A Discussion of Self-Discovery and the Pursuit of Truth in Sophocles Oedipus It is said that the truth will set you free, but in the case of Sophocles Oedipus, the truth drives a man to imprison himself in a world of darkness by gouging out his eyes. As he scours the city for truth, Oedipus ruin is ironically mentioned and foreshadowed in the narrative. With these and other devices Sophocles illuminates the kings tragic realization and creates a firm emotional bond with the audience.Oedipus quest is revealed to him early on in the play, though it undergoes a number of transformations before he is actually examining his own life and heritage. He begins with the reasonable search for the motive behind the wave of death and destruction that has overcome Thebes. This leads into his search for the man who murdered Laius, and finally to Oedipus questioning his own innocence and origin. The final stage of his search is where he becomes most fervent, regretfully not considering the magnitude of the effect his discovery will have on him. In order to assess Oedipus search for truth, one must first look at each transformation separately before tying them together.Oedipus first investigation, as previously mentioned, relates to the terrible condition of Thebes. His attention is brought to this matter by a throng of suppliants praying at his steps. Oedipus characterizes himself as a father figure to his people, addressing them as such: "My children" (Prologue.1). As father to his people, he sees the importance of relieving their suffering, and thus sends Creon to the Oracle at Delphi. This vague stage of Oedipus search quickly loses its cryptic nature, however, with the return of said messenger.Oedipus pursuit experiences its first conversion when Creon brings him this charge from the Delphic Oracle: "expel from the land of Thebes / An old defilement we are sheltering" (Prologue.99-100). It is quickly determined between the two men that the defile...
