act sets up the tension between fate and free will that characterizes this profound tragedy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)