The King's Use Of Metaphors In Oedipus The King

Oedipus Tyrannus, as a story of revelation, abounds with metaphors for knowledge and ignorance: light contrasts with darkness, while sight opposes blindness. By following the employment of these metaphors and their referents through the play, we may observe a second revelation more foundational than the first, that of the nature of knowledge, or light, and of its relationship with the gods, the political community, and nature.
We find at first that light is to be cherished. Oedipus, the solver of riddles, guided by Apollo, not only beholds the light, but also shares his vision with the city. Through this is the city bound to him, for on its own it is blind, and its citizens are bound to “winging [their] way into darkness” (176). But as the
By seeing through “the spell that hypnotized our lives,” says the priest, Oedipus “restored our life” and, it is assumed, became king of Thebes (Oedipus Tyrannus 1). During the events of the play, he justifies his reign in the same manner. Upon hearing the woes of the Thebes, he responds “I know well the pain you suffer and understand what brings you here . . . No, I am not blind to it,” before laying out the plan he had already set into motion to end their pain (OT 4). When Creon returns, sent earlier by Oedipus, with word from Apollo that “A hidden sore is festering in our lands,” Oedipus vows “I shall not cease until I bring the truth to light” (OT 4,5). In this last quotation we have an indication not only of Oedipus’s zeal for discovery but also of a democratic sentiment regarding knowledge — in bringing something to light, one shares that thing with all who have eyes, or, in this case, the chorus of Theban citizens that waits in silence before Oedipus and Creon. This sentiment appears earlier as well, for when Creon gently suggests that he accompany Oedipus inside and away from the Thebans so that they may not hear the oracle, Oedipus responds “Say it before all of us. I sorrow more for them than for myself,” as if knowledge is owed and beneficial to those suffering (OT
Oedipus, unable still to comprehend the destructive knowledge, naturally mocks Teiresias, saying “You live in night, Teiresias, in night that never turns to day. And so, you cannot hurt me — or any man who sees the light” (OT 10). In some sense, Oedipus must be right. For one who, like Teiresias, knows the secrets of nature herself, secrets which thus are unnatural to know, perhaps light can no longer adequately symbolize knowledge. Teiresias’s mind moves in places where light does not naturally shine, and those still comforted by the sun cannot be touched by him from his