"Seeing
or the loss of vision is a metaphor that pervades the text, Oedipus Rex. Where
do we see this in the play? How do you think this metaphor was used by
Sophocles to depict Oedipus as a good/bad example of what a Greek citizen
should be?"
Oedipus
was already tyrannical even from the beginning of the tragedy Oedipus Rex, mostly because he was the
only one who was able to answer the riddle of the Sphinx, married the queen
Iocasta and was made king of Thebes. If we look closely, these all happened
because of the will of the gods. It cannot exactly be called fate but it can be
said that whatever the gods want to happen, they will make sure it will take
place. I believe this is the central theme of Oedipus. Basically, Oedipus Rex says that a good citizen is
one who accepts the decisions of the gods; a bad citizen is someone who
refuses.
