Ignorance In 'Oedipus The King'
Nicholas Coleman
Prof. Shemak
English 265
2 October 2009
The Blind Oedipus Ignorance is bliss. Ignorance keeps us blind, yet it frees us from the painful stare of truth. A false paradise is created under the veil of knowledge that is simply not present. The theme of vision and blindness is significant in Oedipus Rex because throughout the play, the truth was always beyond the characters grasp, and without truth the actions carried out by the characters were done in blindness. Their views and behaviors are direct evidence of their inability to see what was in front of them. The consequences for these blind activities spanned the whole play, and the lessons did not seem to be learned, as if they too were shrouded in darkness themselves. Vision, or the lack of, is very common. From the first account of Oedipus’s misjudgment about the prophecy that foretold that the killer of the previous king was still in Thebes, Oedipus …show more content…
Once the truth came out about Oedipus, and the fact that he fulfilled the prophesy foretold by Apollo, Oedipus also couldn’t look truth in the face, “Ah God! It was true! All the prophesies! -Now, o light, may I look upon you for the last time! I, Oedipus, dammed in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand!”(64). The discovery of this fact made Oedipus dread looking upon another thing, whether it is the physical manifestation of his unspeakable act or truth itself. He gouged his eyes out to keep everything from his vision. There is a sense of irony associated with Oedipus losing his eyesight. The moment that Oedipus has the ability too look upon his surrounding is the actuality of what is going on, he then becomes blind to the outside world. The fact that vision is always symbolized, further proves my point that vision is very significant in this
Prof. Shemak
English 265
2 October 2009
The Blind Oedipus Ignorance is bliss. Ignorance keeps us blind, yet it frees us from the painful stare of truth. A false paradise is created under the veil of knowledge that is simply not present. The theme of vision and blindness is significant in Oedipus Rex because throughout the play, the truth was always beyond the characters grasp, and without truth the actions carried out by the characters were done in blindness. Their views and behaviors are direct evidence of their inability to see what was in front of them. The consequences for these blind activities spanned the whole play, and the lessons did not seem to be learned, as if they too were shrouded in darkness themselves. Vision, or the lack of, is very common. From the first account of Oedipus’s misjudgment about the prophecy that foretold that the killer of the previous king was still in Thebes, Oedipus …show more content…
Once the truth came out about Oedipus, and the fact that he fulfilled the prophesy foretold by Apollo, Oedipus also couldn’t look truth in the face, “Ah God! It was true! All the prophesies! -Now, o light, may I look upon you for the last time! I, Oedipus, dammed in his birth, in his marriage damned, damned in the blood he shed with his own hand!”(64). The discovery of this fact made Oedipus dread looking upon another thing, whether it is the physical manifestation of his unspeakable act or truth itself. He gouged his eyes out to keep everything from his vision. There is a sense of irony associated with Oedipus losing his eyesight. The moment that Oedipus has the ability too look upon his surrounding is the actuality of what is going on, he then becomes blind to the outside world. The fact that vision is always symbolized, further proves my point that vision is very significant in this