LIT+CRITICS

Page 433-446** Blind vs. sight might seem pretty simple, but some people, even though they may be blind, can see much more clearly than someone with vision. Teiresias lacks sight in the literal way, which most people have, yet has vision of the future, which most people do not. On the other hand, Oedipus can see just like everyone else, but he is blinded to what he does not want to hear or know. He cannot even see when it is presented to him that he was the king's murderer- whom he has been searching. Oedipus hears from Creon that the God wants him to "dive out a pollution from our land, a pollution grown ingrained within the land; drive it out, said the God, not cherish it till it's past cure."(line 108-111) Later in the tale, Teiresias tries to tell Oedipus he is the murder by saying, "You are the land's pollution,"(line 390) but Oedipus is blinded to what he does not want to hear. In line 435, Oedipus says to Teiresias, "Your life is one long night," meaning that Teiresias cannot see normally so he only sees what he wants to see, but it is really the other way around. Oedipus is really the person who only believes what he wants to hear- that he is not the man who killed the king.
 * Oedipus notes first part of Section I[[image:oedipus_pic.jpg width="232" height="298" align="right"]]
 * //Blind Vs. sight://**

Page 447-462** Light and darkness can be seen starting in line 498. Oedipus states "How needlessly your riddles darken everything." Teiresias is telling Oedipus what is truly going on through a slight play of words and Oedipus believes this is darkening or making his situation more miserable and dreary. Teiresias knows the truth, the light, yet Oedipus refuses to see it because he feels it is dark and would rather stay in the "night" where he is not the murderer. Oepidus starts to come into the light and see that Teiresias may truly have eyes, not to physical being, but into the future, when he admits "I have a deadly fear that the old seer had eyes."(line 828-829)
 * Oedipus notes from second part of Section I
 * //Light Vs. darkness://**

Page 462-465** Starting on page 462, insight versus lack of knowledge can be recognized. The messenger is insightful when he suggests that Oedipus was the baby who had been sent away because of the oracle. The messenger says, "This is he before your eyes,"(line 1221) adressing the heardsman. Oedipus has a lack of knowledge because no matter what anyone tells him, he refuses to believe that he is truely the one who killed the king. At the same time, the herdsman has a lack of knowledge as well. When the oracle threatened about Oedipus' future, he still chose not to kill the baby and instead hand him over to the messenger. The herdsman thought that he was helping, but despite his effort, the oracle's prediction came true.
 * Oedipus notes from Section 2
 * //Insight Vs. lack of knowledge://**

Page 465-470** //**Glory Vs. Banishment**// Starting on page 465, Oedipus finally realized that he killed his father and married his mother. All the glory he attained over the years from defeating the Sphinx and becoming king has now diminished into nothing. On page 470 Oedipus says to Creon, "So you will send me away to Thebes then,"(line 1636 ). This is his acknowledgment of his banishment and what Creon and the gods will do to him.. he will be sent to another land without his children. All of his glory is gone and remose takes over. Oedipus now accepts everything that he has done and has no Glory, and he and his children will be banished and never accepted in society.
 * Oedipus notes from second part of Section 2


 * Questions for Discussion:**

1. Although Teiresias is truly blind, in what ways does he see more clearly than Oedipus? 2. How does Oedipus come into the light after he says to Teiresias, "I have a deadly fear that the old seer had eyes."(Line 828-829) while Oedipus and Teiresias were discussing the murderer? 3. In reference to question two, why would Oedipus rather “stay in the night,” instead of listening to Teiresias? 4. How does Creon affect Oedipus’s life after Oedipus’s banishment? 5. Do you believe that the herdsman’s decision to not kill Oedipus as a baby affected Oedipus’s life? How?