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Kelsey Langland-Hayes

Dr. Fraser

ENGL 205-03

23 February 2018

Blinded by Ignorance

“Oedipus the King,” written by Sophocles, tells the story of a king and a prophecy. In the

story, the prophecy given to Oedipus warns him of a curse. Because of the curse, Oedipus

commits crimes against his own family and feels guilty, which influences him to blind himself.

Throughout “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles writes about metaphorical blindness and literal

blindness. Specifically, in lines 363-384, Sophocles refers to both of these types of blindness

simultaneously. Essentially, in “Oedipus the King,” blindness is a central motif.

According to the prophecy passage in “Oedipus the King,” blindness is the main theme

expressed. In a literal sense, Tiresias, the prophet, enters the scene guided by a boy since he is

physically blind. Ironically, Sophocles refers to Tiresias as “master of the hidden world” (26).

Even though Tiresias may not be able to see the world in a physical sense, he has a much better

view of the world in a metaphorical sense; Tiresias has the ability to foretell the future. Oedipus

supports this point by declaring, “Though your eyes can’t see it, your mind is well aware of the

plague that afflicts us” (Sophocles 26). Despite Tiresias’ inability to physically see, his

metaphorical eyesight is stronger than Oedipus’ metaphorical eyesight. Oedipus’ blindness is a

metaphor for his ignorance. In other words, Tiresias possesses knowledge about Oedipus’ future

that Oedipus is ignorant to. Furthermore, Tiresias warns Oedipus, “The most terrible knowledge

is the kind it pays no wise man to possess” (Sophocles 26). Tiresias fears that it was a mistake
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for him to tell Oedipus the prophecy because Oedipus reacts irrationally. Reacting out of fear,

Oedipus becomes enraged and throws criticisms at Tiresias. Oedipus reacts poorly because he is

blind to the truth set before him.

Once Oedipus “regains his sight” and becomes aware of the truth, he fears for the good of

his people, the Thebans (Sophocles 98). Since Oedipus was the person that was initially cursed,

he fears that his presence has brought turmoil to Thebes. Matthew 15:14 declares, “Leave them;

they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit” (New International

Version). According to this verse, if a blind person is leading a group of blind people, then that

person will lead the group astray. In the same way, Oedipus worries that his ignorance of the

truth, his blindness, could lead his people down the wrong path. As a result, Oedipus begs Kreon

to banish him from Thebes for the sake of the Thebans. Not only was Oedipus metaphorically

blind for a majority of the play, but he also loses his actual eyesight at the denouement of the

play when he blinds himself.

Throughout “Oedipus Rex,” blindness is the central motif. In the prophecy passage,

Sophocles first reveals this theme, setting the tone for the rest of the play where this theme will

be seen again. During the prophecy passage of the play, specifically, this theme of blindness is

most evident. Sophocles properly executes this theme when he strategically chooses to have a

blind man give the prophecy to another “blind man.” Embracing the theme of blindness, this

story of a king and a prophecy reminds readers to open their eyes to their ignorance and

recognize that there are some concepts they do not understand.

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Works Cited

Sophocles. “Oedipus the King.” Translated by Robert Bagg, HarperCollins Publishers, 2012.

The Bible. New International Version, 2014.