Oedipus

A detailed Summary of Oedipus


Sight and Blindness: a Metaphor for Humanity's Place in the Universe

In Oedipus the King, sight and blindness were used as a metaphor for humanity's place in the universe. The gods and unchangeable fate remained hidden from humans; therefore, they were blind to the truth of existence. It is ironic that the only insight Oedipus had into the gods' will was through a blind man. Teiresias was a blind prophet who could "see" the truth about Oedipus' situation. The prophet was physically blind, and Oedipus was blind to his scandalous past. To explain this to Oedipus, Teiresias said, "You don't see how much alike we are" (749). Although he was blind to the outside world, Teiresias could foresee the despair the truth would cause Thebes. He warned Oedipus not to ask for the truth. He said, "Wisdom is a curse when wisdom does nothing for the man who has it" (748).


Although humans could not fully understand the universe, they were still expected to lead good, just lives. Being blind to the gods' will did not give humans the right to live anyway they desired. Humanity must always strive to choose the right paths for their lives. They must always search for the light of the truth. Like Teiresias, the Greeks should look for the internal truths, and not just accept what they see. Oedipus described this truth as "Light Light Light" (773). This is the light of reason which came from the gods and awareness.

Oedipus blamed Apollo for his horrific fate. He claimed the gods had foresaken him because of his sins. In his agony, he thought his fate was unavoidable. However, the audience is left to wonder if he was blameless. His uncontrollable temper caused him to kill Laius. No god or fate drove

(780). Oedipus called on the gods to shield h

Some common words found in the essay are:
Thebes Sphinx, Oedipus Teiresias, Oedipus King, Teiresias Greeks, Light Light, blindness metaphor humanity's, light light, metaphor humanity's universe, sight blindness metaphor, metaphor humanity's, humanity's universe, art prophecy, blindness metaphor, sight blindness,

Approximate Word count = 590
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

join now Save Paper

Related Essays

  • Oedipus In Sopohoclesamp39 tragedy ampquotOedipus the Kingampquot, Oedipus proclaims ampquot it was I who have pronounced these curses on myselfampquot Madden 37. ... 795 words
  • Oedipus Oedipusamp39s Crime What Was Oedipusamp39s Crime Oedipus, ruler of Thebes, murdered his father and married his mother. Such acts are almost ... 517 words
  • Oedipus ... They believe the Gods decide your entire destiny. The great playwright Sophocles displays how unavoidable fate is in his famous work Oedipus the King. ... 871 words
  • Oedipus The tragedy of Sophoclesamp39s Oedipus the King is problematic because Sophocles did not provide a clear way to judge the actions of Oedipus. ... 1053 words
  • Oedipus 3 From marrying his mother to killing his father, no one could be more of a tragic hero, than Oedipus. Oedipus experiences the three ... 687 words
  • Oedipus ... In Oedipus the King, the main character, Oedipus, runs away from his destiny and becomes a tragic hero. ... Oedipus looses his reputation because of his past. ... 480 words

Professional Essays

  • Questions on Oedipus Questions on Oedipus 1. Hubris is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as overbearing pride or presumption arrogance. ... 987 words
  • Oedipus and Hubris Questions on Oedipus 1. Hubris is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language as overbearing pride or presumption arrogance. ... 987 words
  • ANALYSIS OF OEDIPUS ANALYSIS OF OEDIPUS REX The protagonist in the play Oedipus Rex is the title character, Oedipus. Oedipus lives most of his life ... 838 words
  • Oedipusamp39 Fall In the passage under discussion, Oedipus expresses his dismay at learning of the crime he has committed, a crime he has committed unwittingly. ... 824 words
  • Oedipus and Hamlet Oedipus and Hamlet Introduction There are a number of similarities and differences between King Oedipus and Prince Hamlet. Both ... 1537 words
  • Fate and Oedipus This study will examine the role of fate in the life of Oedipus in Sophoclesamp39 play Oedipus the King. Oedipus himself is largely ... 1795 words


Saved Paper

Save your papers so you can locate them quickly!

Newest Essays

Testimonials

  • "Thank You So Much!!! You have saved me once again!!!"
    Jack M.
  • "With so many papers to chose from, I was able to get ideas to help me with all of my classes. Thank You!"
    Brian P.
  • "I've used this site for the last 3 years to help me come up with ideas for my papers."
    Sara J.
  • "I use this site every week to help me write my own papers!"
    Rachel W.
  • "I love this site!!!"
    Marie N.
Home Join Now Support
Acceptable Use Policy About us FAQ
All papers are for research and reference purposes only!
© 2002-2009 DirectEssays.com. All Rights Reserved.