The Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, teaches vital lessons about metaphorical blindness and reveals that society values happiness over truth, no matter what the circumstances display about the realities of life. The play begins with the Priest explaining, “Your eyes see the truth: Thebes is drowning in a deadly sea, is sinking beneath the waves of death” (Sophocles, Page 9). Through his interaction with Oedipus, readers learn that Thebes is being devastated by a plague. Oedipus, as a king and leader, seems very concerned and conscious about the issues presented before him- he feels a strong connection to wanting to support his city. However throughout the course of the tragedy, Oedipus’s actions show how blindness can cause
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Creon explains to Oedipus that, “In time you will know the truth. Time alone unlocks the secrets of true justice. A wicked man is discovered in the passing light of a single day” (Sophocles, 30). This quote exposes how Oedipus is pushing away those who want to help him. This is just one example of Oedipus’s pride getting the way of making good choices- he would rather take reasonability for something that he has little knowledge on rather than let fate take its course. He presents the ideals of pride and happiness as being more valuable than the truth he is searching for, even though the city he pledged to protect is still suffering. Oedipus begins to give readers his opinion on the problems at hand when he explains, “I never wanted to set eyes upon the horrors spoken by the gods” (Sophocles, 37). Oedipus is speaking upon how he never wished to know what the oracle explained to be his fate. He finally connects with the fact that he was the one to kill Laius, his own father, and fulfill the same fate he ran from. By putting his pride to the side and no longer suppressing the truth, he is no longer blinded to his actions. One way psychology backs Oedipus’s blindness is when, “Scientists discovered that people can block out unwanted memories to the point that eventually the memories become
Creon explains to Oedipus that, “In time you will know the truth. Time alone unlocks the secrets of true justice. A wicked man is discovered in the passing light of a single day” (Sophocles, 30). This quote exposes how Oedipus is pushing away those who want to help him. This is just one example of Oedipus’s pride getting the way of making good choices- he would rather take reasonability for something that he has little knowledge on rather than let fate take its course. He presents the ideals of pride and happiness as being more valuable than the truth he is searching for, even though the city he pledged to protect is still suffering. Oedipus begins to give readers his opinion on the problems at hand when he explains, “I never wanted to set eyes upon the horrors spoken by the gods” (Sophocles, 37). Oedipus is speaking upon how he never wished to know what the oracle explained to be his fate. He finally connects with the fact that he was the one to kill Laius, his own father, and fulfill the same fate he ran from. By putting his pride to the side and no longer suppressing the truth, he is no longer blinded to his actions. One way psychology backs Oedipus’s blindness is when, “Scientists discovered that people can block out unwanted memories to the point that eventually the memories become