The Canon Library
Cover of Oedipus the King

Ancient · Tragedy

Oedipus the King

by Sophocles. A king’s investigation into a plague uncovers his own horrifying identity and the limits of human self-knowledge.

Date
c. 429 BCE
Origin
Ancient Greece
Era
Ancient
Genre
Tragedy
Difficulty
Accessible
Length
Short
Collection
The Western Canon

Subjects and themes

Why it matters

A king’s investigation into a plague uncovers his own horrifying identity and the limits of human self-knowledge.

This work is included in the collection on the basis of great books / bloom / harvard. Its cataloged influence level is 5 out of 5.

Related works

Book

Antigone

Sophocles · Ancient · Tragedy

Book

Hamlet

William Shakespeare · Early Modern · Tragedy

Reading lists featuring Oedipus the King

Reading path

Essential 100

A century of works that gives the broadest useful first view of the Western canon. 100 books · Advanced.