The Illusion of Man Many Greek tragedies depict man as being foolish and refusing to face the truth head on. Instead, he creates a reality to suit his own needs, thereby perpetuating an illusion of happiness. The main character in Oedipus Rex, Oedipus, represents a man who must come to terms with his identity, even if other factors created this persona. Oedipus is the classic hero, equipped with all the human frailties, who attempts to …showed first 75 words of 1012 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1012 total…and allows him to remain blinded from reality. If he had not been so arrogant, he would have found out the truth much sooner and could have been able to truly see for the first time. In the end of the play, when Oedipus realizes the truth, he gouges out his eyes. The act of physically blinding himself is symbolic to the fact that throughout the course of the tragedy, he was blind to reality.