Essay on Theme of Blindness in Sophocles Oedipus the King

Theme 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 marry his mother. After reading or viewing this play, it is apparent that there are a few different themes, though the one which will be discussed in this essay is the theme of blindness. The theme of blindness is shown through the blind prophet,†¦show more content†¦He was given hints by numerous people, yet was still oblivious to the reality. Oedipus?s first hint was when a drunken man accused him of being a bastard child. Next was the prediction from Phoebus, who said that he was ?fated to lie with his mother ? and doomed to be the murde rer of his father.? His next clue was from Teiresias, who claimed that he was the murderer of the former king ? yet that was still not enough. Following Teiresias was the messenger, who told Oedipus that the parents who raised him were not his real parents. Finally, it all clicked when the herdsman came and confirmed that Oedipus was in fact the child of Laius, and that is when he realizes that the oracle?s predictions were correct. One would think that after a few hints that Oedipus would put the pieces together and realize the truth, however that is not the case. These clues that Oedipus overlooked all contributed to the proof that he was blind to the facts of his life. The final way that the theme of blindness is portrayed in this play is through Oedipus becoming blind at the end of the story. When Oedipus finally realized the truth about his past, he rushed inside of his house, and did a horrendous thing. It is described in the play, stating that ?He tore off the brooches ? and lifting them high dashed them on his own eyeballs ? he struck his eyes again and yet again with the brooches.? It is ironic that in theShow MoreRelatedThe Classical Tragedy Of Sophocles Oedipus The King950 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Greece’s Golden Age introduced many excellent playwrights, all of whom contributed to the success of Greek Literature† (sites.google/ Playwrights of the Golden Age). Sophocles, the author of the classic tragedy, Oedipus the King, was one of the three best play writers during that time frame. Born in 495 B.C., Sophocles â€Å"lived for nearly ninety years through the most of the turbulent events of his country during the fifteent h century B.C.† (Charters and Charters). He was born in Colonus, not farRead MoreTheme Of Blindness In Oedipus The King781 Words   |  4 Pageslife is to try and find a meaning in it (Heller). Sophocles writes a 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 reluctantRead MoreOedipus Rex Is A Greek Tragedy Written By Sophocles1177 Words   |  5 PagesOedipus Rex is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. Sophocles, through writing this work along with Antigone and Oedipus at Colonus, became a legendary tragedian, and went off to produce several other works. This classic tragedy held gr eat influence over Aristotle’s six components in his work, the Poetics, more specifically, over the component of plot and character. The birth of Oedipus Rex since spurred countless famous interpretations, including ones by the father of psychoanalysis himself, SigmundRead MoreOedipus Rex: Imagery of Blindness and Sight as a Medium to the Themes1218 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play, Oedipus Rex, written by Sophocles, an honourable and admirable Greek king named Oedipus rules the town of Thebes. He is left in mental turmoil and decay as his unknown, corrupt and immoral past is slowly revealed during his quest to find the culprit who murdered King Laius. The newly exposed past suddenly transforms his glory and respect into shame and humiliation. After he learns about his wicked past he stabs his eyes, which lead to his blindness. During the course of the play, referencesRead More The Role of Teiresias in Sophocles Oedipus Rex Essay1410 Words   |  6 PagesRex (the King) Teiresias uses his psychic abilities to foreshadow the anguish and destruction that Oedipus will encounter after he learns the truths of his life. Teiresias is also responsible for further developing the theme of blindness by using his own physical blindness to reveal to Oedipus his mental blindness. Lastly, Teiresias is ultimately responsible for imposing dramatic irony because of his great knowledge of the truth of Oedipus. In the play, Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles, the minorRead MoreThroughout most famous Greek literature, a great hero usually saves the day. In the story of900 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story of Oedipus though, the good man with one minor flaw goes through great pain. This pain in the play Oedipus Rex is the focal point for the whole play. Almost every aspect of the play builds up and foreshadows Oedipus’ fall from power, and entry into pain. Sophocles in his tragedy Oedipus Rex creates a mood of dramatic irony using the dualities of sight and blindnes s, and light and darkness. This dramatic irony highlights Oedipus’ hamartia and in doing so Sophocles enhances his messageRead MoreOedipus Rex, A Symbol Of Fate1517 Words   |  7 PagesThe most famous scene in Sophocles’, Oedipus Rex, is when Oedipus gouges out his eyes. But that’s not the only example of sight and blindness in this play. In Sophocles world, eyes play a big part in society, as the theme of vision invites the audience to look at the action with a double perspective, through own eyes and through the eyes of those on stage ( Mastronarde pp. 179-182). Considering eyes as an essential piece, it places them as a motif of the play. Within Greek literature, scholars focusRead MoreThe True Vision of Blindness in Oedipus Rex by Sophocles Essay959 Words   |  4 Pagesthey are blind to it. In Oedipus Rex by Sophocles it is easy to see how blindness affects the transition of the story. It is said that blind people see â€Å"in a different manner† because they sense the world in a totally diferent way, such as Teiresias in the play. Oedipus Rex is a tragedy due to the content the Sophocles, the playwright, decided to include, first, murdering his father, king Laius, then marrying his mother, Jocasta, and ending by blinding himself. Oedipus has been blinded to the truthRead MoreEssay on Sight and Blindness in Oedipus Rex1311 Words   |  6 PagesIn the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the themes of sight and blindness are developed in a way to communicate to the reader that it is not eyesight itself, but insight that holds the key to truth and, without it, no amount of knowledge can help uncover that truth. Some may define insight as the ability to intuitively know what is going to happen, or simply as the capacity to understand the true nature of a situation. Both definitions hold a significant role in the play, not only for more obviousRead MoreThe Portrayal of Blindness in The Outsider and Oedipus the King1052 Words   |à ‚  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;

