The legend of Oedipus Rex expresses the importance in Greek plays of catharsis, to purify or to cleanse, and beautifully demonstrates the Greek playwrights in their finest era. Sophocles, the author of Oedipus Rex, uses his development of his main characters, Creon, Jocasta, and Oedipus, to evoke catharsis in ancient Greek audiences.

In Episode I of Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses the main character Creon to suggest catharsis by staging a fight begun by his brother-in-law Oedipus, the king of the city Thebes. Oedipus learns through the great oracle of Apollo that the plague that has befallen on the city will not cease until the murderer of Laius, the former king of Thebes, is found. While trying to be loyal and helpful with the matter, Creon sends for a prophet who claims that Oedipus is the murderer. This discovery sends Oedipus on a wild rampage. While Oedipus calls down...