The father in pre-war Italy is a fascist who is jealous of his son's youth and vitality. He resents the attention his wife gives to the baby and fears that his son will one day rival him for power. In his jealousy, he orders the baby to be taken into the desert and left to die.
However, a kind-hearted shepherd rescues the baby and takes him to the King and Queen of Corinth, who adopt him as their own son. They name him Edipo and raise him alongside their own children.
Years later, an oracle informs Edipo that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Horrified by this prophecy, Edipo flees Corinth and sets out on a journey to avoid his fate.
On the road, Edipo becomes embroiled in a heated argument with an older man who refuses to yield to him on the path. In a fit of rage, Edipo kills the man and continues on his journey.
Later, Edipo arrives in the city of Thebes, where he finds the kingdom beset by a terrible plague. The citizens of Thebes beseech him to help them find a solution, and Edipo becomes determined to uncover the truth about his past and the prophecy that has haunted him for so long.
As he investigates, Edipo discovers that the man he killed on the road was none other than his father, who had abandoned him in the desert as a baby. He also learns that the Queen of Thebes, Jocasta, is in fact his mother, whom he marries in a tragic fulfillment of the prophecy.
Heartbroken and guilt-ridden, Edipo blinds himself and goes into exile, leaving Jocasta to hang herself in despair. The tragedy of Oedipus Rex serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of pride, jealousy, and the unknowable workings of fate.
