In ancient Greek literature, diseases and afflictions often play key roles within the story. In Sophocles 's tragedy Oedipus Rex, the presence and recurrence of afflictions are central elements to the plot. Oedipus and his city both possess conditions that determine the outcome of the play. The motif of ailments, like the plague and blindness, highlight the hubris and failures of Oedipus to demonstrate his reliance on the gods. The tale begins with the introduction of a plague that is ravishing the city, of which Oedipus is helpless against it; he is forced to rely on the gods. The plague is severe, causing high mortality, miscarriages, and stillbirths. According to the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, “[The evidence from the book] strongly support[s] the notion that the disease was incurable at the time” (Kousoulis, …show more content…
He blinded himself as a punishment for what he had done in his life. It is ironic that he blinded himself to hide acts of violence before him when he himself committed horrific acts of violence within his own life (Haque and Kabirchowdhury 117). Oedipus’s self-harm came from his failure to recognize the truth of his own existence. His constant denial of everything that he could not physically see was due to his hubris. When Oedipus was figuratively blind, he could not accept his fate. When he became physically blind, he was able to learn to live with the truth of the prophecy (Haque and Kabirchowdhury 118). Oedipus demonstrates his final acceptance of his fate given by the gods in his final conversation with Kreon- “Give me what I ask for...drive me out of this country as quickly as may be to a place where no human voice can ever greet me” (Sophocles 1268). Oedipus lost his ability to see, and along with it his hubris. All he was left with was a forced exodus and a complete reliance on the gods. The figurative blindness led him to the truth and the literal blindness compelled him into a total spiritual
He blind because of his arrogance. After the plague hits Thebes, Oedipus orders to see Tiresias and when he does he lets his arrogance get in the way. Once he became arrogant he blamed Tiresias. Tiresias they replied, “All right, King: you mock my blindness. Hear me well: you have your
A lack of physical sight can allow for more perception in other areas. More specifically one’s awareness of surrounding reality leading to a greater knowledge of the truth. Losing Oedipus’ sight proves to be a point in which he is able to analyze his thoughts more deeply than ever before. After he blinds himself, he begins to realize that he his the brother of his children. Additionally, he finally sees their perspective and thinks about their future.
Oedipus became blind by trying to escape his fate, as well as the pride and arrogance he had developed. In the text the author states, “And if this killer lives within my house, and if I know him, then may I myself receive the curse I just now laid upon his head” (43).
Oedipus the King is a tragedy that was written by Sophocles that emphasizes the irony of an irony of a man who was determined to trace down, expose and punish an assassin who in turn became him. Oedipus the King is also known as Oedipus Rex or Oedipus Tyrannus. The art is an Athenian play that was performed in ages approximated to be 429 BC. Oedipus the King would later in the play fulfill the prophecy that he would kill his father and later on marry his mother. There is a twist of an event in the play where Oedipus is looking for the murderer of his father to bring to a halt the series of plagues that are befalling Thebes but only to find he is in search of himself (Rado, 1956).
First his denial of being the source of the plague. Second, his egotistical abilities that will form his plot to change his fate. And lastly, the consequences of his denial that will lead him to his physical and emotional destruction. It would seem that in this case, Oedipus’s fate is his own enemy.
He did not want to believe any of it he didn't listen , he thought he knew what was correct , and being the way he was , got the worst part. Oedipus showed disrespect to the gods. His power was a part of his ignorance , being king. He tries to put himself in a god's position , thinking he is that powerful.
Oedipus’ blindness, figuratively speaking, was based on his perspective. He may not be entirely at fault for the reasons behind the plague on Thebes, but it was due to his ignorance which led him to his downfall. In Oedipus’ perspective, it was logical to leave Corinth after hearing about the prophecy due to the fact the he believed that his parents were the king and queen of Corinth. His blindness to the idea that they were not his
Both Oedipus and Iocasta have been blinded their whole life, never able to be convinced that Oedipus is fulfilled his predestined prophecy. Considering that Iocasta has blindly lived her whole life by marrying her own son, everything Oedipus was destined to for, became a reality. Unable to kill himself, Oedipus forcefully stabs his eyeballs out, physically blinding himself forever. He then states, it’s ‘“far better to be dead than to be
The symbolic implication that comes of Oedipus blinding himself is he has seen too much evil and would rather see nothing than more evil. “What’s there left for me to see…?” P.44 Oedipus here say he has seen too much and that what he has seen will taint everything he sees thereafter. I do not find this courageous nor heroic, I believe blinded himself to not see what he had done, to not be reminded of his deeds, even by seeing his
Oedipus The King by Sophocles Theme of Blindness Sophocles was a prolific writer and his long life enabled him to have a prodigious literary output. There is always a deep philosophic content at the back of Sophocles’ plays. Men suffer in the tragedies of Sophocles, characterisation always charged with emotion and poetry guesstimates the growth and development of his dramatic genius. One of the main underlying themes in Oedipus Rex is blindness.
Appearance can be misleading, the obvious things we see are not always how things are in real. In Oedipus the King, Sophocle exposes the trick of nature which is "what we see is not what is intended to be" and which turned to be a situational irony in the play, Oedipus the king. Blindness is not only apply to people who are blind.
Oedipus was a tragic hero he was seen as a great man and was king,but he fell to misfortune because of his disability to see past his pride and anger which led to his demise. By not being able to see past his pride and anger Oedipus was not able to to avoid his prophetic destiny. He was blinded by his pride and anger so much that it became his tragic flaw ultimately leading him to his
This personal tragedy for Oedipus was discovering the truth and becoming blind because of it. It completed the prophecy that Oedipus had received from Tiresias, the blind prophet. Tiresias told Oedipus that he had come into Thebes with his sight but would leave Thebes without it. The physical blindness that Oedipus had also left him with wrongs of his life, with nothing to look at Oedipus was forced to think about his life, wrongdoings, and what had happened. Essentially he was forced to deal with it.
In the play Oedipus the King tragedy strikes the palace and the town of Thebes as the life of their new leader Oedipus begins to come crashing down around them. The plague disease suddenly hits the town and begins to take countless lives of the people of the town. The women of the city then begin to become barren and those who were pregnant had to suffer through labor pains but unlike a normal delivery no life was produced to compensate for all the pain that they had to endure. With a decrease in population beginning they begin to question why all of this was happening to their town and they come to find out that this is the result of their previous king being killed and tragedy will continue to occur if the murderer is still out there.
Even though it seems that Oedipus has not been a particularly good monarch, having a king put to death could have serious repercussions on the rest of the kingdom. The only way to cure the plague and keep the kingdom stable seems to be the banishment of Oedipus. In this case, the question of whether or not he deserved to be punished seems irrelevant; Oedipus ' only goal was to stop the plague and by leaving, he has accomplished that goal. Banishment was the only choice.