Ann Gao
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Sight Motif in Oedipus Rex
Through the development of the sight motif in the play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles reveals that people who are sighted can be blinded by their own ignorance and may not see things as clear as one who is blind.
In the play, through the character development of Teiresias, a “seer: student of mysteries” (16) is it shown that the sight motif is used in the play as a symbol for knowledge. Teiresias can see the truth despite being physically blind. When Teiresias reveals that the true murder of Laios is Oedipus, Oedipus rages and exclaims, “You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man.” (21) He attacks Teiresias’s blindness and his skill at telling prophecies. It is ironic that Oedipus, a man who can see is attacking Teiresias, a blinded seer because Teiresias can see the truth …show more content…
This shows that sight is used as a representation for knowledge. When Oedipus says “can not see” he means that Teiresias may not, not know the truth. As more of the prophecy falls into place, Oedipus is forced to open his eyes and see the truth. The truth being that Oedipus did kill his father and marry his mother. After Oedipus realizes that he completed the prophecy received from the blind seer, Oedipus blinds himself with, “her [Iocaste] gown the golden brooches/ That were her ornament, and raised them, and plunged them down/ straight into his own eyeballs..” (69) Now, Oedipus is physically blinded and is similar to Teiresias now. Teiresias is blind and sees the truth, and now Oedipus is also blind and sees the truth. Oedipus's physical blindness left him with nothing to see things so he is forced to think about his life and the things that he did. Oedipus is forced to deal with the completed prophecy and come out of the state of
B block
Sight Motif in Oedipus Rex
Through the development of the sight motif in the play Oedipus Rex, Sophocles reveals that people who are sighted can be blinded by their own ignorance and may not see things as clear as one who is blind.
In the play, through the character development of Teiresias, a “seer: student of mysteries” (16) is it shown that the sight motif is used in the play as a symbol for knowledge. Teiresias can see the truth despite being physically blind. When Teiresias reveals that the true murder of Laios is Oedipus, Oedipus rages and exclaims, “You sightless, witless, senseless, mad old man.” (21) He attacks Teiresias’s blindness and his skill at telling prophecies. It is ironic that Oedipus, a man who can see is attacking Teiresias, a blinded seer because Teiresias can see the truth …show more content…
This shows that sight is used as a representation for knowledge. When Oedipus says “can not see” he means that Teiresias may not, not know the truth. As more of the prophecy falls into place, Oedipus is forced to open his eyes and see the truth. The truth being that Oedipus did kill his father and marry his mother. After Oedipus realizes that he completed the prophecy received from the blind seer, Oedipus blinds himself with, “her [Iocaste] gown the golden brooches/ That were her ornament, and raised them, and plunged them down/ straight into his own eyeballs..” (69) Now, Oedipus is physically blinded and is similar to Teiresias now. Teiresias is blind and sees the truth, and now Oedipus is also blind and sees the truth. Oedipus's physical blindness left him with nothing to see things so he is forced to think about his life and the things that he did. Oedipus is forced to deal with the completed prophecy and come out of the state of