ipl-logo

Examples Of Ignorance Is Bliss In Oedipus Rex

618 Words3 Pages

Is Ignorance Bliss? The phrase “ignorance is bliss” can be applied to many everyday situations, like if someone used the toilet-scrubbing toothbrush without knowing, or if a vegetarian ate gelatin without knowing that it is made up of animal cartilage. But in the Greek tragedy “Oedipus Rex”, playwright Sophocles challenges the stance that ignorance is bliss and the relationship between man and truth. In fact, Sophocles’ tragedy proves that ignorance is not bliss; without knowing his untimely fate, Thebes would continue to be fraught with plagues until Oedipus’ death. Using the archetype of fate, Sophocles proves that knowing the truth benefits society as a whole. In “Oedipus Rex”, main character and tragic hero Oedipus is victim to his fate, gouging out his eyes after he finds that he has fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and sleeping with his mother. Although his life is ruined by this tragedy, his people benefit from it, because they know that the reason for the plagues upon their country …show more content…

As soon as Oedipus finds out his unfortunate fortune, he cuts out his eyes. He never wants to see the pain he brought on to others again, and doesn’t want to see his mother in the underworld, “shouting that they [his eyes] would not see either the evils he had suffered or the evils he had done” (Sophocles 1293-1294). Oedipus knows that he inflicts suffering onto the people of Thebes through his choice to ignore his fate. Jocasta, his mother and wife, only encourages his ignorance, trying to distract him from his real issues by making him think that fate is on his side, asking, “Why should a person fear when the ways of fortune are supreme, when there is no clear foresight?” (Sophocles 999-1000). She wants him to not realize that she is his mother, worsening his ignorance and pain. Jocasta wants him to become even more unaware of his fate and the harm he is causing his

Show More
Related

Julius Caesar And Oedipus Rex

1051 Words | 5 Pages

One of the essential reasons that Oedipus Rex is an elegant example of tragedy is because it renders the suffering of the main character, (Oedipus), who is of noble rank in society. Oedipus begins the story as king of Thebes, but soon realizes after an appalling truth that he is the man who killed his own father, married his own mother, and conceived children with her. Once he discovers that his wife/mother Jocasta has hung herself, he takes her brooches and gouges his eyes out screaming: “What good were eyes to me? Nothing I could see could bring me joy” (Lines 1471-1472). Oedipus speaks these words and elucidates the reason for why he gouged out his own eyes.

Read More

Insanity In Sophocles Three Theban Play

2081 Words | 9 Pages

Oedipus screams about his misfortunes while calling out to a ‘you’, the ‘you’ addressed in his speech is himself, or further, his own eyes. Oedipus, by removing the one thing used to see, allows himself to not only be incapable of sight but also to become blind to the actions of which he did or were done unto him. His eyes, the things that previously deceived him, being so unclear as to allow him to kill his father and marry his mother are trusted by him, for they are the things that should show him the truth of the world around him. As his eyes are an extension of himself, Oedipus blames the misfortunes he suffers on himself, taking out his rage on the things that allowed him to be blind to the truth. He trusted himself and what he saw, but by not seeing the truth, his own vision turned on

Read More

Oedipus Rex Fate Vs Free Will Research Paper

678 Words | 3 Pages

As Oedipus discovers the truth Jocasta starts to get defensive and tells him not to believe it. She feels guilty for marrying her son, and now he knows his mother/wife tried to kill him as an infant. “I will not be convinced I should not learn the whole truth of what these facts amount to” (Line 1069-1070). Jocasta learns of her misfortune and out of her free will she kills herself. In return Oedipus realizes that although now he sees the truth, he would rather be blind, so he stabs his eyes out with the brooches of Jocasta’s dress.

Read More

Lack Of Knowledge In Sophocles 'Oedipus The King'

646 Words | 3 Pages

Oedipus’ lack of knowledge leads to his blindness to the truth in Thebes because he thought he was better than everyone else because he solved the Sphinx riddle. Oedipus will then go on to be King of Thebes and marry Jocasta and at the time he didn’t know that Jocasta was his mother. He would also take the place of King Louis, his father, who which he killed in the beginning of the story. Once Oedipus becomes king he makes a promise to his people that he would find the murderer and kick him out of Thebes and no one would be able to help him.

Read More

Ignorance In Sophocles 'Oedipus Rex'

258 Words | 2 Pages

Is ignorance really bliss or is it best to know and cope with life as it is? In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, Oedipus learns the harsh truth of his life situation after living completely blind to reality. He goes through life oblivious of significant events that directly impact his fate. When stating Oedipus is blind to reality, it is representative of his ignorance, when he becomes aware of his true identity, Oedipus literally blinds himself as an act of aggression and misery. At the point the blind prophet, Tiresias, comes to help Oedipus resolve the town’s crisis, it is obvious he knows Oedipus better than Oedipus knows himself.

