Darkness And Blindness In Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

Throughout Oedipus Rex, Sophocles utilizes one metaphor: light vs. darkness, and blindness vs. sight. Sight and light are often associated with light and intelligence, blindness however is associated with darkness and ignorance. Oedipus, a sighted man is metaphorically blind and a blind man is sighted in ways that Oedipus is not. Whether a person is able to avoid their fate is due to the ability to “see” and understand. The inability to see his own fate and downfall was also due to the fact that he was unwilling to “see”.

Oedipus is known for his keen insight and ability to interpret meanings. Though Sophocles never specifically writes the famous riddle, it is referenced as the reason that Oedipus is now King of Thebes. He was able to use intelligence to come to the answer. He is always on the quest for the answer and the truth. However he is not able to figure out the riddle to

which he is the answer. Oedipus is blind to the fact that the fate he has tried so hard to avoid, has already occurred.
Teiresias, a blind prophet that is mentioned in many other myths, is brought to Oedipus to help him find the murderer of Laius and the polluter of Thebes. Teiresias knows the answer but is very reluctant to tell him. “Alas how terrible is wisdom when it brings no profit to the man that’s wise!” (316). Teiresias knows the horror that is Oedipus’ past, present and future but is unwilling to say what. He continually brings up how “blind” Oedipus is. “You have your eyes but see not where you are in evil, nor where you live, nor whom you live with.” Teiresias is literally blind, but can see the prophecies of others. He is gifted with the sight of knowledge and truth. However the sighted man, Oedipus, is completely blind to his situation. Sophocles repeatedly brings this up.
Oedipus may be intelligent in that he was able to figure out the Sphinx’s riddle, but he has absolutely no ability to “see” his own fate.

It can also be said that Oedipus was unwilling to “see” what kind of trouble he is in. When the messenger is telling the story of Oedipus, Jocasta begs him not to continue digging. Oedipus somehow comes up with the brilliant idea that he is the son of slaves and not the murderer of Laius. This whole conversation comes after he has already discovered that he killed Laius at the crossroads. He is completely “blind” to the fate that has already come true despite the appalling amount of evidence he already has. He is unwilling to realize what is happening.

When he finally realizes who he is and what he has become, he takes the broaches off of the dead Jocasta’s chest and blinds himself with them, saying “Why should I see whose vision showed me nothing sweet to see?” He essentially is punishing himself. He can no longer bare the sight of his children and the pain he has caused everyone. He becomes what he has metaphorically been the entire

time.
Sophocles uses the metaphor of blindness vs sight is critical in developing it as a tragedy. According to Aristotle all tragedies must have a character with hamartia, meaning error in judgment. This error in judgment often has to do with fate and trying to avoid it. In Oedipus’ case he left home and settled in a new city in order to avoid his, however this clearly did not work. In a good tragedy a character must invoke pity and fear. Sophocles successfully does this according to Aristotle. Sophocles tells the story in a way that the audience could see themselves as Oedipus. We are able to feel pity for Oedipus because it could be any one of us in his situation. Sleeping with our mother, killing out father, becoming blind and being exiled. Any of us could be blind to our fates and not know it.