Final answer:
In an attempt to end the plague in Thebes, Oedipus sets out to find King Laius' murderer, not realizing the pursuit would reveal his own tragic mistakes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oedipus' Plan to Resolve the Plague in Thebes
Oedipus, the King of Thebes, is determined to lift the plague devastating his people by finding and bringing to justice the murderer of the former king, Laius.
According to the oracle at Delphi, the plague will not end until this is accomplished. Oedipus starts his investigation by summoning Tiresias, a blind prophet, hoping to unveil the truth.
Despite Tiresias's hints, suggesting that Oedipus leave the matter unresolved, the king's relentless pursuit of the truth leads him to a revelation of his own tragic heritage and involvement in the king's death.
Oedipus' tragic flaw (hamartia), his arrogance and determination to outwit his fate, ultimately leads to his undoing. Jocasta, Oedipus' wife and the widow of Laius, tries to dissuade him from believing in prophecies.
However, the more Oedipus learns, the clearer it becomes that he has, in fact, fulfilled the dark oracle's words: he has killed his father and married his mother.
This shocking revelation causes Jocasta to take her own life, and Oedipus, in an act of anguish, blinds himself, thus fulfilling Tiresias's earlier prophecy about his blindness.
Through his journey, Aristotle's concept of a Greek Hero is exemplified in Oedipus' character, who, despite his high social standing and good intentions, cannot escape his fate.
His downfall and the subsequent catharsis felt by the audience teach a lesson, making the story of Oedipus the King not only poignant but also educational, displaying the power and inevitability of fate.