Oedipus Rex - Pride Causes Blindness

Sources

• Ipl.org
• Web.arhive.org

The theme Pride Causes Blindness

Oedipus Rex - Pride Causes Blindness

Throughout this story, there are many examples of pride causing blindness, the main example being Oedipus's attitude and mindset. The prophecy is said that he shall kill his father and marry his mother. He does so, and when he learns about the murder of the king, who is also his father, his arrogance blinds him into thinking it was somebody else. Oedipus also marries his mother and has children with her, claiming the prophecy to be true aswell. This he also is not aware of until it is too late due to his arrogance. The tragedy of Oedipus is very much based on his pride and the fact that he mocked Tiresias by calling him blind. When Oedipus becomes self aware of his henious doings, he ironically blinded himself aswell.

Additional Info to the previous source

Tayem Hammad

It was also quoted from ipl.org that "First, he was blind to the truth about his own life. Oedipus had no idea that his real parents were Laius and Jocasta, he was so blind that he got mad at anyone that would even suggest an idea such as that. As the story went on though, Oedipus could no longer run from the truth; he was forced to open his eyes to the reality and truth of his life. Oedipus killed his father and married his mother; he is the brother to his own kids and the son of his own mother. Oedipus was the one that was causing all of the downfall and bad times in Thebes. His hubris, pride, let the truth be seen as false or not be seen at all." This is no further from the truth when it comes to Oedipus's attitude and pride. He would get mad any time sombody suggested an idea, as stated earlier. This source also goes on to claim how Oedipus was physically blind, which he soon proved to be after gauging his eyes out further in the story. Overall, Oedipus Rex greatly inhibits characteristics of "Pride Causes Blindness" greatly due to Oedipus's attitude throughout the story.

Oedipus's attitude and mindset

Sources to back up the argument

Oedipus's relations with his family correlating to the theme

Oedipus's attitude and mindset are very similar to the theme "Pride Causes Blindness". Some ways are that in the amount of pride he has in himself leads him to believe that he is never wrong. When he learns of the king's death, it does not cross his mind in any way that it could've been him, even though he had killed someone some short time before. His amount of pride also incorporates to the point where he even mocked a blind person, Tiresias. The Chorus is completely confused by the accusations of Tiresias. In reality, Tiresias had more vision than Oedipus, because Tiresias was humble and calm. This relates to the argument because it starts with noting that Oedipus is "blind" with his arrogant and prideful attitude but he can see with his own two eyes.

His 4 children were named Eteocles, Polyneices, Antigone and Ismene. He figured that his sons could live on their own and be fine in life, however was very worried for his daughters.

In a source written by ipl.org, it quotes "Sometimes in life people can be “blind” to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their worry or problem may have been obvious yet, they could not “see” the answer. Therefore, they were blind to the truth. This blindness is not one in a physical sense but another kind of sight or vision." This information goes hand and hand with what Oedipus was doing. He had no idea of the amount of "blindness" that he really had throughout the story. It proves Tiresias's point of view. He was blind but could really see things through. Backing up the source, due to Oedipus's pride, he was therefore blind. His actions became more clear to him towards the end of the story when he began to be more humble and attempt to see things through.

While Oedipus was learning everything that had happened, such as the king's death, later he married Jocasta who was his mother. He had four children with her. Oedipus had heard the prophecy that he would go on to kill his father and marry his mother, but due to his arrogance he refused to believe anything. Instead, he would get aggravated when accused of anything and act like he was better than everyone.

At the end of the play, after the truth finally comes to light, Jocasta hangs herself while Oedipus, horrified at his patricide and incest, proceeds to gouge out his own eyes in despair.