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Pate Brunner
Mrs. Lauder
AP English Literature- 4
8 March 2016
Blindness in Oedipus Rex
Modern society constantly provides special facilities for the handicapped and the
disabled. Whether that be in the form of accessible wheelchair ramps or braille lettering for
bathroom signs, those with disabilities can usually find at least modest arrangements to suit
them. And yet, nonverbally and/or unconsciously, many still look down on them. It is no secret
that they are at a serious social disadvantage, not to mention their physical setbacks on top of
this. Similarly, this maxim held true, if not at more of an extreme, at the time of Sophocles in
which his play Oedipus Rex took place. And it is in this way that Sophocles is able to inject the
irony so closely associated with his works into Oedipus: by giving Oedipus, a man admired the
entire kingdom over which he rules, a metaphorical blindness typically associated with the
lowest of Theban society. Literary critics often associate Oedipus metaphorical blindness with
his inability to see the truths so evident to the reader. However, in Sophocles Oedipus Rex,
Oedipus inability to realize the facts of his life and his intended fate is outweighed by his
unwillingness to see the realities of his past.
First, literary scholars typically point to Oedipus inability to see the certainties of his life
which surround him as evidence for Oedipus metaphorical blindness. For example, according to
literary critic Maciej Grelka, Oedipus conception of reality is deluded by his own senses,
derived from the fact that Oedipus does not even know who he actually is, which is the most

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basic information every human usually possesses (Grelka 20). In fact, Oedipus, despite his
knowledge of his own actions in murdering a man years before, seems dumbfounded to hear that
the man who killed the former king is in the city of Thebes, an attest to Oedipus ignorance of his
own past. Furthermore, Oedipus claims that he learned of [Laos] from others and that he
never saw him (Sophocles 1315), despite the fact that the man he murdered was traveling in a
very royal fashion. However, this is not a direct testimony to Oedipus unwillingness to see
reality, explained below, rather it is a testimony purely to his ignorance. Oedipus is not a foolish
man, yet he often fails to put two and two together. As Grelka claims, and as the situation above
proves, Oedipus lack of knowledge of his own origins strongly contributes to his ignorance of
the prophecy, lack of knowledge his current living situations, and his ultimate tragic demise. In
other words, it is a cause for his metaphorical blindness and his destined fate.
Similarly, Grelka points out that Oedipus is isolated from the visual side of his [internal]
reality for the sole purpose that Oedipus is, quoting R. Buxton, no more than, and no less than,
a man (Grelka 26). Men make mistakes, no matter if they are aristocratic, middle class, or
peasant. Any yet Oedipus human nature compels him to make mistakes. It does not allow him
to understand or comprehend concepts others may be able to (the gods, for instance). And this is
a reason for Oedipus lack of understanding and metaphorical blindness to the fact that he has
actually fulfilled the prophecy made years before. Teiresias, the blind seer or prophet of
Thebes, makes clear to Oedipus on multiple occasions throughout the play that you are the
murderer whom you seek, and yet Oedipus firmly denies it (Sophocles 1323). He even goes to
the extent of accusing his uncle and brother-in-law Kreon of tyranny simply because he cannot
understand how Teiresias accusation (nonsense, he calls it) could be possible.

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However, what many fail to realize is that Oedipus is actually unwilling to see the facts of
his life. Of course, as described earlier, Oedipus is predisposed to limitation as a result of his
ignorance of his background and his simple human nature. Though these reasons may seem
primary to any other on the surface, what overwhelmingly causes Oedipus metaphorical
blindness is this true unwillingness mentioned above. According to literary critic Haleema
Khalid, Oedipus is blind to the fact that the fate that he tried so hard to avoid has come true
as a result of his willingness to see (Khalid 1). Khalid uses blindness in the metaphorical
sense here. Oedipus simply cannot accept that others accusations are true partially because of
his position of power. In Oedipus mind, he cannot make a mistake because he is king, for kings
do not make mistakes. Thus, when Teiresias dramatically accuses Oedipus of his crime, Oedipus
blames for plotting against him. He proclaims, Wealth, power, craft, of statesmanship! Kingly
position, everywhere admired! (Sophocles 1323). To Oedipus, the only possible explanation is
that someone else desires the kingship, for Oedipus could not possibly have made a mistake. As
a result, Oedipus is ignorant to the truths that surround him.
Also, Oedipus is unwilling to believe the facts he has been told about his life simply
because of their horrendous nature. He waits until the evidence against him is too much to deny
before he accepts his guilt because of how hard it would be to take in the truth. Khalid writes
that when Oedipus discovers the awful truthshe cannot bear to look at the children he has
sired, knowing they are his half-siblings (Khalid 3). For Oedipus knew the consequences of
accepting such a claim. Thus, he was so quick to deny Teiresias and call him a sightless,
witless, senseless, mad old man for his assertions. Whereas Oedipus inability to see his life
how it is contributes to his denial of Teiresias claims and his ultimate demise, what truly causes
Oedipus metaphorical blindness is his unwillingness to see such facts.

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What follows Oedipus denial and eventual acceptance of these claims is the highly
symbolic scene in which Oedipus wife Iokast hangs herself and Oedipus stabs out his eyes.
Oedipus trades his metaphorical blindness and ignorance to the world around him for physical
blindness and knowledge of the world around him. Yet many readers cannot help but wonder if
this entire situation could have been avoided. Of course, had the prophecy never been foretold in
the first place, then the likelihood of the events of the play taking place at all are slim. However,
if Oedipus had been more willing to accept what overwhelming evidence suggested was true,
then perhaps his fate would not have been so tragic. And yet this unwillingness is just what
caused the demise of Oedipus, his family, and his kingdom.

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Works Cited
Grelka, Maciej. "On the Question of Knowledge and Blindness in Sophocles' Oedipus
Tyrannus." Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium Graecae Et Latinae 23.1 (2013): 1933. Bloom Literature. Web. 3 Mar. 2016.
Khalid, Haleema. "Oedipus The King by Sophocles Theme of Blindness." Academia. Academia,
4 Feb. 2014. Web. 02 Mar. 2016.
Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. Perrines Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense 8 (2002): 13121359. Print.