It was once said by Ralph Waldo Emmerson, Where there is no vision, a people perish. In Sophocles Greek tragedy, Oedipus Rex, the oracle advised Oedipus that he was to murder his father and marry his mother. As a result, Oedipus tried to change his fate. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Tiresias all demonstrated the concept of blindness in Oedipus Rex. Oedipus, king of Thebes, was immensely blind to his fate. After Oedipus was called a changeling by an old drunkard, he began to question his parents, Polypus andMerobe, of Corinth.
Though his parents denied the charges, Oedipus was disbelieving and decided to seek out the truth. After he found the reality of his fate, he left Corinth in order to abandon his star-crossed fate. Even though Oedipus was told that he would soon murder his father and marry his mother, he relentlessly killed the old man, better known asKing Laius, at the crossing of Dahlia and Delphi. Upon solving the riddle of the sphinx, the people of Thebes named Oedipus king.
After many years, Tiresias, an old soothsayer, came to Oedipus and said, I say that you are he whom you seek. You are Laius murderer! Oedipus blindness to who he truly was, and where he actually came from, caused him to be disbelieving of Tiresias story. Likewise, Jocasta, Queen of Thebes and mother of Oedipus, also lacked vision. In the beginning, Jocasta was blind to Oedipus true identity. Eventually, the queen uncovered the reality of who Oedipus really was. She then began to deny the truth and told Oedipus, For Heaven s sake, if you care for your own life, don t seek the truth! Iam sick, and that s enough! After this, Jocasta became mute to any further questions Oedipus had.
The Essay on Oedipus Fate Vs Free Will
In Oedipus the King, one of Sophocles' most popular plays, Sophocles clearly depicts the Greek's popular belief that fate will control a man's life despite of man's free will. Man was free to choose and was ultimately held responsible for his own actions. Throughout Oedipus the King, the concept of fate and free will plays an integral part in Oedipus' destruction. Destined to marry his mother and ...
Although it was done out of the goodness of her heart, Jocasta s silence only allowed Oedipus blindness to linger on. Perhaps the most irony is shown in the The bian soothsayer, Tiresias. Though he was physically blind, he was the only character out of the trio who actually ha a true vision of the murder. Despite Oedipus urging, Tiresias exclaimed, I will not bring remorse upon myself and upon you. Vain, vain! I will not tell you! Eventually, Oedipus won Tiresias over, and the truth was revealed to Oedipus.
However, Oedipus was doubtful of the words the seer told him. Oedipus, Jocasta, and Tiresias all demonstrated the concept of blindness in Oedipus Rex. The triad definitely had a substantial impact on the outcome of Oedipus destiny. Although Oedipus tried to change his fate, he was unsuccessful in his attempt. Perhaps one true vision is all that would have been needed to alter Oedipus destiny.
