Sight And Blindness A Metaphor For Humanity Essay
Sight And Blindness: A Metaphor For Humanity & # 8217 ; s Topographic point In The Universe Essay, Research PaperIn Oedipus the King, sight and sightlessness were used as a metaphor for humanity & # 8217 ; s topographic point in the existence. The Gods and unchangeable destiny remained concealed from worlds ; hence, they were blind to the truth of being. It is dry that the lone penetration Oedipus had into the Gods & # 8217 ; will was through a unsighted adult male. Teiresias was a unsighted prophesier who could & # 8220 ; see & # 8221 ; the truth about Oedipus & # 8217 ; state of affairs. The prophesier was physically unsighted, and Oedipus was blind to his disgraceful yesteryear.
To explicate this to Oedipus, Teiresias said, & # 8220 ; You don & # 8217 ; t see how much alike we are & # 8221 ; ( 749 ) . Although he was blind to the outside universe, Teiresias could anticipate the desperation the truth would do Thebes. He warned Oedipus non to inquire for the truth.
He said, & # 8220 ; Wisdom is a expletive when wisdom does nil for the adult male who has it & # 8221 ; ( 748 ) .At the decision of the drama, Oedipus gouges out his eyes to get away the sight of his wickednesss. He felt he could no longer & # 8220 ; look work forces in the eyes & # 8221 ; ( 780 ) .
Oedipus called on the Gods to screen him from the destiny Apollo & # 8217 ; s prophet had decreed. He said, & # 8220 ; Holiness, pure radiant powers, o Gods don & # 8217 ; t allow me see that twenty-four hours? take me off from work forces, work forces with their eyes & # 8221 ; ( 763 ) . Again he wished to avoid seeing the existent truth, the destiny the Gods had chosen for him. Because of his pride, Oedipus wanted to conceal his wickedness from humanity. Oedipus mocked Teiresias & # 8217 ; accomplishment of prognostication. The male monarch asked the prophesier to give cogent evidence that his visions were of all time true. Oedipus boasted that it was his ain heroics that saved Thebes from the Sphinx.
In making this he lessened the impor tance of spiritual truths and exalted physical action. Jocasta also attacked the art of prophecy. She said, “no mortal can practice the art of prophecy; no man can see the future” (760). She denied the power of the Fates by saying, “the future has no shape.
The shapes of prophecy lie. I see nothing in them, they are all illusions” (763). The queen said this because she believed the prophecy about her son proved false. Although she realized Oedipus was her son, she wanted to ignore the truth and continue their incestuous marriage. In this, she was defying the will of the gods for her own happiness.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 drovehim to that act.
It was his own pride that decreed the punishment for Laius’ murder. He showed no leniency or justice for the murderer. If he had, he might have been allowed to stay in Thebes with his family.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.
