Oedipus Hubris and the Dangers of Pursuing Truth

Introduction

The common saying “ignorance is bliss” is an expression used to describe a person’s avoidance of a negative situation or idea to maintain their ‘happy bubble.’ In the renowned Athenian tragedy Oedipus Rex, Oedipus Tyrannus, or Oedipus the King, seeks ultimate knowledge and truth to end the plague that ravages the city of Thebes, all while juggling ignorance and self-knowledge.

Body

Tragic Lesson in the Consequences of Unchecked Hubris

This strong ambition to delve into the truth that was meant to be hidden eventually destroyed the king himself after being so sheltered by the blindness of ignorance.

The king’s revelation of his taboo origin and self-obliteration then makes one question: Was seeking the truth well worth it despite the pain it came with, or is it better to rely on the saying “ignorance is bliss”? Oedipus is presented as someone with great insight and intelligence through his prior accomplishments of liberating Thebes from the Sphinx. Due to his inflated hubris, fed by his people’s faith in their great leader, Oedipus believes he is intellectually superior to others, “kneeling at [his] feet” (13-15), waiting to be pitied. Although seen as a man of great knowledge and wisdom, even by himself, Oedipus ironically carries little to no self-knowledge about who he is and where he came from. As he confidently seeks the truth to eradicate the plague, the king gains more knowledge about his background. Ultimately, all former schemas and beliefs of Oedipus shatter as he encounters the terrors of self-knowledge of his ancestral marriage and being the source of the plague. His pursuit of truth, once on behalf of his city Thebes, transitions to a personal and less noble endeavor of his taboo origin. Oedipus is so blinded by their own hubris and rage he begins to disregard all other opinions and deviates far from the wise leader he was known for. Albeit “something monstrous may come bursting forth” (1182) was predicted by his comrade, Oedipus encouraged all disasters to “let is burst! Whatever will, whatever must!” since he “must know [his] birth, no matter how common it may be” (1183-1185). The obtention of all knowledge narrows Oedipus’s mind as he becomes so determined to unearth the truth only for himself. All honorable intentions are now cast away as Oedipus proclaims to his wife, who pleads him to stop for the better good, “Listen to you? No more. I must know it all, must see the truth at last” (1169-1170). The truth means everything to Oedipus, and he is willing to face whatever may come at him, even if it means going through extreme measures. This pursuit of knowing all truth, obscured by his hubris and arrogance, brings Oedipus’s dreadful hamartia.

The true tragedy of the play Oedipus Rex was not the extrinsic misfortune that landed upon the great king (regarding the marriage to his mother and murder of his father). The actual conflict that brought Oedipus his fatal downfall was the gaining of knowledge of these facts that were in complete contradiction to his self-identity. Oedipus's own perception of himself as “the land’s avenger by all rights, and Apollo’s champion too” (153-155) transforms into a man accused of being “the curse, the corruption of the land!” (400-401) and the very “murderer you hunt” (413). This revolution completely destroys his own self-perception. Oedipus’s discovery of his legitimate origin is not, however, a simple futile effort in the end. Whether it be for himself or to extinguish the plague, Oedipus manages to achieve a greater good despite his life being in ruins as he professes, “quickly, cast me away, my friends -- this great murderous ruin, this man cursed to heaven, the man the deathless gods hate most of all!” (1478-1480). He calls for the city of Thebes to exile their very king to abolish the curse and personal guilt that lay within him. By doing so, the plague would be lifted from the city of Thebes, the crops replenished, and the town would hopefully flourish once again. Thus, Oedipus's restless pursuit of truth had a greater purpose, which is the lives of the people he loves so dearly. The truth Oedipus so greatly yearned for ultimately destroyed him but, in the end, rescued the city of Thebes from the plague.

The Climax of Oedipus’s Journey

If Oedipus were to not seek truth so fiercely and if the tragedy did not link the plague to the free will of the gods, it would be presumed he would have continued living in ignorant bliss to find an alternative solution to the plague. In this unique circumstance, the uprooting of knowledge, originally meant to be hidden, would prove to be a worthwhile effort. However, real life rarely mimics that of Oedipus in which such strange events would occur. Oedipus’s story is an example of how knowing too much knowledge is a dangerous asset that may reveal a truth that was better left unknown. Sophocles asserts this claim through the texts of Tiresias, who educates Oedipus on the brutality and horror that all knowledge and wisdom come with: “How terrible—to see the truth when the truth is only pain to him who sees!” (359-360). What terrible truth Oedipus tried so hard to squeeze out of Tiresias turned out to hold only pain for the king.

Conclusion

Without realizing it, we are also guilty of being so adamant about finding knowledge and truth that surrounds us, potentially containing just sorrow and pain. Our strong desire for knowledge comes at a price, and we may not love the results; that is the truth that is later unveiled. This leaves us with two options: to accept the outcome and become lovers of the truth or blind ourselves through ignorance to maintain happiness. Complete oblivion, after all, could be a subconscious “blessing for the mind to dwell a world away from pain” (1523). Oedipus Tyrannus, in the tragedy Oedipus Rex, reveals the ancient reflection on the dangers of knowledge. Sophocles’s work exposes certain ideological questions about whether the over-consumption of knowledge and truth is beneficial or should a person remain ignorant to maintain happiness. Ultimately, destruction does not come down to how much knowledge is obtained, as it is dependent on the person. Rather, it is determined by how a person may react to this truth that will define whether all-knowing knowledge shall educate or demolish someone.

References

1. "Oedipus Tyrannus: Tragic Heroism and the Limits of Knowledge" by Charles Segal

2. "Oedipus Rex: A Mirror for Greek Drama" by Marjorie Barstow Greenbie

3. "Oedipus: A Folklore Casebook" edited by Lowell Edmunds

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