Blindness In Oedipus The King Essay - 725 Words

Blindness plays a two-fold part in Sophoclesamp;#8217; tragedy amp;#8220;Oedipus the King.; First, Sophocles presents blindness as a physical disability affecting the auger Teiresias, and later Oedipus; but later, blindness comes to mean an inability to see the evil in oneamp;#8217;s actions and the consequences that ensue. The irony in this lies in the fact that Oedipus, while gifted with sight, is blind to himself, in contrast to Teiresias, blind physically, but able to see the evil to which Oedipus has fallen prey to. Tragically, as Oedipus gains the internal gift of sight, he discards his outward gift of sight. Sight, therefore, seems to be like good and evil, a person may only choose one. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Teiresias,†¦show more content†¦Yet what distinguishes Teiresias from the others was his genuine concern for others amp;#8211; a concern that he voiced before demolishing Oedipus in front of the growing crowd outside of the palace. For Teiresias, the choice was simple amp;#8211; he chose to forego his disability and delve deeper into himself in order to find a sight that surpassed his physical limitations, a sight destined for good. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Oedipus, on the other hand, was not given such an easy decision. While gifted with an outward sense of sight, he lacked the knowledge of his own sinful actions - his hamartia, so to speak. Oedipus was seeing to others, but blind to himself. As he fled from Corinth, fearing a prophecy he received from an oracle, Oedipus showed complete blindness to the inevitability of his fate. The murder of his father, Laius, and the subsequent marriage to this mother, Jocasta, further elucidate the extent of Oedipusamp;#8217; blindness; blind in deed, reason, and consequence. Tragically, Oedipusamp;#8217; anagnorisis occurs simultaneously with his motheramp;#8217;s/wifeamp;#8217;s suicide. With a heart full of despair and a pair of newly opened eyes, Oedipus makes his transformation complete as he exchanges his limited physical eyesight for the spiritual sight possessed by Teiresias. With this being done, Oedipus also seals his fate amp;#8211; he no longer can serve evil,Sh ow MoreRelatedTheme Of Blindness In Oedipus The King781 Words   |  4 Pagesa Greek Drama Oedipus the King in which he incorporates how we, as humans, process pain and different ways of doing so. Oedipus the King is about Oedipus fulfilling a prophecy the Sphinx predicted. Throughout the story, Oedipus’ revelation to the Sphinx’s prophecy becomes so horrific to him that he, himself, ends up blind. Blindness is the focus of Oedipus the King in that Oedipus is blind to the truth about the prophecy and is reluctant to believe it. The three types of blindness that occur throughoutRead MoreSight And Blindness In Oedipus The King789 Words   |  4 PagesCaleb Cho Ms. Kim English 373H 5-October- 2017 Tension Between â€Å"Sight† and â€Å"Blindness† Essay - Rough Draft Deep in the forest lived a blind man named Carl. Once a week Carl would travel to the nearest city to buy supplies and food. One day, a young boy decided to play a trick on Carl, the boy would catch a bug, and then ask if the bug was alive or dead. If Carl said â€Å"alive† the boy would crush the bug and show Carl the bug was dead. If Carl answered â€Å"dead† the boy would let the bug fly away, aliveRead MoreSight and Blindness in Oedipus the King Essay1048 Words   |  5 PagesThe Irony of Sight and Knowledge in Oedipus the King People equate ‘seeing’ to gaining knowledge. Expressions such as â€Å"I see† and â€Å"seeing truth† are used to express understanding of something, but is seeing really the same as knowing? In Oedipus the King, Oedipus’s inability to grasp the truth is despite the fact that he is physically able to see contrasts Teiresias’s knowledge of the truth even though he is blind. The irony of the blind man being knowledgeable, and the seer becomingRead MoreThe Portrayal of Blindness in