Oedipus has lived out his life before the beginning of the play and is now an established king. He has a family, and is well respected by everyone. However, good things cannot last, at least in literature they don't. Once set off on his search for a murderer, the search becomes more of one for the inner self and his origins. Oedipus desires to know his true place in the world and faces many hardships to do so, even ones that he should have been spared.