Oedipus Rex and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: The Illusion of Reality
Emmie Thompson
AP English
10.1.13
Oedipus Rex and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: The Illusion of Reality Sophocles was known for his emphasis on the individual’s uncompromising search for truth, particularly in “Oedipus Rex.” In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” he, similarly to Sophocles, illustrates man’s pursuit of truth and what that means. Plato suggests that truth is subjective to each man. But what is truer? What is illusion and what is reality? Just because something is illusion for one man does not make it falsehood for the other. “To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images” (Plato). The story of Oedipus offers a lot of examples of the philosophy that Plato poses in his dialogue. In both works, the men first had to realize their ignorance before they could begin to acquire knowledge and true understanding of the complexities of the human condition; Oedipus in a literal sense and the man in the cave in a more theoretical sense. Oedipus discovers, after piercing out his eyes, that he has finally arrived at the truth of his life and that he now has a responsibility to share his story with his children, extended family, and citizens. And in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," the prisoner's difficulty discovering the truth lies in his unfortunate restricted life within the cave. And when he escapes, he feels compelled to enlighten others with the newly found truth he has stumbled upon. “And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the charge and pity them?” (Plato) “Oedipus Rex” and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” are works about truth and falsehood, about sight and blindness, about light and darkness; all of which represent the great divide between illusion and reality. Oedipus is blinded by the illusion that he has fled his fate, having overcome the prophecy. He thinks he has escaped his parents, and this illusion
AP English
10.1.13
Oedipus Rex and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: The Illusion of Reality Sophocles was known for his emphasis on the individual’s uncompromising search for truth, particularly in “Oedipus Rex.” In Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” he, similarly to Sophocles, illustrates man’s pursuit of truth and what that means. Plato suggests that truth is subjective to each man. But what is truer? What is illusion and what is reality? Just because something is illusion for one man does not make it falsehood for the other. “To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images” (Plato). The story of Oedipus offers a lot of examples of the philosophy that Plato poses in his dialogue. In both works, the men first had to realize their ignorance before they could begin to acquire knowledge and true understanding of the complexities of the human condition; Oedipus in a literal sense and the man in the cave in a more theoretical sense. Oedipus discovers, after piercing out his eyes, that he has finally arrived at the truth of his life and that he now has a responsibility to share his story with his children, extended family, and citizens. And in Plato's "Allegory of the Cave," the prisoner's difficulty discovering the truth lies in his unfortunate restricted life within the cave. And when he escapes, he feels compelled to enlighten others with the newly found truth he has stumbled upon. “And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the cave and his fellow prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the charge and pity them?” (Plato) “Oedipus Rex” and Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” are works about truth and falsehood, about sight and blindness, about light and darkness; all of which represent the great divide between illusion and reality. Oedipus is blinded by the illusion that he has fled his fate, having overcome the prophecy. He thinks he has escaped his parents, and this illusion