Oedipus Tyrannus

The Greek tragedy, Oedipus Tyrannus by Sophocles is an excellent play; however, experts have debated many issues about this play for many years now. For example, some cannot even agree on the title of this play. There are many debated titles which include: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus Tyrannus, Oedipus, and Oedipus the King. However, there is little debate on the role that blindness plays in this ancient tragedy. Blindness is the downfall of the hero, Oedipus. Not only does become blind physically, but in the beginning he is blind due to ignorance, and then he later becomes egotistically blind (Knox, 131-153).

Although Oedipus does not become physically blind until the end of the play, he is blind because of his ignorance from the very beginning. He is this way because he was never educated about his past. He does not know the truth about where he came from or who his real parents are. He is in a way ignorant to his own past, or rather; he is blind. This is not his fault, and therefore he cannot help being blind in this way.

When he meets the men at the crossroad he does not know that the old man that he killed for whipping him was his father. As far as he knew, his father was the King of Corinth. Also, when he goes to Thebes, he is still blind in this way. He marries Jocasta, not knowing that she is in fact his biological mother and his children will turn out to be his siblings (Buxton, 22-37).

Because Oedipus knows nothing about the past of Thebes, he is not an assassin. Oedipus committed murder but unknowingly of who King Laius was. Oedipus honour was his claim against the murder. Had it been the other way around and Oedipus had lost the battle, King Laius alibi would have also been for reasons of honour: for reasons of royalty. Oedipus was royalty and knew it as well did King Laius. The main idea behind Oedipus innocence is this "royalty." Regardless of either of their class standings a fight occurred and the one to start had been King Laius men, or group, the fact that they lost is not the fault of Oedipus. In other words, King Laius and his men wanted to discipline Oedipus for not showing honour towards a king. Yet, in return, Oedipus wanted respect in return from King Laius and his men. They were both rightfully due the same amount of respect yet King Laius and his men felt they were entitled to pass first. The first blow came from the driver of King Laius chariot. This shows how Oedipus reacted in defence and feared for his life as well as his honour. Oedipus is an innocent man whose fate was also his destiny. There was no way to stop the prophecy no matter what action was taken. Throughout his life he ruled for his people. He was looked at as a "mortal set apart to face life common issues and ...