...truths will cause them more harm then it will good. In Sophocles Oedipus Rex readers are able to watch the main character Oedipus go through this process which can take people years of their lives happen in a span of a few short days. In this process, people discover that it is not necessarily beneficial to know every truth and that it is ok to stay blind to some issues. As people go through the aging process they are...
Words: 1594 - Pages: 7
...Honors 9/30/13 Irony in Sight Throughout Sophacles’ play Oedipus Rex, he uses sight and blindness to demonstrate irony and the hubris of Oedipus. This is marked by Oedipus’ unwillingness or inability to understand that which is clear to the audience. His hubris (extreme pride) is his tragic flaw, truly blinding him from the truth. Oedipus eventually blinds himself, and it is then that he can finally “see”. From the very beginning, Oedipus was blinded by pride. Throughout the play, it is the one greatest irony that those with physical sight are blind, yet those who cannot actually see can see the truth. With the city of Thebes dying, Creon, having been sent to do so by Oedipus, comes from Delphi and the Oracle to deliver the message that the "the pollution of this land" (Sophocles 232), the murderer, be killed to bring an end to their strife.. Oedipus shows hubris when he demands Creon talk with him publicly, so convinced is he that he can solve any problem. Oedipus Has already solved the riddle of the Sphinx, that which had thwarted so many before him; "Oedipus knew the famous riddles. He was a mighty king, he was the envy of everyone who say how lucky he'd been. Now he's struck a wave of terrible ruin" (276) The chorus wishes for Oedipus to appeal to the gods to find the killer, Oedipus asserts that "to force the gods to act against their will- no man has the power."(320) Here, at least, he seems to humble himself before at least Apollo. Oedipus calls for Tiresius, the...
Words: 1485 - Pages: 6
...The two most prominent themes included in Sophocles’ play, Oedipus The King, that are also major themes throughout Greek tragedies are fate and sight. Fate, described as unescapable, and sight, described as blindness vs. knowledge, both are incorporated into Sophocles’ play. The main character, Oedipus, is the king of Thebes and viewed as their savior against the sphinx. Oedipus the king, is one of the best known Greek plays, in my opinion, mainly because of Oedipus’ blindness to how his actions were making his fate come true. This particular play gives insight on the Greek concepts of fate and sight with the different prophecies told by an insightful yet blind prophet, Tiresias. Through many examples in this play, fate and sight are intertwined...
Words: 851 - Pages: 4
...“Symbolism in Oedipus the King” Literature is composed of various tactics in order to make the reading more interesting and compelling to the audience. One of my favorite literary elements or devices is the use of symbolism. According to Merriam - Webster, symbolism is “the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature” (Webster). This definition might seem elementary to most. However, symbolism can be used to bring out deeper meanings in a text or express the intangible elements by the means of visual representations. Sophocles did a marvelous job of this in the play Oedipus the King. While reading Oedipus the King, there were four instances of symbolism that stood out to me: Oedipus’ scared feet, the murder at the crossroads, the mention of blindness that is present throughout the play and lastly Oedipus himself. Each one of these examples of symbolism adds character to Sophocles’ work of literature. They help guide the tone of the text. When Oedipus was merely three days old his parents, King Laius and Queen Jocasta, received a prophecy from Apollo saying that one day their son would one day kill his father and intermarry in to his family with his mother. Upon hearing this news, Oedipus’ parents bound and pierced his feet. The King and Queen then sent him off to be abandoned in hopes of avoiding the dreadful prophecy. Oedipus survived the incident and was left with scars on his feet. The scars that were present on Oedipus’ feet throughout his lifetime...
Words: 1903 - Pages: 8
...Hamartia in Oedipus the King According to the Aristotelian characteristics of good tragedy, the tragic character should not fall due to either excessive virtue or excessive wickedness, but due to what Aristotle called hamartia. Hamartia may be interpreted as either a flaw in character or an error in judgement. Oedipus, the tragic character in Sophocles’ Oedipus the King, certainly makes several such mistakes; however, the pervasive pattern of his judgemental errors seems to indicate a basic character flaw that precipitates them. Oedipus’ character flaw is ego. This is made evident in the opening lines of the prologue when he states "Here I am myself--you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus." (ll. 7-9) His conceit is the root cause of a number of related problems. Among these are recklessness, disrespect, and stubbornness. Oedipus displays an attitude of recklessness and disrespect throughout the play. When he makes his proclamation and no one confesses to the murder of Laius, Oedipus loses patience immediately and rushes into his curse. Later, he displays a short temper to Tiresias: "You, you scum of the earth . . . out with it, once and for all!," (ll. 381, 383) and "Enough! Such filth from him? Insufferable--what, still alive? Get out--faster, back where you came from--vanish!" (ll. 490-492) If an unwillingness to listen may be considered stubbornness, certainly Oedipus would take advice from no one who would tell him to drop the matter of his...
