OEDIPUS THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS

OEDIPUS

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Irony – the blind man can see the truth (inner vision); the sighted man can see nothing but believes he knows (Oedipus is really blind). Main pt: Oedipus can see but is really blind. Tiresias can’t see but has inner vision (gift from the Gods). Blindness and Sight (physically and reality). By the end of the play the Kings fortunes are reversed and the truth “bursts to light”.

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Recurring theme in Sophocles – the feeling that human sight and insight are limited when compared to the sight and insight of the gods. Oedipus thinks he sees the light…but really it is only the gods who see the light. He thinks he knows more than Tiresias who is speaking on behalf of the Gods. Through confrontation/contrast between Tiresias and Oedipus theme is expressed. 2 famous episodes: Confrontation between Oedipus and Tiresias. Self- blinding.

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Confrontation between Oedipus and Tiresias: Chorus introduces possibility of consulting Tiresias: “I know that the vision of our lord Tiresias is most like that of Lord Apollo. ” Although blind Tiresias has insight greater than that of a man. As the priest says: “You cannot equal the gods…but we do rate you first of men. ” Oedipus is sighted as men are; yet he lacks insight into the truth about himself and his world, as all mortals are likely to lack such insight.

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Tiresias: “I tell you, you and your loved ones live together, in infamy, you cannot see how far you’ve gone in guilt. ” Mutual accusations draw heavily on the image of blindness: Oedipus: “You’ve lost your power, stone-blind, stone – deaf, senses, eyes as blind as stone. ” Tiresias: “ I pity you, flinging at me the very insults each man here will fling at you soon. ” Oedipus: “Blind, lost in the night, endless night that nursed you! You can’t hurt me or anyone else who sees the light – you can never touch me. ” Tiresias famous speech: “You with your precious eyes you’re blind to the corruption of your life. ”

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Self-blinding: Chorus: “What madness came upon you. ” Yet Oedipus before and after the self-blinding is not a deranged man. The reasons he gives for blinding himself seem logical. Blinded himself because he could no longer look upon his crimes. Without eyes he will not have to look upon his father and mother in Hades, or to endure the sight of his children. In fact, the ideal for him would be deprived of all perception of the external world, a world which can only remind him of the pain he is in.

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING He gouges out his eyes to blot out the pain. Why does Oedipus blind himself? Why does Sophocles represent Oedipus as blinding himself? It is a Sophoclean innovation that Oedipus blinds himself and it is the climax of the play. It forms the culmination of the blindness/sight theme that Sophocles has been developing throughout the play. It is the climax to this motif. With its implications – sight/lack of insight and vice versa.

THEME OF BLINDNESS AND SIGHT IN OEDIPUS THE KING Jocasta: “Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark. ” Conclusion: “All has burst to light” Oedipus: My destiny, my dark power, what a leap you made!” Oedipus has made the transition from blindness to insight. Sophocles continual imagery of blindness and sight leads to a dramatic, harrowing conclusion.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Heroic qualities: In the opening scene Oedipus approaches the priests of Thebes, assuring them of his help and support, in their quest to rid the city of the plague. Oedipus is unafraid of catching the disease that has spread throughout the city – a disease that is indiscriminately infecting both humans and animals alike. Oedipus openly puts himself at risk, fearless of being infected with the virus that is causing such widespread destruction throughout the city. He is courageous here.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Heroic qualities: Oedipus is also compassionate in this scene. He is at pains to point out to the priests that he also grieves for Thebes. “I have wept through the nights”. Oedipus is clever and thoughtful. He solved the Sphinx’s riddle and saved the city once before, (as the priest reminds him). Oedipus is implored to use that same intelligence again to save the city again. Oedipus also informs the priests that he has being mulling over the crisis afflicting the city and has being searching for a solution “labouring over many paths of thought”. Oedipus is a problem solver – anxious to come up with a plan to save Thebes, “After a painful search I found a cure”

