The Matrix and Oedipus the King both represent the elements of ignorance, bliss/happiness and knowledge. Each text represents these concepts in both similar and different ways. The Matrix and Oedipus the King both have main characters that were once living in this façade world full with ignorance but yet when was revealed the truth and gained knowledge of, the main characters begun to notice that ignorance became bliss and that they were living in a Dystopia all over again.
In the text, Oedipus the King – Oedipus the King of Thebes was raised to awareness by the priest that Thebes has been struck by the plague and citizens are dying. The priest has asked Oedipus for help and guidance. Oedipus sends Creon to the oracle to find out about the plague but Oedipus decides to focus on the murderer of Laius – the King of Thebes before Oedipus. When gaining this news about Laius, Oedipus decides to go to the oracle to see the prophet, Tiresias to find out some answers. Tiresias is a prophet, one whom is wise and has knowledge but yet is blind. While Oedipus and Tiresias is having the conversation, Tiresias decides that for Oedipus’s own good, he wants to hold onto the information he knows about Oedipus past and his future. Oedipus bursts out in rage and insults the blind man Tiresias, “It does, but not for you. Truth is not in you— for your ears, your mind, your eyes are blind!” (456-457) Oedipus insists that, what good is Tiresias if he cannot see? What knowledge can he gain, being blinded by darkness. Tiresias, felt beyond insulted and became vexed towards Oedipus, and curses him. Tiresias may be blind but, Oedipus has sight which he cannot even see how miserable he is, neither where he live nor who he share his household. While ending the conversation with Oedipus, he stroked upon one more question he had to put forth to make Oedipus think of who he has become without realization. “Do you know the family you come from? I was born like this. You think I am a fool, but to your parents, the ones who made you, I was wise enough. “(528). this triggers Oedipus thoughts, of who may his parents be? Reminiscing, a few years ago, Oedipus overheard in a party that the Queen and King weren’t his real parents, and with them keeping the secret from Oedipus, he decides to go on a quest to find out who his parents were. During this quest, Oedipus goes to the oracle of Delphi. The oracle of Delphi tells him, he would be the murderer of his father and sleep with his mother. After hearing this Oedipus continues with his journey to Thebes, he was confronted by a group of travelers and killed them in self-defense, the very same crossroad where Laius was killed. Tiresias yet goes on and tells him that, Oedipus himself is the murderer of his father, the brother yet father to his kids, the son yet husband to his mother. With this last piece of information, Oedipus yet once ignorant, has become enlightened about his own life. Oedipus realized that the oracle of Delphi was true. Oedipus went his whole life seeing but not knowing nor gaining knowledge of what was really happening. Ignorance is bliss. Once found of this knowledge of him being the murderer of his own father, the son yet husband of his own mother – Oedipus could not bear to see who he has become so, he takes two pins and blinds himself with them. Oedipus is now blind just as Tiresias, with the same knowledge shared upon.
In the Matrix, Neo was brought into this “dream world” which perceived reality as post-nuclear apocalyptic where humans were slaves. Being brought into this “dream world” Neo met this man named Morpheus who gave Neo a choice through the red pill or the blue pill; to either be blinded by the ignorance he once lived, or become enlightened by the truth of the matrix. Morpheus promised Neo he’d get nothing but the truth from being in this “real world.” Neo was so curious to find out what the truth was, and what it was made up, what made it different from what he was born in – he chose the pill to be enlightened by the truth of the matrix. While living in the Matrix, Morpheus believed that he had to train Neo to become the rebellious person, “The One” to fight against the machines he was controlled by. With Neo being “The One” he has come to realize that throughout the situations he was put through, in most cases what happened in the Matrix, such as injuries were fatal but in reality, one injury would be known to kill one’s body. Throughout experiencing and gaining all this knowledge in the Matrix, in this dream world, even so – finding out each the Matrix and reality were both a dystopian world. Leaving a world of imperfection to enter a world of imperfection has led Neo to believe in manipulation and that anything is possible.
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