Words: 4487 - Pages: 18
...In his Poetics, Aristotle outlined the ingredients necessary for a good tragedy, and he based his formula on what he considered to be the perfect tragedy, Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. According to Aristotle, a tragedy must be an imitation of life in the form of a serious story that is complete in itself. A good tragedy will evoke pity and fear in its viewers, causing the viewers to experience a feeling of catharsis. Catharsis, in Greek, means "purgation" or "purification"; running through the gamut of these strong emotions will leave viewers feeling elated, in the same way we often claim that "a good cry" will make one feel better. Aristotle also outlined the characteristics of a good tragic hero. He must be "better than we are," a man who is superior to the average man in some way. In Oedipus's case, he is superior not only because of social standing, but also because he is smart ? he is the only person who could solve the Sphinx's riddle. At the same time, a tragic hero must evoke both pity and fear, and Aristotle claims that the best way to do this is if he is imperfect. A character with a mixture of good and evil is more compelling that a character who is merely good. And Oedipus is definitely not perfect; although a clever man, he is blind to the truth and refuses to believe Teiresias's warnings. Although he is a good father, he unwittingly fathered children in incest. A tragic hero suffers because of his hamartia, a Greek word that is often translated as "tragic flaw"...
Words: 1842 - Pages: 8
...Symbolism in Oedipus the King Many famous literary works commonly contain symbolism which is used as a way to expand the plot and give deeper meaning to otherwise insignificant objects or concepts. One such piece, in this case a play, is Oedipus the King by the famous Greek writer Sophocles. Being a philosopher Sophocles was very good at hiding symbolism within his writing. Some of the most powerful symbols he uses, such as the crossroads at which Oedipus kills Laius and both the “true” sight and vision of the blind prophet Tiresias, as well as the scars on Oedipus’ feet, add a very complex second layer which gives each person a different reading experience and the chance to develop their own connotations. Throughout history countless poem writers, authors and even directors have used a crossroad as a metaphor to represent an important decision or turning point in a characters life. For Oedipus this life changing point came when he was confronted by 5 men at a three way crossroad “Well, Laius , so the story goes, was killed by foreign robbers at a place where three highways meet” (Sophocles 50) the author further goes on to say “ As for the son-three days after his birth Laius fastened his ankles together and had him cast away on the pathless mountains” (Sophocles 50). This shows that the crossroad may not have represented much of a decision at all but only a life changing moment. This is because not only did Oedipus kill Laius at a three way crossroad but he was left to die...
Words: 599 - Pages: 3
...Symbolism is seen as the physical representation of themes and symbols that are used to create ideas. “Oedipus the King” is the perfect story for representing symbolism. It embodies symbolism in riddles from a mythical Sphinx, a blind man having the abilities to see visions of truth, the scarred feet of Oedipus, and a three-way crossroads. These symbols are used as creative tiny messages that the characters in Oedipus the King give to each other as way of shortcuts. The symbols become more meaningful even with the lack of words, and highlight the relationship between it and another person. The riddle of the sphinx was probably one of the more symbolic messages within the story of Oedipus the King. The riddle goes like this “What goes on four...
Words: 564 - Pages: 3
...Oedipus Rex, a classical tragic play portrays how the protagonist, Oedipus is outrun by fate alongside depicting the classical and historical setting of that era. It is a drama of self-discovery of a man on whom a hereditary curse is placed and thus has to suffer its tragic consequences. It depicts how a tragic hero, due to wrong judgment error has inevitably led to his destruction. The dramatic irony of the audience being a part of Oedipus’s secret leads one to assume that this play would inevitably end in a tragedy. Nevertheless, one is unaware of the consequences that would befall a great and well respected king- Oedipus. The intervention of high power, life and its challenges that a man faces with and attitudes that shape humankind are...
Words: 1452 - Pages: 6
...Blindness in Oedipus the King People can be “blinded” to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their problem may have been obvious. Yet, they could not "see" the answer. They were blinded to the truth. Associations have been made between being blind and enlightened. A blind person is said to have powers to see invisible things. They "see" into the future. The blind may not have physical sight, but they have another kind of vision. In Sophocles' King Oedipus, Teiresias, the blind prophet, presents the truth to King Oedipus and Jocasta. Oedipus has been blinded to the truth his whole life. When he does find the truth, he loses his physical vision. Because of the truth, Oedipus blinds himself. Jocasta was blind to the true identity of Oedipus. Even when she found out the truth, she refused to accept it. In this case, those who are blind ultimately do have a higher vision - the truth. Kind Oedipus started life with a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother. In an attempt to avoid this fate, his parents, Laius and Jocasta, sent him into the mountains to die. However, a shepherd saved Oedipus. This shepherd gave Oedipus to Polybus and Merope. When Oedipus learned of his prophecy, he fled his home, thinking these people were his real parents. On his flight, he met Laius. He ended up killing Laius. He continued on, answered a riddle of the evil Sphinx, and ended up king of Thebes. With this kingdom, Oedipus married Jocasta. He had lived out...