Read More

Forms Of Blindness In Oedipus The King

1062 Words | 5 Pages

Sophocles dramatizes Oedipus’s blindness to himself through his denial of the truth, which is blatantly presented to him. Teiresias reveals to Oedipus that he is the one who has brought such turbulence and misery to his beloved city, although the words of this blind prophet have always come true, Oedipus refuses all statements and beliefs that blame him for being the source of any harm or misfortune (Sophocles 12). Oedipus convinced himself that he was taking every precaution necessary to avoid his unthinkable fate. He fled his home and rejected any circumstance that may have put him in the presence of one his adopted parents (Sophocles 12). However, Oedipus did not realize that in his attempts of proving his fate wrong, he was only driving himself in the direction of a tragic downfall.

Read More

Comparing Oedipus The King And Things Fall Apart

548 Words | 3 Pages

He also affects his relationship with his children and friends. He does not want them to see what he has done with his Mother and his Father. At the end of the story the Chorus said, “Citizens who dwell in Thebes, look at Oedipus here, who knew the answer to the famous riddle and was a power in the land. On his good fortune all the citizens gazed with envy. Into what a stormy sea of dreadful trouble he has come now.

Read More

Loss Of Knowledge In Oedipus The King

790 Words | 4 Pages

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.

Read More

Metaphorical Blindness In Oedipus The King

1189 Words | 5 Pages

As of result, she did not know that she married her son. She convinces herself that Oedipus cannot be her son by creating a fabricated story to explain why the prophecy is not true. She concludes, “No, from now on I will not give a second’s thought to the words of the oracles” (39). This exposes how Jocasta suppresses her memories of the truth within the prophecy. Studies in psychology prove that suppressing thoughts and memories can lead to believing lies, along with completely forgetting the truth.

Read More

Knowledge In Oedipus The King

479 Words | 2 Pages

Jocasta is afraid that the truth might actually be true, she doesn't want him to continue but he is arrogant and doesn't stop. In the end of the play, knowledge causes Oedipus to fall into ruin. Oedipus knowledge didn't help him where he most needed it, even though he defeated the sphinx and saved thebes anything can go into ruin like that. The truth come out maybe something Oedipus would have better off not knowing?

Read More

Blindness In Oedipus Rex

760 Words | 4 Pages

Although throughout most of the play Oedipus is not physically blind, he is blind to the fact that his fate has come to fruition. When questioned about the former king of Thebes’ death, Oedipus claims that “[he] never saw the man” (Sophocles 7). However, it is later revealed that Oedipus killed the king and that he was his father, thus fulfilling the prophecy. Oedipus’ sight prevents him from seeing the truth and from accepting his fate.

Read More

Theme Of Hubris In Oedipus Rex

1286 Words | 6 Pages

Sophocles uses dramatic irony to show the ignorance of Oedipus Rex as he cannot see the truth. Oedipus cannot see the truth because his hubris is encouraged by the people and himself. Oedipus’ ignorance is also clearly displayed after an effort to save his city. Although Oedipus is a fictional character created thousands of years ago, his actions can easily connect to many people in today 's society. The theme conveyed in Sophocles play Oedipus Rex is hubris often results in one 's ignorance.

Read More

Oedipus The King Persuasive Analysis

852 Words | 4 Pages

In many people’s eyes, it is seen that fate is something that one can not escape. In Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, Oedipus gives a speech to the citizens of Thebes, about the murder of their previous leader, Laius. And in this speech, he explains the hardship that the murderer will have to eventually face. In Oedipus’s speech from Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses the literary device of dramatic irony to develop the central idea that fate is destined to happen, and can possibly bring more intensified consequences when avoided. If one tries to escape their fate, the conflicts that occur can be more severe than they were supposed to be. One can infer that what Oedipus is stating will eventually happen to him in the end of the play, if he is classified as the murderer.

Read More

Oedipus Rex Self Discovery Essay

796 Words | 4 Pages

The plot is thoroughly integrated with the characterization of Oedipus, for it is he who impels the action forward in his concern for Thebes, his personal rashness, and his ignorance of his past. His flaws are a hot temper and impulsiveness, but without those traits his heroic course of self-discovery would never occur. Fate for Sophocles is not something essentially external to human beings but

Read More

Oedipus The King Ignorance Vs Knowledge Essay

686 Words | 3 Pages

After Oedipus discovers that his wife is his mother, and that he had killed his father, he decides he no longer deserves to see, without thinking, he takes the brooches from Jocasta’s robe, and plunges them into the sockets of his eyes. Oedipus says, “No longer see the things that I have done… the things that I have suffered” (Sophocles, ii.385). The chorus responds, “You have chosen a painful path. It were better to be no more than live in darkness” (Sophocles, ii.460).

Read More

More about Examples Of Ignorance Is Bliss In Oedipus Rex

Related Topics

Open Document