False Sense of Security

     Oedipus gains a false sense of security when he learns of the death of Polybus. After hearing from the messenger that "a light tip of the scales put old bones to rest"(line 1051), Oedipus rejoices that his fears have been relieved- or so he thinks. He declares "all those prophecies I feared... They're nothing, worthless."(lines 1062-1064). Oedipus is still wary that he will somehow, against all odds, sleep with his mother if he travels back to Corinth. After learning that Polybus was not his true father, a messenger tells the tale of how Laius was the one who left Oedipus on Mount Cithaeron all those years ago.
     If Oedipus had learned of his true bloodline when he was young, he would have not feared to go to back to Corinth in his later years. This false sense of security was only temporary, for as soon as he learned that Polybus was not his true father, Oedipus spiraled out of control. I feel that the reason he gouged out his own eyes is so that he could not see the prophecies unfold any longer. All his life he wanted to avoid them, only to be caught in the tangled web of prophecy in a world where "Nothing I could see could bring me joy."(line 1473)

     In typical Greek fashion, fate played a major role in this play as Jocasta and Oedipus did everything in their power to defy the prophecy from coming true. Despite the valiant effort of Jocasta taking the baby far away, the prophecy prevailed. Upon realizing the harsh truth of the incest, Oedipus committed, he begins to breakdown and feels an overbearing feeling of guilt as hey says, "I have done such things to the two of them, crimes too huge for hanging." (1503-1504) Unlike Jocasta, Oedipus refuses to hang himself as he feels like being hanged is not a just punishment for what he has done. Hanging himself would not suffice for the sins committed. As for Jocasta, her hanging says a lot about her character. Instead of facing reality and owning up to what has happened, she chooses the easy way out which is suicide. She doesn't have to deal with public banter or living with the humiliation of sleeping with her son. In fact, the choice by Oedipus to not hang himself tells the readers a lot about his character. This shows that Oedipus is in fact an honorable man who does not run from scrutiny or deserved punishment. Oedipus turns to Creon and says "Drive me out of Thebes, in exile." (1667). He begs to receive punishment for his sins he committed. Irony plays a huge role in this play as the drive and curiosity of Oedipus lead to his own demise as a king. This is a major example of curiosity killing the cat.

Would you LOOK at that

The hero of Thebes may have gorged his eyeballs out of their sockets, but does that make him truly blind? Every direction Oedipus has seen has lead him to the wrong destination; "nothing [he] could see could bring [him] joy"(1473). When his eyes were fully intact, he was searching for something more. He felt as if he couldn't see every angle of his situation, and when he finally did, he proclaimed " O light--now let me look my last on you!" (1307). He was oblivious to the world around him when he had his sight, but once his vision vanished, his perception of life was clear. Other characters, as well as Oedipus, have shown poor problem solving capabilities all throughout the story, and each solution followed the path of ignorance.  Jocasta and King Laius pinned their sons ankles together and sent him to be killed as a solution to a prophecy; if the baby was dead, they could avoid the problem all together! How simple is the path of ignorance? Jocasta kills herself when she discovers the prophecy has come true instead of facing her shame, which only makes the situation worse for everyone that is involved. The action that Oedipus takes to pry out his eyes is what opens his eyes to the truth, but also shields him from facing it. He isn't blind to his actions anymore, but he is evading his consequences, which is cowardly. Since the path of ignorance was blocked by a huge traffic jam of truth and reality, Oedipus had to take a detour, and he has no clue where he's going.