The River Of No Return Is An Autobiography Of Cleveland

The River of no return is an Autobiography of Cleveland Sellers. Throughout the book, we get to read firsthand how times were during the Civil rights movement. In ‘The River of No Return’ readers will also perceive the mindset of both African Americans and Caucasian Americans. This autobiography provides eyewitness reports of the strategies and the conflicts in the south that many people have endured for racial justice. Not only does it show the south but it also shows the movement and how it progressed throughout the nation. In the beginning chapters of the book, we get a glimpse of the typical home and community of an African American during segregation. Many Africans Americans were too adjusted to the way of living, that they felt†¦show more content†¦The News spread to the black community faster than a forest fire. Enraged African American’s who wanted to stand up for change, and participate in marches were treated horribly. Many discriminating events occurred before many African Americans decided to stand up for themselves, but Dr. King was the spokesperson for many unspoken blacks. Many were too afraid to speak up, which is why the African American community praised Dr. King. Young African American’s had to take an active role because many older adults were set in their ways, too afraid to do anything. Previously learning in school, The NAACP was the primary group focusing on civil rights. Further reading has shown that this is not completely accurate. Per Cleveland sellers, the NAACP was widely known but had setback from certain events. Many students who were involved in sit-ins before the freedom writers were believed to be under the SCLC or NAACP. As in the book, many African Americans only know of the NAACP. The SNCC group was a small student led group that also planned and participated in demonstrations. The SNCC formed to give younger blacks more of a voice in the civil rights movement because they felt that the S CLC was out of touch for them. With support from Ella Barker the SNCC worked their way into the movement. The SNCC evolved over time, from being a small unknown student organization, to a very knownShow MoreRelated Langston Hughes Essay1464 Words   |  6 Pages Even though his grandmother had a great past and was highly respected in her community, she was very old and poor, and could not give Hughes the attention that he needed growing up. Hughes went to live with his mother in Lincoln, Illinois and Cleveland, Ohio where he went to high school. After the death of Hughes grandmother, he was able to go live with his mother in Lincoln, Ohio for the first time. Here, according to Hughes, he wrote his first verse and was named class poet of his eighthRead More Life and Work of Langston Hughes Essay1980 Words   |  8 Pagesgrandmother, and, after his grandmother’s death, by family friends. By the time he was fourteen, he had lived in Joplin; Buffalo; Cleveland; Lawrence, Kansas; Mexico City; Topeka, Kansas; Colorado Springs; Kansas City; and Lincoln, Illinois. In 1915, he was class poet of his grammar-school graduating class in Lincoln. From 1916 to 1920, he attended Central High School in Cleveland, where he was a star athlete, wrote poetry and short stories (and published many of them in the Central High Monthly), and onRead MoreLangston Hughes Research Paper25309 Words   |  102 Pagesthe world and hated his father for mistreating his Mexican employees. Witnessing his fathers tyranny made Langston sick enough to req uire hospitalization. By the end of the summer, Langston was glad to return to school in the United States. 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Judge (2011) Organizational Behavi our 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagespage intentionally left blank Organizational Behavior EDITION 15 Stephen P. Robbins —San Diego State University Timothy A. Judge —University of Notre Dame i3iEi35Bj! Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montreal Toronto Delhi Mexico City Sao Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo Editorial Director: Sally Yagan Director of Editorial Services: Ashley Santora Acquisitions Editor:Read MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pagesmymanagementlab.com to learn more. DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SKILLS EIGHTH EDITION David A. Whetten BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Kim S. 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Journalism UK in a Big Transport Problem

