Oedipus in after the mystery of his birth is unravelled

Ans. The incidents that happen after the mystery of the birth of Oedipus is unravelled are reported by an attendant from the palace. The first incident is that the queen is dead. When she came to know the truth about Oedipus’ birth, she crossed the threshold in desperate passion. She hurried straight to her bridal bed. She cried aloud to Laius long since dead. She remembered the son she bore long since, the son who killed his father, the son to whom the mother bore other children. She bewailed the twice confounded issue of her wifehood, husband begotten of husband, child of child. People around heard no more till the king, Oedipus, broke in with piercing cries; he cried “A sword, a sword!! Where is that wife, no wife of mine — that soil/Where I was sown, and whence I reaped my harvest!” Then with wild hallowing cries he hurled himself upon the locked doors, and broke in. Then all saw the queen hanging from a noose. Oedipus, with heart-rending groans unties the rope and lays her on the ground. Then he snatches out the golden brooches from her dress and thrusts them with full force into his eyes. He pierces his eyeballs again and again till bloody tears run down his beard. He shouts for someone to unbar the doors, and show all Thebes the father’s murderer. He wants to flee the country, but he has not the strength.