The Man who Loved his Mother, part 2

Readers, young sons and daughters of Brigham Young University, why do you read this humble blog?  But I perceive it is to understand the tragedy that is Oedipus, and the writing style of the immortal Sophocles.  The play is heavy with comparisons and contrasts, with light, sight, dark and blindness all juxtaposed against each other.

Oedipus begins with both eyes open, able to see as well as you or I.  He thinks himself to be knowledgeable and wise, and in many ways, he is.  Yet he is blind to the secrets and hidden truths that are causing his people to suffer, because of his great (as yet unknown) sins.  This is also seen in his choice of dress; when first our eyes light open Oedipus, he wears colorful clothes, as befit a king.  When his eyes are opened to the truth of his heritage, and then closed forever, he wears only a plain white robe, having all the dark colorful secrets stripped away like the skin of a calf ready to roast.  These symbolize his sudden transformation from a colorful, blissful ignorance, to the cruel white truths he is forced to face.  Now that his eyes are no longer distracted by outside images, he can see his crimes, though it cuts to the heart for him to know.

The prophet Teiresias, on the opposing hand, is constantly blind.  He sees naught but the blackness of his mind, but with the blessing of the gods, he knows the truths that are hidden from most men.  He knows Oedipus's great folly, and try to keep it from him as he might (to prevent the black tragedy that will occur), he reveals all.  Oedipus, still with eyes in a light that blinds him to the light of knowledge, can not at first believe his prophecies.  He thinks instead that they are a blind of their own, in a plot of treason to remove him from the throne, replacing him with Creon, his brother-in-law and uncle.  Ironically, Creon does become king, though it was not his intention, after Oedipus becomes as blind as the prophet, and decides to leave Thebes for the good of all.

The one flaw in my theorizing is that Teiresias dresses in darkness, even though his eyes have been opened to secrets of the world.  I cannot use the same allegory with him as with Oedipus.  Regardless, the main theme of blindness yet seeing still stands.  The man in darkness can see the light, while the man in light only sees the inner light for a short time, before he hides in darkness.

You that live in ancestral BYU, behold Oedipus, and pity him.  See how his new understanding broke his heart and family, and the cruel light of truth robbed him of his wife, his sight and his throne.  And once again, the Muse ends her song.