decision to humble himself through blindness: "What good were eyes to me? Summary and Analysis: Oedipus the King Lines 245-526. Therefore soon the people of Thebes will start to cursing Oedipus once they find out he was the reason behind the. The life of Oedipus is very similar to how most people live their lives today. While Oedipus is speaking to Tiresias the prophet, he accuses the prophet of taking the life of the king. At first the shepherd refuses to speak, but under threat of death he tells what he knows Oedipus is actually the son of Laius and Jocasta. Oedipus, the main focus of the play, is seen blind in an important part of the play, when his wife, Jocasta, or later to be found out as his mom, finds out that the person she married is her son, and that she had, had children with him, so in the end she hangs herself, his wife was blind at the start just like her son, but now she sees that the fate of Oedipus was to come true. The priest is comparing the bad situation of Thebes to a storm that attacks at any moment and leaves behind severe damages. The king cannot guess that as events turn, Creon will succeed him and he will have to beg his fate from Creon. He was born at Colonus, a village outside the walls of Athens, where his father . Arrogant Oedipus is reduced to a wretch of a man as his awful marriage to his mother is revealed, but his city is saved in proportion. Nothing I could see could
Tiresias is thelight of the play. Summary. "Oedipus the King" is an ancient tale which demonstrates a timeless lesson about human nature. The quest for truth collapses into a battle of wits and words, with Oedipus bragging of his victory over the Sphinx instead of pursuing the murderer of Laius. Don't use plagiarized sources. Sophocles used the riddle of the sphinx as a metaphor for the 3 phases of Oedipus life and to futher characterized him as a tragic man. from your Reading List will also remove any You can get a custom paper by one of our expert writers. As humans, we are distracted by the physical world, which causes us to be blinded by the most obvious of truths. But where the arguments concerned // I am your man, as much as a king as you.// I am not your servant, but Apollos.(Sophocles) While simultaneously trying to defend his honour and bring justice to Thebes, Oedipus argues about the integrity of Creons source. However, the references to eyesight and insight in these plays form a meaningful pattern in combination with the references to literal and metaphorical blindness. Ironically, it is these sterling characteristic traits that bring him his doom. Continue to start your free trial. This is revealed as Oedipus learns his tragic fate, saying, O god-all come true, all burst to light! Ironically, this causes the king to gouge out his eyes, which have been blind to the truth for so long. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Blind in the darkness-blind! The main character, Oedipus , exhibits traits that humans possess and covet. Antigone is entombed alive, to the horror of everyone who watches. SparkNotes PLUS Tiresias is actually trying to let him understand that Oedipus is Oedipus the King- Metaphors. During the course of the play, references to blindness and vision constantly recur, giving the reader an enhanced and more insightful look into the themes of the play. As the play unfolds, we see Oedipus virtues and weaknesses lead him to his own demise. Throughout Oedipus the King, Sophocles employs one continuous metaphor: light vs. darkness, and sight vs. blindness. Both metaphorically and physically sight plays a significant role in understanding the irony of a blind man seeing the truth while Oedipus who isnt blind doesnt seem to the truth thats right in front of him. . Tiresias is actually trying to let him understand that Oedipus is the one who is pushing himself to the truth even though its not favorable!! Odysseus has a comparable love from his partners and his better half. Retrieved 19:01, March 04, 2023, from https://www.writework.com/essay/oedipus-king-metaphors. In the beginning of the play Oedipus has perfect vision; however, he is blind and ignorant of the truth about himself and his past. The story starts out as Oedipus is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta.