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Intelligence In Oedipus The King

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Intelligence Breeds Overconfidence Intelligence is commonly seen as a gift, a perfection or a survival instinct, but many don’t realize that intelligence can undermine a person’s life. In Oedipus Rex, a theatrical play by Sophocles, displays the idea that human flaws such as intellect can flourish overconfidence which may become a downfall. The play revolves around the king Oedipus, in a burdensome experience to find out what who is the murderer of the previous king. He is confident that with his intelligence he will restore Thebes and go against the word of the gods, to later realize that his intelligence is not a gift but a destruction. As previously stated Oedipus tries to use his intelligence to stop the curse of Thebes. Tiresias, a blind …show more content…

His costume is white showing purity, he wears a flower collar and a baton to be able to walk since he is a weak man. Even though he is a blind person he knows the truth and he can see the light or truth of this whole problem. He even tells Oedipus “Though you have your sight you cannot see in what misery you stand” (256-257). This shows that as much as Oedipus claims to be smart or have any wisdom he is still ignorant about facts since it would make him seem as a defective ruler. To further explain, when Tiresias gave him the horrendous news Oedipus said the following “ Why did you say nothing to set the townsmen free when the riddling Sphinx was here? Yet that riddle was not for the first-comer to read; it needed the skill of a seer. And none such had you! Neither found by the help of the birds, nor straight from any God. No, I came; I silenced her, I the ignorant Oedipus” (239-244). Oedipus tells him that the murderer could not be him, because it was him that helped Thebes when they most needed him. It was his knowledge that helped them and no god helped. It makes Oedipus look arrogant and once again believes that his knowledge saved Thebes and no one

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