OedipusConcepts Of Sight Essay Research Paper The

Oedipus-Concepts Of Sight Essay, Research Paper

The concept of sight is one of the major motifs throughout Sophocles? play Oedipus the King. The play revolves primarily around series of events caused by many people?s insight or lack there of. Oedipus does not see that he is caught up in a web of cruel destiny that he can not escape. The gods demonstrate foresight and insight into the play. In addition to this, Tiresias has physical blindness but also has prophetic insight. Finally, both Oedipus and Jocasta portray types of mental blindness and shortsightedness. These are all examples of different uses of sight in the play Oedipus the King.

Oedipus is a hero, but sometimes he can not see the reality of this. He goes into states where he lacks mental insight, making rash decisions without thinking about the future or consequences. One of his biggest downfalls because of this shortsightedness is that he does not realize that his destiny is solely in the hands of the gods. After Oedipus is told as a young boy about the prophecy of his life, he can not "see" how he is destined to marry his mother and kill his father. Furthermore, because of his lack of insight he truly believes that he can move without the Oracle?s prophecy following him. No matter what Oedipus does, he has no control over what the gods have predetermined. The gods also punish the people of Thebes with hard times since it is these people who brought Oedipus into the land as their king. The gods do this in order to make the people see through Oedipus? extreme pride and quick temper. The gods apparently think that the only way to get them to see what Oedipus has done is by causing the city pain and suffering. The gods use their insight to affect Oedipus? life, family and city.

Although the gods do not initially favor Oedipus, his kingdom sees him as a noble ruler. Oedipus? pride prevents him from seeing the truth and this leads to his great fall. His pride forces him to kill his father because he refuses to pay a toll and give up the right of way. Oedipus is so blinded by his pride that he can not accept the fact that he can not avoid his fate placed upon him by the gods. It is because he is not perfect and has these tragic flaws that in the end makes him a tragic hero. The greatest of his flaws happens to be his excessive pride and self-righteousness. Had Oedipus not listened to his pride, he could have avoided some of the humiliation and he would not have fallen from power in such a tragic manner.

Another ironic concept of sight in the play is found through Tiresias, the blind prophet. This is an oxymoron in itself. Tiresias is a wise old man who exhibits supernatural powers to interpret the past and predict the future. The fact that Tiresias is blind makes his visionary powers appear even more mysterious. This leads Oedipus to doubt Tiresias? ability to see the truth. Had Oedipus not had so much pride, he would have understood the truth of Tiresias. Tiresias uses puzzling predictions to make men ponder about themselves. He does this to Oedipus by asking him to consider himself the murderer of Laios. He describes the murderer of Laios as "blind instead of seeing, beggar instead of rich, he will make his way to foreign soil, feeling his way with a stick" (31). This is great foresight on behalf of Tiresias. All of these things will later come true when Oedipus falls from power and blinds himself. It is Tiresias who is the first person to tell Oedipus that he has killed his own father. He tells Oedipus "You do not see the evil in which you live" (25). It takes a blind prophet to see that it is Oedipus who has murdered Laius. Even so, Oedipus states " You are blind, your ears and mind as well as eyes" (25). Therefore, when Oedipus insults Tiresias and accuses him of being a false prophet, he is also attacking the gods. This shortsighted decision made by Oedipus can cause no good. If what Tiresias has said is true, then Oedipus is quickly sealing his own doom by insulting the gods furthermore. Tiresias has a very different type of sight than that of Oedipus. Tiresias can see the truth even while blinded, whereas Oedipus can physically see but he is blinded by his own shortsightedness.

Jocasta shows mental blindness when she fails to realize that the prophecy has come true. Jocasta keeps ignoring the signs, ironically blinded by shortsightedness just as her son/husband Oedipus. At the same time, Oedipus is beginning to see how his shortsightedness has sealed his fate. He must face up to the fact that in a moment of anger, he threatened harsh punishment on whoever killed Laios. Once again, Oedipus has been blinded by his own quick temper and poor judgements as he now realizes that the punishment only applies to him. When Jocasta?s eyes are finally open to the truth, she returns to the house and shortly thereafter kills herself. She does this because she can not believe that she had been so blind as to think that the prophecy will not come true. She is fully aware that all of Oedipus? troubles have been caused by the blind way she and Laius handled the Oracle?s prophecy. She does not want to have to live with the double fruit of her marriage, a husband by her husband and children by her child.

Ironically, at the beginning of the play Oedipus is lacking mental insight, but when he finally gains foresight into the situation, he blinds himself.