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Heroic qualities: Oedipus is decisive – he has sent Creon to Delphi, “I acted at once. . . I sent Creon to Delphi”. He also restarts the investigation on the murder of Lauis. He has also summoned blind Tiresias, even before the Chorus have suggested this to him. Finally Oedipus is clearly respected and revered by the priests and people of Thebes. The priests seem to have confidence in him that he will save their city. Equally, he has respect for his own people – when Creon returns from Delphi he asks Creon to deliver the news of his visit to all, openly and in public. He resists the call by Creon to go indoors.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO However: Oedipus is impatient. He wonders aloud what is keeping Creon. He declares that Creon should have had returned before now. Oedipus shows a flash of temper by reprimanding Creon and the Chorus for not finding the murderer of Lauis and wants to know why the investigation was not carried out. When Tiresias arrives on stage Oedipus assumes that he will be given the information he demands. When the prophet refuses Oedipus completely loses his cool and becomes outrageously abusive, “you scum”. He even wonders if Tiresias is an authentic prophet “you pious fraud”. This abusive behaviour compels Tiresias to disclose what he knows about Oedipus – his past crimes and his future trials.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO However: Oedipus is paranoid and insecure. He entertains the ludicrous and unfounded notion that Creon and Tiresias have conspired to strip him of his throne. How can he arrive at this idea? It seems to come out of no where! Oedipus is a poor listener and is irrational. When Creon comes on stage to defend the charges made openly about him, he gives a clear defence and asks Oedipus to go to Delphi himself if he has any more doubts about his honesty and loyalty. Even the Chorus asks Oedipus not to make any judgements without looking at the facts. So irrational has Oedipus become – that he wants Creon put to death rather than banished. Even Creon thinks that Oedipus has become “insane”

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Sympathy for Oedipus: When Jocasta mentions Lauis’ death at the three roads Oedipus is now full of dark foreboding “I think I have called down a dreadful curse on myself”. We may well have some sympathy for Oedipus when he declares “I have a terrible fear the blind seer can see”. No longer do we see that flash of arrogance and unbridled temper that we witnesses in the earlier scene. We may also feel sorry for Oedipus insofar that his crimes were committed unintentionally. He did not deliberately intend to kill his father or marry his mother. Oedipus has fulfilled his destiny although he so desperately avoids this. He is a slave to fate – an innocent victim to the vicious whim of the gods.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Sympathy for Oedipus: When Jocasta places a votive branch to the gods, she declares that Oedipus is “beside himself. . racked with anger. . no longer a man of sense”. Oedipus has indeed fallen from lofty heights – this is pitiful indeed. Where is his certainty and arrogance now? Oedipus has been humbled by the unfolding string of events. When Jocasta asks Oedipus to cease his interrogation of the shepherd from Thebes – Oedipus heroically pursues his quest for the truth right to the bitter end. This is courageous - Oedipus has a sense of integrity and perserverance. We may admire Oedipus here for these moral qualities.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Sympathy for Oedipus: We may also feel sorry for Oedipus when upon finding out truth about his marriage to Jocasta, he cries aloud “I stand revealed at last; cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands”. Oedipus is truly a devastated and broken man. Equally pitiful is the arrival of Oedipus on stage – with his eyes gouged out. “O agony. . I am agony”. Oedipus cannot look at those that he has sinned against either in this life or in the underworld -so he has blinded himself. Oedipus has also cut out his eyes as a form of self punishment for his high crimes. Oedipus shows enormous physical courage here and a deep sense of self honesty – something we may admire him for.

OEDIPUS AS A TRAGIC HERO Sympathy for Oedipus: Oedipus also apologises to Creon for his wrong accusations – and he chastises himself for his wrong doing “I have done such things crimes too high for hanging” Even in his agony Oedipus is thinking of his daughters in particular. He asks Creon to care for them - Antogine and Ismene. Oedipus finally accepts the divine will and fate – he also blames himself for all the ills that heave fallen on him “My troubles are mine”.