The timeless tragedy of "Oedipus Rex" unfolds against the backdrop of a plagued Thebes, where barren fields and desolate women cast a shadow over the city. The play opens with King Oedipus sending his brother-in-law, Creon, to consult the Oracle of Apollo for a remedy. The oracle's response lays a heavy burden on Thebes: the plague will cease only when the murderer of the former king, Laius, is