![]() In this scene, Oedipus is blind despite having the gift of sight, which Teiresias sorely lacks. After that, Teiresias’ prophecy about Oedipus losing the eyesight that he now boasts is based on a solid foundation (Sophocles, n.d.). Once again, the ability to see is more than a physical vision usually understood under the term – rather, it is the capability to discern and understand important truths. It is expressed with the greatest clarity in the lines “you have your eyesight, and you do not see / how miserable you are, or where you live” (Sophocles, n.d., lines 496-497). While he mocks the old prophet for being unable to injure, the latter is quick to answer that Oedipus, for all his physical perfection, cannot grasp even the basic truths about himself and his household. In contrast, the king of Thebes, while fully endowed with all human senses, proves unable to understand what is clear to the blind Teiresias. Teiresias has no eyesight but possesses the knowledge of the truth, and this alone makes him far more aware of the situation than the clear-eyed Oedipus. This passage is crucial because it highlights the difference between vision as a physical attribute and the ability to see things clearly in a metaphysical sense. On the contrary, he remains calm and composed and proclaims: “The truth / within me makes me strong” (Sophocles, n.d., lines 424-425). When the king becomes engaged after Teiresias’ accusation of being the reason for the divine punishment, the latter does not flinch at the sight of royal anger. Yet, by that point, the prophet has already stated the source of his strength, which has nothing to do with physical attributes. The angry king mocks the old man by highlighting his blindness as a sign of weakness and claiming he “can never injure or any man / who can glimpse daylight” (Sophocles, n.d., lines 450-451). The issue of vision and blindness appears first in the titular hero’s conversation with Teiresias, a blind prophet hired to explain why the Olympian gods are looking at Thebes in disfavor. It symbolizes the ability to see the truth, which is more important than intact eyes, and the absence of which serves as Oedipus’ tragic flaw that makes his fate a fitting punishment for his transgressions. It demonstrates that, within the course of the tragedy, vision is more than just a physical attribute. In contrast, the perfectly healthy Oedipus cannot see the chain of events leading to the gods’ disfavor until it is too late. ![]() The blind prophet Teiresias, who launches the sequence of the events that lead to the king’s self-mutilation and banishment, proves to be capable of seeing the true nature of the events. As Oedipus uncovers the dreadful truth of his patricide and the resulting divine punishments, the symbolism of vision and blindness comes up more and more. ![]() Dealing with the topics of responsibility for one’s actions and the mortals’ ability to discern the often mysterious will of the gods, the tragedy follows the fate of the titular ruler of Thebes. Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus the King, is rightfully known as one of the most significant tragedies of the classical literature of ancient Greece.
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