Oedipus the King Theme of Memory and the Past

Memories of the past have a complex impact on the characters in Oedipus the King. One message in this play is that delving too far into the past – as Oedipus does against the warnings of nearly everyone around him – is dangerous and self-injuring.

1. Does Oedipus’s awareness of his past ultimately benefit or harm him?
2. How does hubris impact the ability of Oedipus to perceive and understand the past?

Oedipus the King argues that ignorance is bliss.