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Loss Of Knowledge In Oedipus The King

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Some truths are better left in the dark. Sophocles’ tragic play, Oedipus the King, tells about the lack and gain of knowledge and reveals that people can not always handle the consequences of the information they uncover. The tragedy begins with Oedipus, the King of Thebes, reigning over the city riddled with plague. As Oedipus is sought after and admired by his citizens, he vows to solve the source of the defilement. However, an oracle from the Greek god, Apollo, reveals that the plague will only be lifted once the murder of the deceased king, Jocasta’s first husband, Laius, is solved. As more information is uncovered, Oedipus’ legacy is exponentially diminished as a childhood prophecy revolving around Oedipus, murdering his father and marrying his mother, is brought to light. Knowledge possesses the power to catalyse devastation in stages as demonstrated through Oedipus’ ignorance, his overwhelming curiosity, and his psychological anguish.
From the beginning, Oedipus was raised in a legion of lies, believing Merope and Polybus to be his true parents. This cloak of ignorance not only shielded Oedipus from the knowledge of his biological parents, but allowed the prophecy to act as a catalyst for his fleeing of Corinth. When a plague settles in …show more content…

Oedipus is at his prime during the beginning of the play because he absent in the knowledge of his past. As the plot progresses, Oedipus becomes driven by curiosity and increasingly agitated as more information regarding his mysterious past is uncovered. Consequently, Oedipus’ realizes that he alone is the source for the defilement in Thebes and cannot emotionally handle the consequences in a productive manner. It is proven that knowledge has the ability to remove the sense of blissful ignorance and replace the void with mental

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