Pride is a sense of one's own proper dignity or value. Oedipus is very well spoken. His words are confident and strong. He stands tall and upright and is placed in the center of the action and his people look up to him. He knows his value to the people of Thebes, especially after solving the riddle of the Sphinx. His pride has fueled his search for the truth regarding the murder of King Laios. His pride leads him to the truth and the truth is his downfall. If he had not built himself up and forced Teiresias to tell him the truth he would not have fallen. Blindness is relating to a sightless person. The wise prophet Teiresias characterizes the physical aspect of blindness but Oedipus is also a blind character because of his inability to see the truth in front of him. Oe

This is an ironic statement because although Teiresias is blind physically, he is the only one who sees the truth. He knows not only the plague of sickness in the city but the plague of Oedipus as well.

It is the pride of Oedipus that compels him to search out the truth and bring freedom to the people of Thebes. He does not want to lose the respect or the power his people have given him. Oedipus is a wise character that seems to be too smart for his own good. His own prideful quest for the truth ultimately leads to his demise.

This passage is “microcosmic” to the play as a whole. It begins with a praise of a man. Oedipus is praised at the beginning of the play and is looked up to by the people. Teiresias refuses to speak, Oedipus refuses to see. The truth is then revealed. Teiresias

dipus’ blindness is metaphoric. In scene one lines 284 to 448 of Oedipus Rex the conflict between ignorance and truth, pride and blindness is battled out in the meeting between Oedipus and Teiresias.

The Choragos introduces Teiresias as a man in whom truth is born. (Coldewey, Streitberger. Oedipus Scene 1, line 286) Tieresias’ character is the symbol of truth in the play. Oedipus greets him with praise. Right away he makes a reference to Teiresias’ blindness. “Blind though you are, you know the city lies sick with plague…”(C&S Oedipus Scene 1, lines 290-291)

Some topics in this essay:
Oedipus Scene, Oedipus Rex, King Laios, Teiresias Oedipus’, oedipus scene 1, oedipus scene, scene 1, Poetics Pages, c&s oedipus scene, C&S Oedipus, , c&s oedipus, Oedipus Teiresias, Oedipus Tieresias, scene 1 line, 1 lines, scene 1 lines, 1 line, Teiresias Choragos, ignorance truth, blind truth, truth revealed, oedipus blind, pride blindness, refuses speak oedipus,