by Sophocles
First published 2002
King Oedipus rules Thebes when plague strikes his city. He vows to find the murderer of the previous king, not knowing he hunts himself. His relentless investigation reveals the horrific truth about his birth and crimes. Years later, his daughter Antigone faces her own crisis when her uncle Creon forbids the burial of her brother. She chooses divine law over human decree, knowing death awaits her defiance. These three connected plays follow a royal family destroyed by fate and choice. Oedipus gains terrible knowledge at the cost of everything he holds dear. Antigone sacrifices her life rather than compromise her principles. Both characters struggle against forces larger than themselves, yet their responses define who they truly are.
Genres: drama, historical-fiction, greek-mythology, ancient, epic, classical-studies
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, tragic-hero
Setting: Thebes
Period: Ancient Greece
430 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics
Content warnings: death, suicide