In both plays, Lear and Oedipus similarly hold a high position in their respective countries. Lear is the King of Britain and Oedipus is the King of Thebes. Both kings, because of their high position in society are supposed to be able to distinguish the good from the bad. Unfortunately, their lack of insight prevents them from doing so. Gloucester is a prime example of a character, like Lear and Oedipus, who lacks insight but regains it wh

After several testimonies, Oedipus opens his eyes and accepts the blame. In order to deliver justice for his wrongs in killing his father and marrying his mother, Oedipus chooses to blind himself. Unlike Lear and Gloucester, Oedipus took matters into his own hands for his failure to open his eyes to see the truth. Just before Oedipus blinds himself he realizes what he has done. Oedipus states, "O god-all come true, all burst to light! O light-now let me look my last on you! I stand revealed at last-cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in lives I cut down with these hands!" Oedipus has now exposed his quilt. His life, like Lear and Gloucester's is proven to be a lie because of his symbolical blindness and his false knowledge.

Oedipus is so blinded by his own egotistical self that he believes that since he was the only one who was able to solve the riddle of the sphinx that he is the only one capable of finding out the killer of King Laius. Oedipus states, "No, I'll start again-I'll bring it all to light myself! Apollo is right, and so are you, Creon, to turn our attention back to the murdered man. Now you have me to fight for you, you'll see! I am the land's avenger by all rights, and Apollo's champion to" (149-155). Oedipus makes it his duty and ambition to seek out the murderer of King Laius. Ironically, when Tiresias, a blind prophet claims "you with your precious eyes, you're blind to the corruption of your life, to the house you live in, those you live with-who are your parents? Do you know? All knowing you are the scourge of your own flesh and blood..." (470-474), Oedipus does not believe him. He believes he speaks nonsense. Oedipus does not even give it a second thought that maybe this is true or to the fact that he did kill a man on his way to Thebes. Oedipus, compared to Gloucester and his sons, believes that Tiresias is plotting against him along with his brother-in-law Creon.

Near the end of the play, Gloucester finally regains his sight and realizes that Edgar had saved his life disguised as PoorTom, a beggar. He realizes that Edmund is the evil son and had planned to take over the earldom. Gloucester states, "I stumbled when I saw full oft 'tis seen/ Our means secure us, and our mere defects/ Prove our commodities. O dear son Edgar,/ The food of thy abused father's wrath-/ Might I but live to see thee in my touch/ I'd say I had eyes again" (IV, i, 18-24). This is ironic because his inability to see the realities of his sons occurred when he had physical sight but was mentally blind; but his ability to see the true nature of his sons occurred after having his eyes plucked out by the Duke of Cornwall, causing him blindness. From this point onwards, Gloucester learns to see clearly by using his heart to see inst

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Approximate Word count = 1872
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)