The couple live together happily and produce four children. Some years later, the city is beset by a terrible plague. It is prophesied that the only way to cure the city is to find the killer of the previous king, and bring him to justice. Oedipus, who wishes to solve the city's peril, relentlessly seeks out the answer to the problem. He soon discovers the hideous truth; he has killed his father, married his mother, and fathered her children. He returns home to find that his wife/mother has committed suicide, and, unable to deal with the reality of this wretched reality, he takes the broaches from her gown and gouges his eyes out.

             The gruesome details of this story make for several examples of disquietude. The most obvious example occurs when Oedipus Gouges his eyes out with Iocaste's broaches. This scene is vividly described by the Chorus of Theban Elders, "Deep, how deep you drew it then, hard archer, At a dim fearful range, And brought dear glory down". Not only is this scene physically disturbing, but it is emotionally disturbing due to the dramatic irony. Oedipus, before this, was blinded by his intellectual arrogance. Now, he has been humbled by fate and sees his mistakes, but is physically blind. Along with this example, there are two other examples of disturbing physical events. They occur when Iocaste hangs herself and when young Oedipus' ankles are pierced and he is left to die on the hillside. There are also two other significant emotional examples. Oedipus' hearing of the prophecy and then having to see it come true despite all he has done to prevent it is one. The other occurs due to Oedipus' search for the truth. The audience knows the truth of Oedipus' fate, yet he still seeks to find it. This search creates an overwhelming sense of anxiety in the reader as Oedipus marches unknowingly towards his doom.

             One would think that due to the grim nature of this play there are few examples of pleasure.