The blind prophet Teiresias is summoned to appear in the court of Oedipus in order to tell what he knows in regards to the previous King Laius's murderer. When, after extensive goading, Teiresias admits that Oedipus himself killed King Laius, Oedipus gets angry and accuses Teiresias of being a false prophet. At this point, an audience would feel sorry for Oedipus and Teiresias at once, because Oedipus is so blind to the truth and is cursed with a bad temper, and Teiresias may be punished because of this.

     Through questioning of servants and speaking with Jocasta, Oedipus begins to suspect that perhaps Teiresias is correct. When Oedipus begins to realize this, one would feel sorry for him because he has been cursed by the gods to kill his father and marry his mother. Though much was done by King Laius and Jocasta at Oedipus's birth to prevent this from happening, the gods caused Oedipus to live to carry out his demeaning destiny.

     The scene in which Oedipus blinds himself is one which is sure to evoke fear and pity from the audience. The shock of Jocasta's death combined with the sorrow Oedipus feels as the concept of his widowerhood and his blindness to the truth dawn on him cause Oedipus, in a fit of extreme sorrow, to put out his eyes. When the characters go through horrifying experiences and commit unrectifiable sins, the reader or audience of the play sympathizes with the characters, because it is a play meant to convey a feeling of helplessness toward the gods and one's own destiny. Though a man's destiny may be riddled with unhappiness and full of sorrowful experiences, he must resign himself to his destiny and live as the gods direct.

[My comment: I got a B-minus on this, and my teacher told me many of my points were weak and needed support or specifics.]