49-50+Oedipus

=Oedipus the King= =[49-50]= = = =Summary:= Oedipus has just been informed of the details to Laius' murder from his wife, Jocasta. At this moment Oedipus realizes the possibility that he himself is in fact the murderer or Laius and begins to feel distressed. As a result of Oedipus' frustration, Jocasta informs the 'Princes of the land' (911), her Gods, that she has been contemplating visiting the God's temples with gifts to offer out of fear for the current behaviors exhibited by Oedipus. Jocasta feels that Oedipus is over-reacting as she is unable to accept the prophecy herself, and tries to persuade Oedipus that there is no truth in oracles. In her eyes, Oedipus is acting irrationally however she is not able to comfort or alter his thoughts and thus goes to the god ,Lycaean Apollo, for guidance. She prays for freedom from the curse of the plague that has overwhelmed the city of Thebes because of the realization that when the citizens look at Oedipus, their leader and 'pilot of [their] ship' they see a 'frightened' man (922-3).

Just then, a messenger arrives with news for Oedipus from Corinth (Oedipus' actual home town of which he fled from in hopes of evading the prophecy of parricide and incest). He informs Oedipus of Polybus' death and that the people of the Isthmus have chosen Oedipus as their new king. Jocasta quickly calls for a servant to inform Oedipus of the astonishing news that his father is dead. At this point, Jocasta is still unaware that Polybus is not in fact Oedipus' birth father and thus concludes that the orables of the Gods, which foretold of parricide on Oedipus' part had been misinterpreted as Oedipus did not in fact kill Polybus. =Analysis:=