Is Knowledge A Double Edge Sword? The Greek philosopher Socrates once stated “the only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” Individuals seek knowledge and/or the truth to understand why they are in a situation, to make better decisions, etc., without being aware that knowledge has a limited ability to present happiness for those who attempt to obtain it. Yet, it can fill the void created by the unknown. In the Greek tragedy, Oedipus the King, Oedipus’s quest for knowledge leads to his own downfall. In both life and literature, a driving force behind setting out on a journey is to find a response to an unanswered question that has impacted their lives. Within Oedipus the King, the tragic hero, Oedipus sets out to find the solution …show more content…
Even though everyone deserves to know the truth about their upbringing, Oedipus should have listened to the advice of several people throughout his journey since they were trying to protect him from discovering he was the murderer of his own father, yet giving the knowledge he asked for. Jocasta, Oedipus’s wife, attempted to shield him the “knowledge of who” he was. Also, throughout the play, Oedipus is displayed as one who influenced the form his downfall was to occur. He turns his own life into a puzzle/riddle, similar to the one previously presented by the Sphinx by allowing his ignorance or “blindness” to interfere. Additionally, Teiresias, who is blind himself states how Oedipus being ignorant causes him to “live in foulest shame unconsciously and do not see where [he is] in calamity.”(page 26). On the other hand, finding out that he is was the one who killed King Laius and taking an action that caused him to be physically blind lead on to Oedipus to acknowledge the “evil deeds” he had done and learn from them. Overall, its more about the knowledge acquired than the trip itself, specially for Oedipus’s