Oedipus Sight vs. sightlessness
What is sight? Is it understanding? Knowledge? Truth? Can the sighted be blind? Can a blind man see? When the truth becomes too terrible, does one choose not to see? In Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, the characters of Tiresias and Oedipus form a complete contrast to one another. Tiresias, a blind man, can "see" the truth about Oedipus, yet Oedipus, in all of his physical perfection, cannot. Although Tiresias is physically blind, he sees the truth from the beginning, while Oedipus, who has physical eyesight, is blind to his fate. However, in the end, Oedipus blinds himself when he learns the truth and finally sees. Both the characters of Tiresias and Oedipus prove that seeing the truth does not require sight. Although, Tiresias, a seer, is physically blind, he is clairvoyant and sees more truth than the sighted. Tiresias is "A blind man, who has his sight now." It is ironic that the only insight Oedipus has into the gods' will is through a blind man. He cannot see the workings of the world. However, his contact with the gods gives him more knowledge and truth than any of the sighted can observe. Oedipus demands that Tiresias tell him the information sent from the gods, but Tiresias refuses, knowing that the mention of such word
"O god-all come true, all burst to light! O light-now let me look my last on you! I stand revealed at last-cursed in my birth, cursed in marriage!, cursed in the lives I cut down with these hands!" That light, which represented all truth and knowledge, must be destroyed. Having killed his own father and married his mother, knowledge of his past tears Oedipus to pieces. He antagonizes Tiresias not only for the inf!ormation, but also because he mocks his sightlessness. However, once Oedipus gains the knowledge of his past, his world will come tumbling down. Oedipus, "a simple man, who knows nothing", is unable to prevent his own downfall because of his own ignorance. Oedipus cannot see the wretchedness of his life. " Tiresias foretells the future while Oedipus stands in pure ignorance. He does not know whose house he lives or who his parents are. It isn't until he sees reality that his world begins to crumble. " Once Oedipus sees the truth, his entire world collapses. " Even with precious eyes, Oedipus is still blind to the corruption of his own life. Although blind to the outside world, Tiresias could foresee the despair that truth would cause in the city of Thebes. Although now he is physically blind, he, like Tiresias, now "sees". He proclaims, "What good were eyes to me? Nothing I could see could bring me joy.
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