What role does Tiresias play in Oedipus Rex?

Tiresias serves a pivotal role as the blind prophet in "Oedipus Rex." His blindness symbolizes his insight into the truth that Oedipus cannot perceive. Despite being physically blind, Tiresias sees the reality of Oedipus's situation more clearly than Oedipus himself. When Oedipus seeks Tiresias’s counsel in an attempt to uncover the truth behind the plague afflicting Thebes and the murder of King Laius, Tiresias initially refrains from revealing the full extent of Oedipus's tragic past. His eventual disclosure that Oedipus himself is the murderer is a crucial moment in the play, as it sets off a chain of events leading to Oedipus’s realization of his own identity and fate. This revelation highlights Tiresias's role as a messenger of truth, even in the face of resistance and denial from Oedipus. This emphasis on blind foresight being more potent than sight forms a central theme in the narrative, illustrating the tragic irony of Oedipus’s quest for knowledge.