Words: 982 - Pages: 4
...Professor Pierson English 104 02 March 2014 " Oedipus the King" People can be blinded to the truth. The answer to their question or solution to their problem may have been obvious the whole time. Still, they could not see the answer. They were blinded by the truth. Connections have been made between being blind and enlightened. A blind person is said to have powers to see invisible things. The blind may not have physical sight, but they have another kind of vision. In Sophocles play, "Oedips the King" there are some adverse situations relating to the ability to see things literally compared to having vision symbolically. With this repetition throughout the play it becomes one of its central themes. In the play King Oedipus started life with a prophecy that he would kill his father and marry his mother, but Oedipus was blind to the truth his whole life. The parents who raised him weren't his parents at all. His real parents were Laius and Jocasta. Jocasta who was his who was his real mother was now his wife. When Oedipus does find the truth, he loses his physical vision by blinding himself. Even when Jocasta found out the truth, she refused to accept it and commits suicide. Jocasta blindness was different from Oedipus as well as both differed from Tiresias, the blind prophet. Tiresias's blindness was of phyisical nature. Tiresias played the...
Words: 565 - Pages: 3
...William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex are two classic pieces of literature that are worth studying. This essay will discuss how free will and destiny function in the two plays. First, the plays will be introduced and analyzed separately to provide a basis for contrast and comparison. Once the foundation is established, more advanced ideas will be discussed, such as the concept of evil and literal and figurative sight. Oedipus Rex will be discussed first. The role of destiny is very obvious is this play. The plot is built around destiny; when Oedipus hears that his destiny is to murder his father and marry his mother, he sets out to confirm this prediction and then prevent it. In his attempt to avoid his fate, he unwittingly commits the very acts that were predicted. The actual logistics of the offense are quite impressive. Both Oedipus and his parents work independently of each other to avoid the outcome, and their actions tragically work together to make it possible. The reader is slapped in the face with the core of the theme, which is that the fate of man is inevitable. Since Oedipus was fated to commit these crimes, he cannot do otherwise. The role of fate and free will is much more complex in Shakespeare’s King Lear. A quick perusal of the plot gives a story of good and evil characters exercising their own free wills. King Lear foolishly divides up his kingdom to his two deceitful, older daughters and ignores Cordelia, his honest, dutiful...
Words: 1234 - Pages: 5
...William Shakespeare’s King Lear and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex are two classic pieces of literature that are worth studying. This essay will discuss how free will and destiny function in the two plays. First, the plays will be introduced and analyzed separately to provide a basis for contrast and comparison. Once the foundation is established, more advanced ideas will be discussed, such as the concept of evil and literal and figurative sight. Oedipus Rex will be discussed first. The role of destiny is very obvious is this play. The plot is built around destiny; when Oedipus hears that his destiny is to murder his father and marry his mother, he sets out to confirm this prediction and then prevent it. In his attempt to avoid his fate, he unwittingly commits the very acts that were predicted. The actual logistics of the offense are quite impressive. Both Oedipus and his parents work independently of each other to avoid the outcome, and their actions tragically work together to make it possible. The reader is slapped in the face with the core of the theme, which is that the fate of man is inevitable. Since Oedipus was fated to commit these crimes, he cannot do otherwise. The role of fate and free will is much more complex in Shakespeare’s King Lear. A quick perusal of the plot gives a story of good and evil characters exercising their own free wills. King Lear foolishly divides up his kingdom to his two deceitful, older daughters and ignores Cordelia, his honest, dutiful...
Words: 1235 - Pages: 5
...Merriam Webster defines free will as “the power of acting without the constraint of necessity or fate; the ability to act at one's own discretion.” Fate is a development of events beyonds a person’s control. These ideas are exactly what Sophocles is challenging is his play Oedipus Rex. In Oedipus Rex the protagonist Oedipus is trying to figure who killed the former king Laius, not realizing he was the killer himself. Oedipus was destined to kill his father and marry his mother. Throughout the play, Oedipus is torn between accepting the prophecy or choosing his own destiny. Despite his best effort, the prophecy laid out for him came true. Oedipus Rex uses symbolism to illustrate the theme that one can never escape fate. One symbol used in Oedipus Rex is the scars on his feet. It represent the suffering he has endured and will keep on enduring. In the play Oedipus finds out from a messenger that his adopted father Polybus is dead. The messenger explains how long ago he found a baby on Mount Cithaeron with its...
Words: 621 - Pages: 3
...but disastrous failures. In and throughout the play, Oedipus the King, by the Greek play written by Sophocles, then translated for modern times, is and is probably, one of the greatest example of a heroic tragedy. The author, Sophocles, first writes and portrays the main character, Oedipus, as man accredited for his great understandings, great pride, and accomplishments, which is, suggesting that he is a hero. The character Oedipus eventually loses his respect and dignity for something so catastrophic and in consequence destroys Oedipus, who was once called a hero. In the end, though, the greatest tragedy can be said that Oedipus disgraces himself and his family for the killing of his father, marrying and or forcefully raping his mother, and being responsible for the downfall of his reign. One of the first examples of when you see Oedipus’s pride and ego get to him is when he actually has his father killed. Oedipus had sent his men to kill certain people objecting his rule, but unknowingly, has his father killed. Oedipus not really caring about the predetermined fate he is aware of, is...
Words: 596 - Pages: 3