The Outsider and Oedipus the King1052 Words   |  5 PagesThe Portrayal of Blindness in The Outsider and Oedipus the King A primitive motif in Oedipus the King by Sophocles and The Outsider by Albert Camus is blindness. The protagonists in the novels are blinded to a personal truth, and are physically blinded as well. In The Outsider, Meursault’s blindness is metaphorical, as he is negligent to his own absurdity, which he later becomes categorized as. On the other hand, Oedipus’s blindness is literal, as he is ignorant to the truth of his life;Read MoreUse of Blindness in Oedipus the King Essay920 Words   |  4 Pagesin his plays, Wisdom stands out as the most impact full. After all, No law or ordinance is mightier than understanding(Plato 1/2). In the play Oedipus the King, Sophocles uses the blindness of Teriesias, Jocasta, and Oedipus to point out how understanding is far greater than vision alone. In the play Oedipus the King, Sophocles use the blindness of Teiresias to point out the great power behind wisdom and understand. Teiresias, by your art you read signs and secrets of the earth and the sky;Read MoreEssay on Theme of Blindness in Sophocles Oedipus the King758 Words   |  4 PagesTheme of Blindness in Sophocles Oedipus the King Sophocles?s play, ?Oedipus the King? is one of the most well known of the Greek tragedies. The play?s interesting plot, along with the incredible way it is written are only two of the many reasons why two thousand years later, it is still being read and viewed. For those who are not familiar with the story of ?Oedipus the King?, it is written about the results of a curse put on King Oedipus which claims that he will murder his father and marryRead MoreEssay on Blindness and Sight - Lack of Vision in Oedipus The King910 Words   |  4 PagesBlindness in Oedipus The King (Rex) What is sight? Is it just the ability to recognize one’s surroundings or is there more? Is it knowledge? Is it understanding? Can a blind man see? Can the sighted be blind? And beyond, when the truth is too terrible, do we choose not to see? The phrase too see has so very many connotations. One meaning is to know or to understand and the other is based on the physical aspects of things. As humans, we are distracted by the physical world, which causes usRead More Blindness and Sight - Sight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King (Oedipus Rex)1357 Words   |  6 PagesSight Versus Insight in Oedipus the King      Ã‚  Ã‚   Anyone who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eye are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light,which is true of the minds eye, quite as much as the bodily eye; and he who remembers this when he sees anyone whose vision is perplexed and weak, will not be too ready to laugh; he will ask whether that soul of man has come out of the brighter life, and is unableRead More Blindness, Sight and Eyes in Sophocles Oedipus The King Essay682 Words   |  3 PagesThe Deeper Meaning of Sight and Eyes in Sophocles Oedipus The King In Sophocles play, Oedipus The King, the continuous references to eyes and sight possess a much deeper meaning than the literal message. These allusions are united with several basic underlying themes. The story contains common Ancient Greek philosophies, including those of Plato and Parmenides, which are often discussed and explained during such references. A third notion is the punishment of those who violate the law ofRead More Oedipus the King by Sopohocles Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesOedipus the King by Sopohocles Works Cited Not Included Throughout the play, Oedipus the King, Sophocles refers to site and blindness to relate attitudes and knowledge of the past. The irony of sight in this play can be marked by Oedipus’ inability to realize that which is evident to the reader. His extreme pride is his tragic flaw. It blinds him from the truth. Oedipus blinding himself symbolizes his increase of knowledge, his sensitivity, and gives him the ability to finally see. He

