The Symbolism of Tiresias

 
Prompt: As a prophet, Tiresias speaks for the gods and for fate. How does the character of Tiresias function dramatically in Oedipus the king?(hint: what literary devices, themes, or larger ideas are embodied in his character and how does this create meaning.)
Can you really escape your destiny, or fate in life? Oedipus Rex is a play by Sophocles which uses many ideas to gain different perspective of things. And Sophocles uses many literary devices to project these ideas. In this play Oedipus is in a bad situation, stuck between 2 of these ideas, fate and chance. And the idea of fate is represented by one of the characters who is Tiresias. In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles uses Tiresias as a symbolism of knowledge, power and fate. In Oedipus Rex Tiresias is blind in the physical sense, but his knowledge surpasses all. “ The truth with all it’s power lives inside me”, Tiresias said. Indeed the truth does lie in Tiresias. He knows all the secrets behind the destruction of Thebes. And it is ironic because he is blind, but this gave Tiresias a bigger meaning. How can a blind man see? Well because he is a prophet ,he knows so much that it makes him a genius ,especially compared to Oedipus. And he knows, and understands the fate of everyone including Oedipus. And to know and understand is the greatest knowledge of all.
But because Tiresias knows the future and fate of many , doesn’t mean that everyone will understand or know also. In Oedipus Rex , Oedipus’s mother and wife , Jocasta doesn’t believe in such things. She believes that your life cannot be determined by fate ,but by chance. Which basically means that you decide your own fate, in a way. “Chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead”, Jocasta said. So between these two beliefs, Oedipus couldn’t decide which one to believe. “ I heard all that and I ran….always running toward some place were I could never see the shame of all those oracles come true”, said Oedipus. He fled from Corinth so that the fate that he was told wouldn’t occur, and he also believes that by fleeing he will be in control of his life. So in a way he believes in fate and chance. Little does Oedipus know his fate has already come to pass, and is being told by Tiresias.
When Oedipus hears his fate, he doesn’t want to believe Tiresias, and uses his diction of power to overrule Tiresias prophecy. “You’ve lost your power, stone-blind…..eyes blind as stone”, said Oedipus. And Tiresias is sent by the gods blind for a reason. Because blindness is looked at by Oedipus as something that makes you powerless. But having little knowledge of your actions and surrounding is what really makes you blind. And in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus is mentally blind which makes him powerless. But Sophocles has made Tiresias the most powerful person in the play, because even though he is physically blind, Tiresias knows what’s going on, and knows Oedipus’s fate.
But could you blame Oedipus for being mentally blind? The emphasis that Tiresias has in Oedipus Rex, is so extreme that it could bring fear into anyone’s eyes. This fear brought in denial, which is why Tiresias symbolized power. Anyone that could bring fear to a king , is a very powerful person. And a blind person who is considered to be old and weak, would probably be the last person anyone would be afraid of. But that is why Tiresias is a great symbol. His character connected with the story and real life. And this helped bring Oedipus Rex into another perspective.