Final answer:
The blind prophet in the play 'Oedipus the King' by Sophocles is Tiresias. He plays a crucial role in revealing the truth to Oedipus about his actions and the fulfillment of the tragic prophecy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The blind prophet who has guided the kings of Thebes with his advice and counsel is Tiresias. In the classic play by Sophocles, Oedipus the King, Tiresias is sought after by King Oedipus to help solve the mystery of the former King Laius's murder, which has caused a plague to ravage Thebes. Tiresias, though hesitant, eventually reveals to Oedipus that he himself is the murderer he seeks, unknowingly having killed his father and married his mother, fulfilling the very prophecy he had aimed to thwart.
The play is a profound exploration of fate, free will, and the tragic consequences of human blindness to the truth. Tiresias, despite being physically blind, is the character in the play who sees the truth most clearly, while Oedipus, who has sight, is blind to his own reality until the devastating truth is revealed, which leads to his actual blindness. This irony underscores the theme that wisdom and insight are not dependent on physical sight.