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Only after Oedipus gouges out his own eyes, physically blinding himself, does he gain prophetic ability, as exhibited in Oedipus at Colonus. It is deliberately ironic that the "seer" can "see" better than Oedipus, despite being blind. Tiresias, in anger, expresses such (lines 495–500): [32]: 11
"The Country of the Blind" by H. G. Wells tells the story of a mountaineer who finds himself stranded in an isolated valley inhabited entirely by blind people. Remembering the proverb, "In the Country of the Blind the One-eyed Man is King", he attempts to establish himself as ruler of the country, but finds himself unable to explain the concept ...
As yet, it would not have been revealed that Oedipus was the biological son of Laius, and hence the fragment describing the blinding refers to Oedipus as the son of Polybus. [3] [5] The blind Oedipus has a scene with Jocasta and possibly Periboea in which the fact that his biological parents are Laius and Jocasta is revealed. [3]
Blinding is a type of physical punishment which results in complete or nearly complete loss of vision. It was used as an act of revenge and torture . [ 1 ] The punishment has been used since antiquity ; Greek mythology makes several references to blinding as divine punishment , which reflects human practice.
Oedipus (UK: / ˈ iː d ɪ p ə s /, also US: / ˈ ɛ d ə-/; Ancient Greek: Οἰδίπους "swollen foot") was a mythical Greek king of Thebes.A tragic hero in Greek mythology, Oedipus fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family.
When Oedipus discovered his crime, he blinded himself; and went into exile with his daughter Antigone, who offered herself as guide. In the meantime his sons Eteocles and Polynices engage in war, the treaty binding them to reign alternately being violated.
The play opens with a summary of the story of Oedipus and its aftermath told by Jocasta, who in this version has not committed suicide.She explains that after her husband blinded himself upon discovering that he was her son, his sons Eteocles and Polynices locked him away in hopes that the people might forget what had happened.
Filled with strength, the blind Oedipus stands and walks, calling for his children and Theseus to follow him. A messenger enters and tells the chorus that Oedipus is dead. He led his children and Theseus away, then bathed himself and poured libations while his daughters grieved.