Oedipus – Flashcards
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1. P. 211 Drama for Students: "metaphorical and literal uses of darkness and light also provide foreshadowing, since it is Oedipus's desire to bring the truth to light"
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Oedipus, through trying to bring the truth to light, leads himself to blinding himself. Though he is not metaphorically blind anymore from the truth, the knowledge of the truth leads to literal blindness. Oedipus being blind to the truth was foreshadowing that he would be blind later. The blindness metaphorically and literally are switched around.
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2. P. 211 Drama for Students: "Associated with knowledge and ignorance are the recurring images of darkness and light in the play, and these images work as examples of a kind of foreshadowing for which the play is justly famous."
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Throughout the play images of light and darkness are used literally and metaphorically in a helpful way to the audience. Repeated throughout the play these examples of dark and light are used to help us understand and foreshadow about events in the play.
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P. 7: His eyes are bright. O great Apollo, bring him here effulgent with success! Done
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This is using brightness as a synonym to success. Ot uses lightness to mean you are successful.
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The Heath Introduction to Drama. Light, to the ancient Greeks, was beauty, intellect, virtue, indeed represented life itself. The Choragos asks Oedipus, "What god was it drove you to rake black / Night across your eyes?" Done
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This shows the use of darkness to ask Oedipus who it was who made Oedipus see in this dark way. Who it was who kept him from seeing the light of the world.
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Modern Critical Views Sophocles P. 107 "Oedipus is sighted, as men are; yet he lacks insight into the truth about himself and the world, as all mortals are liable to lack such insight."
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This shows that though Oedipus can literally see, metaphorically he is blind to the truth. On the other hand, Tiresias in literally blind, but has far greater and superior insight.
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P. 20: And if you had your eyes id say you played that chief part too.
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Oedipus is blaming the murder of Laius on Tiresias, and that he planned the whole thing. He uses the fact that Tiresias is blind literally to say that if he wasnt, tiresias himself would have killed the king.
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P. 21: I say that you and your most dearly loved are wrapped together in a hideous sin, blind to the horror of it.
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Tiresias uses blindness metaphorically, saying that he thinks that Oedipus and Jocasta are "blind" to the terrible sin they are both involved in.
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P. 22: It is. But not for you, you purblind man: in ears, mind, and vision Done
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Oedipus uses blindness literally regarding Tiresias' eyes, and metaphorically with his ears and mind. He says that tiresias' mind and ears are blind to what he hears and thinks. That he doesnt understand what Oedipus is saying.
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P. 22: You cant hurt me, you night-hatched thing! Me or any man who lives in light. Done
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Oedipus uses night and darkness as a bad and evil thing. He uses light as good and says that the night cant affect tuose who live in light. Those who live in light are safe.
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P. 23: Im blind, you say; you mock at that! I say you see and are still blind-appallingly: blind to your origins and to a union in your house. Done
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Tiresias says that literally Oedipus can see but metaphorically he is blind to the truth.
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P. 74: But how can we say that your design was good? To live in blindness? Better live no longer Done
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The chorus essentially says that it would be better to die than live in blindness to the truth.
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The Heath Introduction to Drama. "When Oedipus could see, he beheld the piercing light of Greece, but he had then less understanding of his fate, less inner vision, and less humility than he is beginning to achieve after he loses that flooding, outer light."
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Through becoming blind, Oedipus gained understanding of his fate and could see more, though he was blind.
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Modern Critical Views Sophocles P. 3 "Fortunately finding Jocasta self-slain, lest he add the crime of matricide to patricide and incest, Oedipus, repeatedly stabbing his eyes with Jocasta's brooches, passes judgement not so much upon seeing as upon the seen, and so upon the light by which we see."
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Oedipus blinds himself due to the seen-what he had just saw-to rid himself of the light and the ability to see more.
