Book Reports /
English 1102: Oedipus the King- discuss an element of fiction used in the play [7]
I have been working more on my paper...could you take a look at this and see if it is better...please offer advice on my paper.
Thanks so much.
Blinding TruthOedipus the King is an ancient Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. The play's protagonist, Oedipus, is abandoned as an infant on Mount Cithaeron by King of Thebes, Laius and his wife Jocasta because they had been told their son would kill Laius. A shepherd finds Oedipus and gives him to the King and Queen of Corinth. Later in Oedipus's life he receives an oracle that he is fated to couple with his mother and kill his father. In an effort to avoid this fate he flees Corinth. Despite the effort to avoid the prescribed fate, Oedipus does in fact couple with his mother and kills his father. The theme of sight versus blindness is evident throughout Oedipus the King. The word "see" has a literal meaning of being physically able to see ones surroundings and has a deeper figurative meaning of being able to understand or to know something. Although Oedipus can physically see, Oedipus is figuratively blind and unable to "see" the obvious truth in his life. Sophocles uses "...images of vision and blindness to refer not only to physical sight but also to seeing as understanding", according to literary critic, Sutton (1).
One example of the emphasis on vision and blindness is near the beginning of the play, when the city of Thebes comes to Oedipus for help because a plague is ravaging the city. Ironically, Oedipus says, "... I would be blind to misery/ not to pity my people kneeling at my feet" (Barnett 951). Moreover, during the conversation between Oedipus and the priest, chosen spokesman of the gathered group, the priest tells Oedipus to, "... look around...see with your own eyes..." (Barnett 951). The problem is Oedipus is figuratively blind and unable to "see" that he is the reason for the woes of the city.
The theme of sight versus blindness is further emphasized when the leader of the chorus recommends that Oedipus send for Lord Tiresias, a prophet of Apollo, because he "...sees with the eyes of Lord Apollo..." (Barnett 959). Oedipus, enraged at the reluctance of Tiresias to assist in finding the murderer of Laius, begins to taunt and mock Tiresias' blindness. Tiresias tells Oedipus, You're blind to the corruption of your life" (Barnett 963).
On the other hand, Oedipus possesses physical sight but is blind to the truth in his life. Oedipus being figuratively blind to the truth mocks Tiresias blindness when ironically it is Oedipus that is blind.
Oedipus even though he has physical sight remains blind until the truth is spoken to him by the Theban shepherd. It is then and only then that Oedipus can truely "see" and ironically the pain of finally being able to "see" proves unbearable for Oedipus. Ironically in the beginning of the play Oedipus seemed voluntarily blind in his refusal to "see" the truth. Now that he can see the truth he actually voluntarily makes himself literally blind by stabbing his eyes with the broaches from Jocasta's robe. "This loss of eyes largely coincides with the protagonist's ability to "see" in a deeper sense..." (Sutton 2).
