Oedipus the King 4

"Oedipus the King" is a play that focused on discovering truths. The central conflict in "Oedipus the King" is a quest for truth, unequivocally, Oedipus's journey for the truth surrounding his birth. Although Oedipus pursues his journey for the truth with the anticipation that knowing the truth will allow things to be as they should, to be right, the play, from the very beginning, hints that Oedipus's anticipation of the truth is inaccurate. Rather than …

…Moreover, it is clearly evident that disclosing an unpleasant truth, such as Oedipus's birth, could cause panic, rash behavior, and ultimately destroy the city. The quest for the truth in "Oedipus the King" brings the issue of danger to the surface. The problem is especially evident with Tiresias and Creon. The extreme nature of Tiresias's choice, in addition to Creon's need to evaluate the consequences of truth, clearly confirms that truth can be dangerous, indeed.