Authors often use blindness and sight as a metaphor for knowledge and insight of the truth. For example, this was a major theme in Ralph Ellison’s novel, Invisible Man, signifying the inability of African Americans to notice their everlasting inequality. Such use of the sense of sight to symbolize knowledge dates back to ancient Greek theatre. Sophocles notably employs this metaphor in his Oedipus trilogy, specifically Oedipus Rex, also known as Oedipus The King. Sophocles uses sight as a metaphor
being considerably famous. One of Sophocles’ plays that is especially recognizable is the play Oedipus Rex, which is about the Theban king Oedipus and his downfall. Sophocles uses the motif of sight and blindness by highlighting Oedipus’ mental blindness to illustrate that ignorance causes misfortune not only to the oblivious person, but also to the people around them. The mental blindness of Oedipus from his lack of knowledge of his real parents and his anger causes the city of Thebes to suffer
inability to see (blindness) in each and every person. People are naturally blind to the trillions of other psyches that compose their species. This accounts for an array of discrepancies in human interaction due to the incapability to be completely aware of another person’s thoughts. The subject of human blindness is a major theme of Sophocles’ “Oedipus Rex”. People’s motivations are generated by their circumstances and they are sometimes put in a position where their blindness causes them to make
being considerably famous. One of Sophocles’ plays that is especially recognizable is the play Oedipus Rex, which is about the Theban king Oedipus and his downfall. Sophocles uses the motif of sight and blindness by highlighting Oedipus’ mental blindness in order to illustrate that ignorance causes misfortune not only to the oblivious person, but also to the people around them. The mental blindness of Oedipus from his lack of knowledge of his real parents and his anger causes the city of Thebes to suffer
Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, Oedipus attempts to figure out who killed Laïos, unsure until the end of the play that he was the one who committed the murder. When the Shepherd finally tells him that he has fulfilled his oracle, Oedipus is so distraught with his offenses that he stabs himself in the eyes. In doing so, Oedipus switches from being figuratively blind to being physically blind. Sophocles’s extended metaphors of lightness and darkness, knowledge or truth and ignorance, and vision and blindness suggest
life, and occurrences around them. This is clearly expressed in the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex, Part of Sophocles work of Drama. The play tells the story of the city of Thebes and it’s king Oedipus. Seeing Thebes sickened by the plague, Oedipus vows to rid the city of the disease. Oedipus learns that in order to save the city he must avenge the murder of Thebes previous king, Laïos. On a quest to find the culprit, Oedipus discovers dark secrets about himself and his past. Using the development of a sight
Throughout Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, Oedipus attempts to figure out who killed Laios, unsure until the end of the play if he was the one who did it. When the Shepherd finally tells him that he has fulfilled his oracle, Oedipus is so distraught with the truth that he stabs himself in the eyes. Sophocles’ extended metaphors of lightness and darkness, knowledge or truth and ignorance, and vision and blindness suggest that living in oblivion should be desired, because the truth causes destruction by revealing
According to Foster’s description of an archetype, it sounds to me like it is the prototype for recurring patterns or components that authors use in their stories as plot or symbolic devices; the author may twist the variation of the archetype in their story, but it still bears semblance to the archetype itself and other variations authors have used. One the oldest archetypes known to mankind is the historical fight between good versus evil. You know, the usual: the good side and evil side go up