Sight in Oedipus the King - 834 Words

Once blind, but Now he Sees: Sight in Oedipus the King Sophocles was a phenomenal writer that captivated his audience with a distinct charm still not yet duplicated by even the best of play-writers today. In Oedipus the King, a tale of dynamic proportions regarding a leader who falls from the throne of a city to the dark depths of is fate, Sophocles demonstrates great genius in that his writings require a substantial amount of intellectual involvement from his audience. (Helmbold) One of the frequently mentioned images driving the plot of the play is the concept of sight verses blindness. This motif of blindness in Oedipus the King is critical to the storyline and entire plot of the play. It allows Sophocles to toy with the definition†¦show more content†¦Another rather clear ironic result in the play is that of Oedipus fate in relation to his original condition. Once blinded with ignorance, Oedipus finally discovers the truth, but blinds himself as a result of his disgust. What I did was best, he begins, I with my eyes, how co uld I look at my father in the eyesÂ… the sight of my children, not with these eyes of mineÂ… I am misery! (Sophocles 243) The play certainly comes full circle, with Oedipus unintentional blindness eventually changing to a self-inflicted blindness, and such an occurrence would not have been possible without Sophocles use of sight and blindness. Therefore, Understanding the true meaning of sight as defined by Sophocles in the play is essential to facilitate the comprehension of the underlying morals and actual significance throughout the play. Without such knowledge, reading the play will merely result in ones partial understanding of the message that Sophocles was trying to convey. Works Cited Fagles, Robert, trans. The Three Theban Plays. New York, NY: Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 1982. 155-278. Helmbold, W.C. The Paradox of the Oedipus. The American Journal of Philology Vol. 80, no. 3, 1951:Show MoreRelatedSight And Blindness In Oedipus The King789 Words   |  4 PagesCaleb Cho Ms. Kim English 373H 5-October- 2017 Tension Between â€Å"Sight† and â€Å"Blindness† Essay - Rough Draft Deep in the forest lived a blind man named Carl. Once a week Carl would travel to the nearest city to buy supplies and food. One day, a young boy decided to play a trick on Carl, the boy would catch a bug, and then ask if the bug was alive or dead. If Carl said â€Å"alive† the boy would crush the bug and show Carl the bug was dead. 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This particular play uses a blend of irony, wit, and metaphor to create a literary motif. Sophocles explores the literal aspects of sight and blindness, in the form of knowledge and oblivion. Through recurring symbols of sight and blindness, both literal and metaphorical, Sophocles creates a motifRead MorePeople tend to be blinded by the truth at times. Usually, the solution to their question is right800 Words   |  4 PagesThey are able to â€Å"see† into the future. Though they don’t have physical sight, they still have another type of vision. In the play Sophocles’ King Oedipus, Teiresias, the blind prophet, told King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta the truth. Oedipus have been blinded his whole life about the truth and when he finally realizes the truth, he physically blinds hims elf. Jocasta, as well was blinded by the real identity of her son/husband Oedipus and still when she found out the truth, she refused to accept it. In