Oedipusandtiresias

In this part of __Oedipus the King__ Tiresias and oedipus are arguing. Oedipus has accused Tiresias of plotting against him with Creon. Tiresias is offended that Oedipus has accused him. He tells Oedipus that Oedipus will leave Thebes alone, poor and blind. Oedipus sends him away from the palace, but not before Tiresias says that the man that killed Laius thinks that he is a foreigner, but is really Theban, and will see that he is both father and brother to his children, and son and bride of his mother and the murderer of his father.

"You have mocked at my blindness, but you, who have eyes, cannot see."** Oedipus thinks he can see and understand everything but the blind man sees more than he does.
 * __The Motif of Sight/Blindness__

**"You see straight now but then you will see darkness."** Tiresias prophesies both Oedipus' doom and his blindness. Oedipus sees only what is right in front of him (Tunnel Vision) His misery at his actions will forever blight him (blindness)

Oedipus foreshadows his own downfall Oedipus loses everything (metaphorical tears) and then blinds himself (literal tears)
 * "You will pay in tears for this witch-hunting."**

The Birds symbolize prophesy, both as a symbol of the gods and as a way to determine the future. THey represent a reliance upon the gods for truth. Oedipus doesn't rely on the gods, and scoffs at those that do. He depends on wit, not luck or divine intervention. This is a good characterization part. It reveals Oedipus as intelligent but proud and independent. While Oedipus is able to figure out the riddle of the sphinx, he is unable to figure out Tiresiases riddle, eventhugh the answer is literally right in front of his face...actually it //is// his face.
 * __Prophesy__**
 * "You offered no answer told you by the birds or the gods...the birds had nothing to teach me."**