Mariana Loza
Ms. Green
Oedipus Rex:
Question #7: Why does Oedipus blind himself? Is this an act of weakness or of strength? Why does he ask Kreon to drive him from Thebes? Does he feel that his fate has been just or unjust? Is his suffering, in fact, deserved? Partially deserved? Undeserved?
First of all, it is significant symbolism just the fact that he has the courage to take out his eyes. Choragos tells Oedipus, “I do not know what words to offer you. You were better dead than alive and blind” (Pg. 1256, Sophocles). Not just anyone, as guilty or non guilty, would simply take out their eyes to suffer in pardon. Oedipus’s actions are definitely a sign of strength because he feels as if he should not have the ability to see in order to redeem his past actions. The anger takes people to do things that may reach the extreme. Oedipus feels as if his fate is just in the sense that his actions should take consequence. Yet, it is somehow a bit undeserved knowing that it was fate who already had set his path. If he was not an abandoned child, he would have known who his father was and not have married his mother. Then again, the lead up actions were all set by fate. If fate is so strong and centralized in this play, it’s difficult to jeopardize. In my opinion it is unfair if fate has to decide for you. Maybe if Oedipus could have made his own changes along the way, he would have not married his mother nor killed his father. The fact that he is seen as a victim of faith make us the readers feel sorry for the outcome, and wish he was not feeling guilty. Although this is so, his characteristic as prideful and arrogant were also put in the way. It was his decision to take out his eyes in the end for feeling the guilt. Oedipus becomes blind to not see any more evil and to feel better about his dark actions.
Oedipus Rex:
Question #8:
There is a good deal in the play about seeing and blindness. What purpose does this serve? How is Oedipus contrasted with Teiresias? How does Oedipus at the beginning of the play contrast with Oedipus at the end? Why is his blinding himself dramatically appropriate?
Oedipus personality drastically changes throughout the play through the destiny that passes by. When Oedipus talks to Kreon he mentions, “I pray you in God’s name, since your courtesy Ignores my dark expectation, visiting with mercy this man of all men most execrable: Give me what I ask for-for your good, not mine” (Pg. 1258, Sophocles). His pride is vanished once Oedipus feels guilt for what he has done. He stops worrying about what benefits him and worries about being far away from the humans who he has hurt. Oedipus goes from being centered in his needs of arrogance to punishing himself for his actions. Likewise, Oedipus was actually blind all along, from beginning to end. His blindness at the beginning was not being sure who were his parents and of what he was doing. Later on when he opened his eyes to reality, he wanted to close them again, literally by taking them out. That just made a minor difference because the truth was marked in his mind. Therefore, being blind from seeing the world, did not change the reality that was already seen in his past. That sight was following him to his future, even if he left far away. Him blinding himself is appropriate in a way because he did not have vivid the image of him marrying his mother and killing his father, he would not feel the shame to look people in the eye. Yet, it still is haunting his life.
Oedipus Rex:
Question #2:
In what ways are Oedipus’s stage actions consistent with his prior actions? In what ways are they different? How do these two sets of actions reveal him to be a person of extraordinary stature?
The prophecy created a set in the fate of Oedipus’s actions and the consistency of them. Choragos tells Thebes, “Presume on his good fortune until he find life, at his death, a memory without pain” (Pg. 1261, Sophocles). The fortune that Oedipus had was miserable, but it was the faith that was carried upon him. Although his fate was practically written, he did not do a thing to change it or trouble it to make a difference. Oedipus went along with his destiny of disgrace. The Prophecy was followed through, and maybe if he knew he would have thought it twice. The stage actions are different from his prior actions because the fate makes his own mark in the path. His actions after the tragedy’s revealed him to be a person of great courage and morality because he ends up doing everything possible to forgive and get back on track. I feel like what you do to get back up is what defines who you really are. Then, Oedipus is a man that did have a harsh time struggling between his reality and prophecy, but he realized that he did wrong so he punished himself knowing it will affect his life in many ways. Oedipus becomes a man of honesty and learns to appreciate what he has left, his children.
Oedipus Rex:
Question #12
What purposes are served by the appearance of the Antigone and Ismene in the Exodos?
Oedipus would still dream upon Antigone and Ismene, they were the only two that still held his heart purely. Although, the prophecy of his fate became reality, he still respected and loved truly his two children (daughters) that he had with his mother. He put aside the fact that it was wrong who he had them with, and admired his two loved daughters. He asks Creon, “Take care of them, I beg you. Wait, better- permit me, would you? Just to touch them with my hands and take our fill of tears.” The fact that he was able to touch them and feel their warmth in his hands, created a greater connection that gave hope to Oedipus. Feeling some love after all the damage and regret he caused, made his life be a bit brighter. His kids where the stem to a tiny blossom in his deserted life. He finally had a memory even if he was leaving far away someday. All the actions of Oedipus had an impact on his daughters life’s because they were going to be affected in many ways. First, they were growing up being the daughter of their grandmother and father. They were going to find out that their father had killed their grandfather and all these abnormal realities were caused by their fathers prophecy. The prophecy was later to be understand when they had the age, if they ever were gonna even accommodate to the senses.