Oedipus The King

How does one take back words that were said in haste? In Sophacles' Oedipus Rex, Oedipus longed to retract the curse that he brought upon himself but what he did could not be undone. Oedipus' pride blinded him to himself and everything around him. He had eyes that could see physically but could not recognize any faults within himself. Ironically, a blind man was able to perceive the truth and even then Oedipus did not believe. Sophacles' Oedipus Rex is the epiphany of dramatic irony.

Oedipus is a proud man. He thinks of himself as the savior of Thebes. Oedipus tells the people of Thebes, "I am the land's avenger by all rights/ and Apollo's champion too. (154-155). What rights is he talking about? He may be the king of Thebes and he may have solved the riddle of the Sphinx but no one proclaimed him as Apollo's champion. Oedipus makes the same mistakes over and over again. Instead of receiving Creon's news from Apollo's prophet privately, Oedipus had to have it proclaimed in public. Once Creon had returned with the news he suggested they both go inside. Creon had said, "I'm ready now, or we might go inside" (104). Even though Creon had no idea what was underfoot, he recognized the potentially perilous situation the news could cause. Oedipus would have none of it, he told Creon to, "Speak out, speak to us all" (104). Oedipus could not pass up that chance to make himself look superior in front of the public. His enormous ego blinded him.

Afterwards, when Tiresias the blind prophet arrived, Oedipus did not heed his warning either. Tiresias, though blind he was, could see the truth before anyone had the slightest clue. Tiresias also understood the danger of knowing such information and attempted not to disclose what he knew. When asked who the murderers of Laius were he ominously told Oedipus, "None of you knows - and I will never reveal my dreadful secrets, not to say your own" (374). Once again the warning went unheeded. In fact Oedipus became angry at Tiresias. He started calling him names such as scum of the earth. Whereas before Oedipus greeted Tiresias with a flowering speech calling him, "...master of all the mysteries of our earth..." (340). Oedipus had been in power for too long and had surrounded himself with too many "yes" men. He lost control of his temper when greeted with someone who disagreed with him.

Tiresias, on the other hand, is Oedipus' counterpart. He was blind physically but could see within himself and other people. Where Oedipus perceived deceit, Tiresias saw the truth. Tiresias even recognized how ironic the whole situation was. He tells Oedipus the irony of it after hearing Oedipus' response that Tiresias' answers seem to unfriendly to the state that raised him. Tiresias tells him, "I fail to see that your own words are so well-timed" (369).

Tiresias held back as long as he could and finally gave in. He told Oedipus that Oedipus himself was the cause of all of Thebes' troubles. Oedipus liked that even less than