Oedipus Rex is considered to be one of the world’s greatest tragedies while also being one of the oldest. Despite being written second, it was the first part of the theban trilogy written by Sophocles. The themes in Oedipus Rex are crucial to the play’s long lasting appeal. The various symbols throughout the story help to illustrate the theme that one often encounters their fate on the path they take to avoid it. Oedipus’ scars located on his feet, along with his name, are symbols representing the inevitability of fate. In scene 3, Oedipus and the messenger have a conversation about how the messenger saved him as a baby. During that conversation Oedipus asks, “From what did you save me? ” (3.976). Although the messenger saved Oedipus from
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In oedipus’ case, his sight representing his avoidance and ignorance of the truth, while his blindness represents his acceptance of the truth and his fate. After Jocasta's suicide Oedipus blinds himself while saying, “No more, / No more shall you look on the misery about me, / The horrors of my own doing! Too long have you known / The faces of those whom I should never have seen, / Too long been blind to those for whom i was searching! / From this hour go in darkness.” (exodos.1220-1225). According to the quotation Oedipus feels like his sight betrayed him and he would better off without it, so he blinds himself. The betrayal brought on by his sight is caused by signs that he should’ve seen coming that pointed to Jocasta being his mother and Laius being his father. If he didn’t have he would not have to witness the horrors he has committed which are the murder of his father and the relationship with his mother .Another instance of the symbol of Oedipus’ blindness is when Oedipus speaks to the Choragos about what has gone wrong and asks what he has left, to which the Choragos replies, “Your fate is clear, you are not blind to that.” (exodos.1298). This quote shows that even though Oedipus is blind he understands that he must atone for his sins. The first part of his atonement being his self inflicted blindness. The symbols of sight and blindness represent ignorance and acceptance in Oedipus’ case, and his ignorance of the truth, which is represented by his sight, is the cause of him coming face to face with his
In oedipus’ case, his sight representing his avoidance and ignorance of the truth, while his blindness represents his acceptance of the truth and his fate. After Jocasta's suicide Oedipus blinds himself while saying, “No more, / No more shall you look on the misery about me, / The horrors of my own doing! Too long have you known / The faces of those whom I should never have seen, / Too long been blind to those for whom i was searching! / From this hour go in darkness.” (exodos.1220-1225). According to the quotation Oedipus feels like his sight betrayed him and he would better off without it, so he blinds himself. The betrayal brought on by his sight is caused by signs that he should’ve seen coming that pointed to Jocasta being his mother and Laius being his father. If he didn’t have he would not have to witness the horrors he has committed which are the murder of his father and the relationship with his mother .Another instance of the symbol of Oedipus’ blindness is when Oedipus speaks to the Choragos about what has gone wrong and asks what he has left, to which the Choragos replies, “Your fate is clear, you are not blind to that.” (exodos.1298). This quote shows that even though Oedipus is blind he understands that he must atone for his sins. The first part of his atonement being his self inflicted blindness. The symbols of sight and blindness represent ignorance and acceptance in Oedipus’ case, and his ignorance of the truth, which is represented by his sight, is the cause of him coming face to face with his