Light in "Oedipus Rex"

Paper Summary:

Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is the tragic story of a man search for justice which ends in his own condemnation and destruction. This paper examines how, throughout the story, as throughout time, light is used as a metaphor (and an antecedent) of perception and the assumption is made that what one perceives, one knows.

From the Paper:

"Oedipus makes the mistake of thinking that truth is something tangible, which can be seen with the physical eyes. Hence he says that in the case of Laius' death, "none has seen the man who saw him fall." He never stops to think that such a claim is impossible, for surely this murderer is not invisible! This very example proves that vision and knowledge are distinct, for many have seen the murderer in his life, surely, but none have known him for what he is. Yet Oedipus does not consider this, and he continues to equate knowledge with physical sight, as when he tells Tieresias that the prophet's blindness makes him ignorant, "thou hast no power O'er me or any man who sees the sun.""

More papers on Light in "Oedipus Rex" :

• Analytical Essay # 135236 : "Oedipus Rex": Blindness, Light, and Dark"
• Analytical Essay # 31026 : "Antigone" and "Oedipus"
• Essay # 56301 : "Characteristics of Tragedy and Comedy"

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