The themes of sight and blindness occur frequently throughout the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. These symbols serve to develop the unity of the play and reveal the traits of the characters. Oedipus‚ Tiresias‚ and Jocasta are very different in their perceptions of sight. Oedipus‚ the successful King of Thebes‚ is a man with the ability to see but is metaphorically blind--blind to the truth of his role in the murder of Laius. He sets out diligently to find the murderer of Laius‚ who is a plague
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prophet‚ soon revealed to Oedipus that the true identity of the murderer was Oedipus himself. Not only did Oedipus find out that one of the men he murdered years before was the king‚ but it was also revealed that Laius was his father and his wife‚ Jocasta‚ was his mother‚
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would procreate with his mother and kill his father. In his effort to avoid fulfilling the prophecy he ran away until one day at the place where three highways meet he was attacked by a group of men‚ in the effort to defend himself he killed them. Jocasta and others told him that he can’t be sure until they speak with the shepherd‚ the only person who witnessed the murder of Laius. Suddenly‚ a messenger from Corinth arrived and told Oedipus that his father Polybus had died of old age. The news temporarily
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Oedipus‚ Antigone‚ and the Poetry of Sappho Question One: Fully explain who Laius is‚ how he died‚ and how Laius’ s death led to the downfall of Oedipus. (5 points max) Laius was the first husband of Jocasta‚ and the biological father of Oedipus. The play begins when Laius is already dead‚ and it is explained that he was overtaken by a gang of thieves on a crossroad and killed by an unknown man. It is later found out that the son of Laius is responsible for the murder. Before the boy is born to
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children; however he is his mother’s seed and ironically he married and reproduced with his mother. By definition plowman prepare the fields with seeds and expect plants to be produced. Oedipus and widowed Queen Jocasta marry‚ are intimate and reproduce children. The imagery is the same for Jocasta and
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former king‚ Laius‚ he sends his brother-in-law‚ Creon‚ to find out for him. When Creon comes back‚ Oedipus hope it be nothing but good news. The gods told Creon that the one responsible for King Laius murder must be exiled. Jocasta was Laius wife when Laius was murdered. Jocasta and Oedipus got married. Oedipus suspects that the gods told Creon who killed Laius‚ but he denies it. Oedipus argues with Tiresias since Oedipus thinks Tiresias is betraying him. Oedipus wants Tiresias to help him but Tiresias
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be when Laius learnt of the prophecy that he “should die a victim at the hands of his own son”‚ he pierced young Oedipus’ ankles and “had (Oedipus) cast out upon a hillside to die”. If he had not done so‚ Oedipus would have ran away from him and Jocasta‚ just like how he ran away from his adoptive parents in Corinth to avoid the prophecy‚ thus the prophecy would not have come to pass. It is also because of fate that causes his chanced meeting with Oedipus at the crossroads and when he ended up being
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listen to Jocasta and Creon when they try to stop him from finding out the truth about his real life. His stubbornness eventually causes him to blind himself and then he is eternally unhappy and depressed. Ultimately‚ Oedipus deserves what happened to him because that is what he asked for. Oedipus had control over many events in his lifetime‚ but he chose the wrong route in many cases. He chooses to believe the oracle when they describe his faith and leaves Corinth to marry his mother‚ Jocasta‚ and
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belong completely to the gods‚ but to the victims of the prophecy. Sophocles exemplifies this throughout the play using methods of symbolism‚ actions and words. From the get go of the prophecy‚ things weren’t well. Once king Laius and his wife Jocasta were told that their son would become their destruction‚ and they could not let this become a reality; “An oracle came to Laius one fine day (I won’t say from Apollo himself but
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Oedipus begins his quest to discover who murdered King Liaus. Oedipus speaks to Creon about the murderer of the king‚ when Creon reveals to Oedipus that Oedipus himself is the man he has been searching for. Oedipus seeks comfort in his wife Jocasta when Jocasta tells him not to concern himself with what Creon has
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