Blindness And Vision In Oedipus The King

Oedipus believes that it’s nonsense and says that he doesn’t know anything because he’s blind. Tiresias then tells him that he is blind to the truth. Oedipus doesn’t believe Tiresias

It is very common for myths to have a character who is either blind, mad, or acts impulsively. From some of the most ancient works such as The Epic of Gilgamesh, through Shakespeare, and even the most common fairy tales, these common character types appear. In works such as The Oresteia, “Oedipus the King”, and the Grimm Brother's telling of “Rapunzel”, there is at least one character whose blindness, whether metaphorical or physical leads to the downfall of either themselves, or others. In The Oresteia, more specifically the opening play “Agamemnon”, there are multiple characters who are blind in some way.

Sight and blindness play a major role in the play Oedipus The King. Oedipus believes that he knows what is best; while, in reality he is blind to the truth. Once Oedipus is no longer blind to the truth he realizes that attempts to change his fate are futile. The significance of being able to see both figuratively and literally is emphasized in the story of Oedipus. For example when Teiresias says, “ You have your eyes but see not where you are in sin” (I, 483), this quote expresses that they do not only mean physical blindness, but they refer to Oedipus’ ignorance as well.

Tiresias tells Oedipus “ There is, but not for you. You don’t have this since you are blind in your ears and mind and

Blindness can mean that someone is unable to see or someone does not know the truth. Blindness in Oedipus means that someone does not know the truth. Blindness serves as a motif in multiple ways in Oedipus the King. The motif of blindness in Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles in 430 B.C., keeps Oedipus and Jocasta from the truth they are seeking.

Oedipus experienced blindness figuratively and eventually literally. The concept of sight and blindness in Oedipus Rex teaches many lessons. One lesson is that seeing something is based on one’s perspective, therefore it will not always be experienced the same way among different people. It depends on the way people perceive the information they receive.

Teiresias is a blind seer, which is rather ironic. He can see the truth about things, but cannot see physically. He does not want to weigh Oedipus down with the knowledge of his situation. When he is led into the scene, he immediately tells the king this.

The importance of sight is emphasized throughout the play; even though Oedipus has vision and his ally Teiresias is blind, Teiresias is able to decipher the truth surrounding the prophecy.

While seeking to discover who killed the former King of Thebes, Oedipus, the newly appointed King inquires guidance form the prophet blind Tiresias. During their encounter, Oedipus is accused as the murderer. Not only that, but Tiresias also informs Oedipus that the former King was his biological father, and the woman he now calls his wife is his biological mother. The conversation escalates and Oedipus states “…if you weren’t blind, if you still and eyes to see with, I’d say you, and you alone did it all” (Sophocles 472-473). Referring to the murder of the former King, Oedipus’ ad hominine points towards the physical blindness of the prophet.

The three points to my essay are as follows: the blindness in knowledge, blindness in truth, and lastly, physical blindness. Even though Oedipus is wise, he is extremely close minded. “There is, not for you, you sightless, witless, senseless,

The symbolic implication that comes of Oedipus blinding himself is he has seen too much evil and would rather see nothing than more evil. “What’s there left for me to see…?” P.44 Oedipus here say he has seen too much and that what he has seen will taint everything he sees thereafter. I do not find this courageous nor heroic, I believe blinded himself to not see what he had done, to not be reminded of his deeds, even by seeing his

Many people know the story of Oedipus. His hero’s journey mixed with his tragic fate make for an unforgettable story. While many people realize that theme of blindness and sight is impossible to ignore throughout the text, there is perhaps a harder to find, deeper meaning behind this theme. While the most memorable part of the play continues to be Oedipus blinding himself, the theme of blindness shows up countless other times. This theme of blindness versus sight does not just simply encompass physical sight, but also metaphorical sight.

Throughout the play, these two components are always at the center of the action. Even people that have great vision and can have the physical capability to see, can still be blind to truth and complete understanding of it. Throughout the tragedy Oedipus the King, Sophocles ' repeatedly bring up the idea of sight and uses it as a metaphor for insight and knowledge. The protagonist of the play, Oedipus, is "blind" to the fact that the fate that he had tried so hard to avoid, had come true without him knowing of it, while the physically blind prophet Tiresias was the one who can actually "see" and understand the

Jocasta encourages him to “not concern [himself] about this matter; listen to [her] and learn that human beings have no part in the craft of prophecy” (707-9). Their continual denial to admit the truth reflects the concept that knowledge does not exist for those who have power to act upon it. Moreover, in his closing speech, Oedipus acknowledges that he cannot be the ruler he wished he was when he is “seeing nothing, knowing nothing” (1484). By blinding himself, Oedipus removes any power he has from himself and acknowledges his ignorance. Ironically, at this point Oedipus proves to be more knowledgeable than at any other point in the play, despite his statement that he knows nothing.

Sight represents the ability to understand how Oedipus has caused chaos in Thebes while blindness symbolizes the ignorance Oedipus has towards his actions as he is the killer. In the play Oedipus is speaking to his best friend Creon and states “Then once more I must bring what is dark to light” (Prologue.135). In reference to finding out who has killed King Laius and has caused turmoil in Thebes but it is his fault he just does not know yet. Oedipus then seeks the help of Teiresias, while speaking to one another Teiresias states, “You mock my blindness do you? but I say that you with both your eyes, are blind; you cannot see the wretchedness of your life” (1.398-400).