Oedipus Rex Essay, Research Paper

Blindness and Sight

Blindness and sight: The effects of these contrasting subjects help stress the drift of many narratives. In Sophocles? Oedipus Rex, sightlessness and sight can be seen as a cardinal subject. Blindness and sight are referred to by the characters in the narrative many times, and are shown to be rather contradictory. Although being unsighted agencies that person can non see something physically, it can besides intend that the individual can non see something rationally. Oedipus Rex and Teiresias ( the wise adult male ) are the two illustrations of how the cardinal subject contradicts in the narrative. Blindness and sight are besides synonymous with the ignorance and cognition that these characters of the narrative possess.

In this drama, Oedipus, who has full usage of his eyes, is considered by the people of Thebes to be a really intelligent individual who can see his manner through debatable state of affairss with comparative easiness. He obtains this repute through historic coincidence and triumph over the ill-famed Sphinx of Thebes. The Sphinx, a panic to the metropolis, is a half-human, half-lion, Teller of a certain conundrum, which no 1 can reply. Those who are unable to reply the conundrum right, face certain decease. Oedipus crosses waies with this Sphinx, and is asked the celebrated conundrum, ? What animal stands on four legs in the forenoon, two legs in the afternoon and eventually in the eventide walks on two legs with the assistance of a 3rd? ? Oedipus, believing the conundrum to be a metaphor to the life and phases of a adult male, right replies: ? A man. ? The Sphinx, unable to get down its pride and shamed because a adult male had answered the conundrum right, threw itself to its ain decease. Thebes no longer had to digest the fright of the Sphinx, and Oedipus was declared its new swayer. From hereon in Oedipus was considered a adult male of great intelligence.

Teiresias, on the other manus, is a unsighted adult male ; but he possesses experience, wisdom and perspicuousness of idea enabling him to see and understand what others do non. The quest that Oedipus had chosen to prosecute ( his fate/d

estiny ) is to happen the immorality or? pollution? ( page 14 ) of Thebes. Apollo explains that this? pollution? is the liquidator of Laius, the late King of Thebes. Oedipus sends off for Teiresias for his penetration on the issue. Teiresias arrives and Oedipus asks what cognition he has of the slaying. Oedipus is puzzled and upset because Teiresias voices his reluctance to reply Oedipus? inquiry. Oedipus becomes really speculative and forces Teiresias to unwrap the truth. Teiresias replies, ? You have eyes but see non where you are in wickedness, non where you live, nor whom you live with? This adult male, this liquidator? he is here. In name he is a alien among citizens but shortly he will be shown to be a citizen true native Theban, and he? ll have no joy of the find: ? sightlessness for sight and beggary for wealths his exchange? . He shall be proved father and brother both to his won kids in his house ; to her that gave him birth, a boy and conserve both ; a fellow sower in his male parent? s bed with that same male parent that he murdered. ? ( Pages 28,30 ) These quoted words are connoting that throughout Oedipus? life, he has been populating a unsighted life, because he did non see the truth of his life. Oedipus murdered his male parent and married his female parent and he had fathered kids that he was besides a brother to. ? Blindness for sight and beggary for wealths? ( page 30 ) is the manner Oedipus will populate the remainder of his life. He will no longer be metaphorically blind, because he will hold discovered the truth about himself. He will interchange wealths for begging, because he will shortly abdicate all his wealths, and go a hard up traveller with no usage of his eyes to see the universe.

From wealths to torment, physical sight to blindness and from ignorance of his family tree to erudition? is the fate of Oedipus. Blindness and sight is clearly the subject to this narrative, and can be related to vision, alteration in societal position, experience ( like Teiresias? ) and the effects of bound larning from wonder. Oedipus is left with the dry tradeoff of no physical sight, but alternatively educated with the penetration of his ain being.