The Concept of Sight and Truth in Sophocles' Oedipus Rex

In Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, the concept of sight goes beyond physical vision and explores the idea of understanding and perceiving the truth. The author presents a striking comparison between Oedipus, who possesses physical sight but remains ignorant to the reality around him, and Tiresias, a blind prophet who is able to see and comprehend the truth. Through this juxtaposition, Sophocles highlights how our pursuit of material possessions often obscures our ability to perceive the truth that lies within us.

Although Oedipus is not physically blind, he lacks the wisdom and inner vision necessary to see the truth that is evident to others. This blindness is evident in his inability to recognize that he is the murderer of Laius. He even goes so far as to curse himself should the murderer be someone within his own household, without realizing that he is cursing himself: "I curse myself as well ... if by any chance he [the murderer] proves to be an intimate of our house, here at my hearth, with my full knowledge, may the curse I just called down on him strike me!" (Sophocles 624). Oedipus' blindness prevents him from understanding his own actions and their consequences.

Jocasta, another character in the play, is physically sighted but remains blind to the fact that her husband is actually her long-lost son. She fails to see Oedipus' true identity until the truth finally dawns on her, leading to her tragic demise. The horror of the truth is so overwhelming to her that she cannot accept it, resulting in her suicide by hanging: "hanging by the neck, cradled high in a woven noose, spinning, swinging back and forth" (Sophocles 651). Jocasta's physical sight fails her in recognizing the reality of her own familial relationships.

In contrast, Tiresias, who is physically blind, possesses a higher vision that allows him to perceive the truth about Oedipus. He knows that Oedipus is the murderer of Laius and thus the cause of the plague. The truth is so painful that Tiresias believes it is better for Oedipus to remain ignorant of it: "How terrible – to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!" (Sophocles 626). The reality is too unbearable for Oedipus to confront, which ultimately leads him to blind himself with pins: "Blind to the ones you longed to see, to know! Blind from this hour on! Blind in the darkness – blind!" (Sophocles 651). Oedipus would rather live in the darkness of his self-inflicted blindness than face the horror of his actions and the truth of his relationships.

The irony in the play lies in the fact that the blind prophet, Tiresias, possesses a clearer understanding of the truth than those who can physically see. He has the ability to speak the truth and is believed by many. The truth, in this case, resides with a blind individual and remains hidden from those with physical sight. This irony emphasizes the deeper meaning of the phrase "seeing the truth" in the context of the play.

Sophocles' Oedipus Rex explores the relationship between literal and metaphorical definitions of blindness, shedding light on the profound concept of perceiving the truth. The play challenges the notion that sight is solely reliant on physical vision, suggesting that true understanding and insight come from within ourselves. The pursuit of material possessions and the distractions of the world often hinder our ability to see the truth that resides within us.

Works Cited

1. Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Beginnings to AD 100. Volume A. Sarah Lawall. New York, N.Y: W. W. Norton & Company, 2003. 617-658.