Oedipus the King

I found this play very hard to understand.  I turned off the phone and TV, closed out facebook, run everybody off and put the dogs up so there were no distractions.  Then read, re-read and re-read until a light bulb dimly shined.

The problem was; understanding that Oedipus did not realize he was the killer!!  The assumption crept in slowly, that this may be the answer, then I ruled it out, then I believed it again.  It is obvious he knew he had killed at the cross roads?- did not question whom it may have been??  Maybe I assumed he knew he was adopted before he realized that he was the killer.  He talked as if he knew; "if it were I", " I will dispel the stain", and speaks of his kinship?  Puzzling to me!!  Then you can sense paranoia and a desire to make things rite when Oedipus speaks.

A Red, Red Rose P 770

What a lovely poem!?  It sounds familiar, even though I don't believe I have ever read it.  Common writing about love, longing for the fair one which holds his heart and he would travel thousands of miles for her.  At first it seems the author it speaking directly to the female, then it seems he is far away.  I feel the message is that he had to travel but first had something to say to her and continued his message after he was gone.