I have read Oedipus several times and I am capable of discussing the use of blindness and sight and its meanings, however I am not sure how to go about discussing the importance of it, and how to develop a thesis statement.
Please help. Thank you in advance!!
Blindness vs. sight:
Blindness, or darkness, is often associated with night, ignorance, or concealment. Sight, or light, is associated with heaven and exposure. Thus, while darkness has generally negative connotations and light has positive connotations, both make us feel vulnerable. For example, Tiresias, although he is blind, can see things sighted people cannot. What is the connection between his disability and his talent? Perhaps his blindness allows him to ponder, and this constant reflection has brought him closer to the gods. On the other hand, perhaps he was forced to exchange his sight to earn his sixth-sense abilities.
When his actions come to light, Oedipus blinds himself. He becomes overwhelmed by the day and seeks refuge in the dark; unable to handle reality, he exiles himself to a world of darkness. This darkness allows him to reflect on his mistakes and to absolve his sins. In addition to finding safety and calmness in blindness, Oedipus punishes himself, perhaps reducing his guilt.
What's more, Apollo is both the god of light and the announcer of Oedipus' prophecy. Thus, not only does light accompany Oedipus' knowledge of his fate, the same god governs it. At the end of the play, Oedipus exclaims that the gods hate him. Acting according to this belief, Oedipus tries to rid himself of light and of Apollo, telling Creon that "to Gods, above all men, [he is] a mark for hate."
Thus, in Oedipus Rex, sight represents the characters' knowledge of their destinies (i.e., their super-natural sight, if we're being clichĂŠ). This sight destroys Oedipus, driving him to violent measures to escape the horror of his fate (that sentence is kind of awkward; sorry).
I hope my notes were helpful. Good luck!
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