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Light/Darkness, Sign/Blindness

Part 1

The best example of dramatic irony in this play is the frequent use of references to eyes, sight, light, and blindness throughout; all are used literal or metaphorical descriptions of vision or understanding the truth. In the chart below, identify the different references to eyes, sight, light, and blindness.

Lightness/Darkness Sight/Blindness
Speaker: "Write a significant portion of the quote." (pg #) Explain the quote's significance Oedipus: "a genius born blind with eyes for gain" (23) Oedipus speaks of Tiresias as a "genius" born blind" but with "eyes for gain" because he believes Tiresias and Creon are conspiring against Oedipus for the throne. Tiresias has his "eyes" set on the power he will gain by overthrowing Oedipus.
"Then I'll go back and drag that shadowed past to light" (11). Sophocles uses foreshadowing to hint us what's going to happen. This shadowed past, which is Lauis' death, will be brought to "light" towards the end, when Oedipus realizes that he killed his father (and slept with his mother). The "light" in this case represents his realization. "Unscathed indeed, if truth is strength. It is. But not for you, you purblind man: in ears of mind and vision" (21-22) It is here where Tiresias mentions that truth is strength, but Oedipus mocks his blindness in retaliation. Although Tiresias may be "purblind", Oedipus is "blind" to the truth (or strength), and therefore has none.
"You can't hurt me, you night-hatched thing!" (22). Oedipus says this to Tiresias, and calls him a "night-hatched thing" as he thinks Tiresias and Creon are plotting against him. By "night", Oedipus is probably referring to evil. "I'm blind, you say; you mock at that! I say you see and still are blind-appallingly" (23) Tiresias says this to counter Oedipus, but what he says is true. Oedipus is "blind" by his pride and rage, and claims that Tiresias and Creon are plotting to overthrow him. Tiresias can see clearly and isn't "blind" in the mind.
"Lost! Ah lost! At last it's blazing clear. Light of my days, go dark. I want to gaze no more" (67) Oedipus finally realizes the truth, and he suddenly does not want to see the "light" of his past, and it becomes "darkness" or night for him. It's similar to the previous quote, as he realizes how evil he's been. "I'm blind, you say; you mock at that! I say you see and still are blind-appallingly" (23) Tiresias says this to counter Oedipus, but what he says is true. Oedipus is "blind" by his pride and rage, and claims that Tiresias and Creon are plotting to overthrow him. Tiresias can see clearly and isn't "blind" in the mind.
"You shall not see me nor my crime, not see my present shame. Go dark for all time blind" (70). We see Oedipus realize his crimes, and because of this he wants to rid his eyes of all of them by making them go "dark". In other words, he wants to rid the eyes of evil. "Caught in the end by Time. Who always sees, where Justice sits as judge" (68). The Chorus claims that time "sees" all. This is true, everything that happens depends on time, which brings us to justice. When there is justice, there is truth. Therefore those who can "see", can understand truth, which is proved by Tiresias.

Part 2

Answer the following in substantial and complete sentences on a separate sheet of paper. Be sure to EXPLAIN your answers by using evidence from the text.

  1. What is the irony between Oedipus and Tiresias? Consider their roles in the play and their ability to "see".

    The irony between Oedipus and Tiresias is that Tiresias cannot physically see but can instead see the truth, while Oedipus can see but is blinded from the truth. After Oedipus mocks Tiresias about his blindness, Tiresias retaliates by saying "I'm blind, you say; you mock at that! I say you see and still are blind-appallingly" (23). This basically just sums up all of the irony between Oedipus and Tiresias, that Oedipus has a physical advantage and Tiresias has the mental advantage.

  2. By the end of the play, how does Oedipus switch roles with Tiresias?

    As mentioned in the previous question, Oedipus originally is blinded by his own rage and pride, but Tiresias is physically blind but can clearly see the truth. But at the end, after Oedipus "Holds them up [the brooches] and rams the pins right through his eyes" (70) and finally sees everything from Tiresias' view. Tiresias is blind, and Oedipus is also blind. Tiresias knows the truth, and Oedipus also knows the truth. In other words, Oedipus had to pay the price of his sight in order to "see" the truth.

  3. Based on your answers to the questions above, what general assessment of man is Sophocles making?

    I think the assessment Sophocles is making of man is the destructiveness of pride. Because of Oedipus' pride, he believed that he could control his own fate - that he could prevent the Oracle of Delphi's prophecy. This ultimately leads him to come to Thebes and murder his father and marry his mother, thus fulfilling the prophecy. He doesn't listen to Tiresias, who tells him that the murder is himself, and at the end, he has to pay the price. The consequence of his series of actions is his loss of eyesight. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles emphasizes that pride can lead to one's own destruction.