Seeing Oedipus in a Different Light

I thoroughly enjoyed our discussion in class today on the basic elements and implications of tragedy and drama, specifically in reference to Oedipus Rex, a tragedy I'm sure we've all visited and revisited many times throughout our educational journeys. Upon further reflection, I was struck by Sutherland's comments about Aristotle's views on how tragedy "imitates" reality, specifically that "all is foretold," and "there are no accidents" (Sutherland, Loc 422). This was interesting to me because my favorite motif to analyze in Oedipus Rex is that of seeing, or loss of sight, and Sutherland argues that one of the core ingredients to a tragedy is the fact that reality is inescapable, and that all is foretold.

In Oedipus Rex, it is foretold by an oracle that Oedipus will kill his father, marry his mother, and go blind. In attempts to escape this prediction, Oedipus runs himself right onto the road that leads to the prophesy's fulfillment and his ultimate downfall. References to sight are made frequently: the oracle's ability to see the future, Oedipus' inability to see the truth clearly, and Oedipus' eventual self-inflicted blindness. Examining Oedipus Rex as it's own entity, physical sight may represent psychological understanding and acceptance as things as they are and will be, something that Oedipus tragically lacks.  Analyzing Oedipus Rex as a representation of the tragedy, the theme of sight is reflective of the juxtaposition of society's difficulty accepting reality but the relief and satisfaction in the wholeness and intricate piecing of tragedy. That is, tragedy is difficult to swallow, but its quality of being foretold and perfectly crafted, makes it a piece of art that allows us to reflect on the message's relation to us. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus' blindness showcases his own hubris, but also ties together the circular plot of the tragedy, thus completing it and making it "enjoyable" (as Sutherland says) to examine it, rather than simply painful.