Predetermined by the Greek gods and blind to the truth, King Oedipus, the tragic hero of Sophocles’ famous play, sets out to find the truth about the murder of his predecessor, King Laius. Unaware of his prophecy, Oedipus discovers that he himself is the killer and has unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy that he would kill his own father and marry his mother. The story of Oedipus was well-known to Sophocles’ audience, and it followed the common conventions of Greek tragedy and drama. In the play King Oedipus by Sophocles, the theme of blindness and sight is revealed through various types of irony.
When Oedipus confronts Tieresias, the blind prophet refuses to speak the truth to him about the killer of Laius. The confrontation intensifies as Oedipus forces
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If the prophet were to reveal this fact, it would lead to Oedipus’ downfall and destruction, as seen later in the story. This reveals how Oedipus’ tragic downfall is a result of his blindness to reality due to his excessive pride. Dramatic irony is also used, as both the audience and the prophet can see the truth of the prophecy while Oedipus remains unaware. Although Oedipus has eyes to see and the prophet does not, one can see the truth while the other is blind to the facts that lie in front of him. After Tieresias refuses to tell Oedipus the truth, he turns and blames the prophet, saying, “If you had eyes to see with, I would have said Your hand, and yours alone, had done it all." (1) Up until this point, the audience has seen Oedipus as a caring and active king who will do anything to help his people. However, this scene reveals a new side where he is arrogant and full of pride. These flaws blind Oedipus from listening to Tieresias, as all Oedipus can see is him gatekeeping information rather than considering all aspects of the situation. After seeing this blindness, Tieresias decides to tell Oedipus he is the