Oedipus's kingdom, Thebes, is beset by the plague and agricultural decline-"crisis".
Well, the plague is the situation that forces Oedipus to undertake the line of investigation that ultimately reveals the ugly truth of his fate. Because Thebes is suffering and they learn it's all because of an unpunished crime, Oedipus seeks to find out who murdered the king. His devotion to his people and desire for their betterment stokes his passions, and he demands the truth no matter what. Because of this, the truth comes out and he is destroyed.