A Doll’s House and The Cherry Orchard - 1520 Words

Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard were famous for the way in which they depicted the changing of cultures. Both plays act as a sort of social commentary during times of widespread liberation, and use the contortive nature of these seemingly stereotypical characters’ actions to speak about groups of people as a whole. Throughout the course of both plays, this subversion of how different groups of people were typically perceived created a distinct contrast which often shocked and appalled audiences of the time. However, the effects of these plays were felt long after they were presented. Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, written in 1879, is set in late-19th century Norway. Upon publication, Ibsen’s biting†¦show more content†¦In furtherance of this, Torvald even begs and pleads for her to stay, all to no avail. Nora explains: â€Å"I have waited for eight years. I felt quite certain that the wonderful thing was going to happen at last. . .I was so absolutely certain that you would come forward and take everything upon yourself (Ibsen 70).† Torvald responds, in accordance with popular male thinking,† No man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves (Ibsen 70).† At this point, Nora decides she must leave Torvald. This decision is the ultimate act of insubordination, as no woman of late-19th century Norway would have dared to act in such a bold way. As the play concludes, Torvald is left sad and weak, his masculinity diminished, but realizing that the way which he treated Nora was improper and immoral. The final line leaves a lingering hint of hope for a resolution, tying together the social commentary with a possible solution: more equal treatment of women. Likewise, Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard also uses subversion techniques and insubordination in order to bring to light many prevailing social themes of late-19th century Russia. During this period of time, Russia was faced with a massive change. In 1861, serfdom was eradicated in Russia and serfs were freed. This action had enormous social implications, as an entire generation of serfs were now free to roam amongst the masses of wealthy people. Of course,Show MoreRelatedThe Cherry Orchard and A Doll’s House.1208 Words   |  5 Pages People bring their downfalls upon themselves. Do certain habitually practice leave them wondering what wrong they did? Torvald from Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Madame Ranevsky from Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard are left to start afresh at the end of the plays after they neglected a key element in their lives. Torvald toys with Nora, his wife, fulfilling only his wants and only his needs and abases her; never considering her his equal. The fallacious choice Madame Ranevsky makes concerningRead MoreThe Cherry Orchard: Reality, Illusion, and Foolish Pride1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe Cherry Orchard: Reality, Illusion, and Foolish Pride Chandler Friedman English 231 Dr. Clark Lemons In the plays The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen, and Galileo by Bertolt Brecht, the protagonists mental beliefs combine reality and illusion that both shape the plot of each respective story. The ability of the characters to reject or accept an illusion, along with the foolish pride that motivated their decision, leads to their personalRead More A Doll’s House - Nora Essay1498 Words   |  6 PagesNora is the central character in the book A Doll’s House and it is through her that Ibsen develops many of his themes To what extent is loyalty shown by the lead female characters characters? What are the consequences of this? Within these two books loyalty is a minor theme and one that is easily missed, indeed it is narrow. However, it is still one which weaves a thread through both of the books encompassing major and minor characters, the material and the abstract. In commencing this Read MoreTaking a Look at Realism2663 Words   |  11 Pagesdelved into the world of realism. After living in a bankrupt family, tutoring for money, and living on his own since he was fifteen, Ibsen had a unique perspective on life, and his work reflected this (â€Å"Henrik Ibsen†). His later plays such as A Doll’s House, Hedda Gabler, and Ghosts dripped with realism. They contained many controversial topics that challenged the beliefs of the time period. In Ghosts, Ibsen wrote about illegitimate children, sexually transmitted diseases, and incest. These wereRead MoreEssay Prompts4057 Words   |  17 Pageson the Floss The Awakening Moby-Dick Billy Budd Mrs. Dalloway Bleak House Native Son Bless Me,Ultima One Hundred Years of Solitude Catch-22 Othello Crime and Punishment The Scarlet Letter The Crucible Slaughterhouse-Five A Farewell to Arms Song of Solomon Ghosts The Stone Angel The Great Gatsby The Stranger Heart of Darkness A Tale of Two Cities The House of Mirth Their Eyes Were Watching God Jude the Obscure 2003 (Form A): According

Reaction Paper Format free essay sample

The reaction papers must be typed (double-spaced) and should be no longer than a page to a page and a half long. Place your name and date in the header (top left page). These papers DO NOT require the use of a cover page. I. Bibliographic information (APA Style) II. Major points in the article (Must be in narrative format) a. Make sure you include an introductory paragraph. b. Each paragraph must have a minimum of 3 sentences. This is a must! You may have more than 3 sentences, but not less than 3. c. Write in third person- do not include personal opinions or the use of personal nouns such as â€Å"I†, â€Å"we† or â€Å"me†. â€Å"You, I, we, us belong in the critique section where you are relating personal opinions, not in the summary. d. The reaction paper must be typed and double-spaced. e. The reaction paper should be at least one page, but no more than a page and a half. We will write a custom essay sample on Reaction Paper Format or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page f. Please avoid contractions. Inclusive language should be used in the reaction paper (for example: gender references should be written as â€Å"he/she† when the gender in unknown. h. No citations are necessary (within the paper) i. This section should include the summary only. III. As a prospective movement practitioner, how may knowledge of the content improve the teaching/learning/rehab process? a. Use specific examples III. Discuss any new or contradictory information. a. Discuss any information found in the article that is new(different from what is found in the book) or contradicts information found in the book.