Question: Write a essay on UK in a Big Transport Problem? Answer: The traffic in the roads of the United Kingdom is has doubled in the last few decades. However, the infrastructures of the road have suffered throughout to a great extent in this period. Under the Global Competitiveness Index, the country of United Kingdom has ranked 30th in terms of quality and falls far behind the other European countries such as Germany, Spain, France and Netherlands (Schwab, 2014). A recent example of the deteriorating road has been observed on Peach road in Reading, Berkshire. The Sunday morning turned out to be very gloomy and dangerous for the morning walkers of the residents of the Peach Road (Parking, Roads Transport. (n.d.). Even though it is true that snowfall is creating havoc on the roads it is also true that the roads are not at all in a very good conditions. This is creating a very huge problem for the residents in this area. There have been a huge number of complaints with regard to the conditions of the road. However, nothing much had been done regarding the issue. On Sunday morning, a child of six years narrowly escaped being driven over by a car when he fell down while walking on the rough roads. Mr. Chris Brown, the father of the child seemed quite furious over the issue. He stated that he would definitely make attempts to take the matter to the authorities in charge so that the issue is resolved soon. Most of the people in the neighborhood area echoed his views and stated that an immediate action is the only option that is available for the local authorities. Mrs. Jenifer Smith, a banker and a regular shopper says, I am really having a lot of problem walking. Once the snow is removed it is becoming even more difficult to walk. I also have a back problem and this is simply adding to my agony. The local authorities should immediately take steps to improve the situation. Another morning walker Mr. David Jones had an even more serious issue to be handled. He said, I was walking with my son last night when suddenly my son fell victim to the crater. It was fortunate that the roads where vacant. It seems quite evident that the people in this area is quite miffed with the local authorities and are expecting a quick solution to their problem. However, the government has been quite immune to these problems. Even though the government has been considering this issue lately with a lot of priority, no constructive work has been done in this regard (The road ahead: How will the election result affect UK drivers?; 2015, February 6). There are huge estimations as to adding and improving more than one thousand and three hundred lane miles in more than hundred projects. The accident on Sunday morning did not take place and it is expected that before any such thing happens the local bodies as well the government would take the necessary steps to improve the conditions of the road. References Schwab, K., (2014, December). The global competitiveness report 2014-2015. Geneva: World Economic Forum.The road ahead: How will the election result affect UK drivers? (2015, February 6). The Guardian. Retrieved February 27, 2015, from https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2015/feb/06/road-ahead-transport-policy-may-2015Parking, Roads Transport. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2015, from https://beta.reading.gov.uk/transportandstreets

Osiris and Iris Creation Myth Essay Example

Osiris and Iris Creation Myth Essay GiGi Orphali 9-17-12 p. 7 Osiris and Isis Creation Myth Mythology opens up a hidden gate of information about the lives of ancient peoples. Through it, modern people have insight to the beliefs and culture of a civilization long since passed. No better example of this exists than the Egyptian tale of Osiris and Isis. According to this tale, when the world first started it was ruled by the benign god Osiris and his equally generous wife, the goddess Isis. Together they ruled the earth and through this time it was a utopia. Crops prospered, people spoke to each other in poetry, and there were no wars. It remained this way until Osiris was trapped by his wicked brother Seth, who then took full control of the world, exposing humanity to its first taste of heartache. Osiris was eventually freed and Seth dethroned, but when it came time to destroy Seth Isis didn’t have the heart. She let him live, and though he still exists he is now a lowly god with less power. This explains the Egyptian belief of why there has to be good and evil in the world. It also explains that since Seth has less power than Osiris, good will always trump evil. The Egyptians were so rare in their day because of their positive outlook on death. We will write a custom essay sample on Osiris and Iris Creation Myth specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Osiris and Iris Creation Myth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Osiris and Iris Creation Myth specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer While other civilizations around them looked on to death in a craven manner, Egyptians embraced the beauty of the afterlife and the riches to come. All this stemmed from the belief that Osiris, an oh-so-benevolent god, would make their afterlife paradise, as he had once done here on earth. Because the afterlife is ruled by a kind god, it also explains the way to get there. Egyptians believe that through morality and kindness, they will forever be joined with their princely god in paradise. Egyptian culture stressed love and loyalty between husband and wife and that is clearly expressed throughout this myth. The story of Osiris and Isis is punctuated with Isis’s undying devotion to her husband and her willingness to go above and beyond to find him. Though Osiris is lost for many years on more than one occasion, Isis never stops searching for him. Even when he is sent to the afterlife, she follows. Readers can assume from the numerous examples of Isis’s loyalty that this was an important value to the ancient Egyptians. Through Isis modern people can see what the ideal Egyptian wife must have been. Osiris and Isis is a myth that has carried on through the ages, portraying an excellent well of information on what Egyptian culture was. Modern readers can see what the ideals and beliefs of a place (beliefs that are still followed today) which give a better understanding than any history book can. Ancient Egyptians held in high esteem what their gods taught and were quick to follow their example. Their conclusions on the afterlife, polytheistic pantheon and good vs. evil are all expressed in this myth. This myth offers us a glimpse into a long ago world, and is perhaps, along with the pyramids and ancient temples, one of the greatest gifts the ancient Egyptians have given modern society.