Oedipus Rex Symbolism and Imagery Essay
... It is exceptionally ironic that Oedipus inadvertently sentenced himself to exile in the futile search for the truth and that the blind prophet Tiresias can see farther than others. After finally learning the truth, Oedipus is horrified to such an extent that he plunged his mother’s ornament straight into his eyes, “and blood splattered his beard, bursting from his ruined sockets like red hail.” The use of this explicit imagery heightens the reference to the symbol of vision. Though blind, Oedipus finally acquires a limited prophetic vision. Another notable symbol is the three-way crossroad where Oedipus encounters Laïos. A crossroads is a place where a choice has to be made, so crossroads usually symbolize moments where decisions will have important consequences but where different choices are still possible. It is often referred to during the play, and it symbolizes the crucial moment when Oedipus would begin to fulfill the dreadful prophecy that he would murder his father and marry his mother. After he blinds himself, Oedipus refers to the crossroad saying, “O three roads, dark ravine, woodland and way.” This symbol is enhanced by the image of Oedipus standing in the middle of three paths. In this play, the crossroads symbolizes fate and the power of prophecy rather than freedom and choice. Throughout the story of Oedipus, a person can see the many different things important to the people. They have their own beliefs, ideas, and values that are not so far from those widely recognized and are portrayed as symbols. For example, water is a symbol that is universally understood. Since water is necessary to live, people identify that water is used to represent life or giving life. The storm that is mentioned in the beginning of Oedipus is also universally understood. It is a warning of all the horror and tragedy to come. It was understood because people know what it means for a storm to approach: something terrible is coming and one should brace his or herself. Additionally, the birds are one of the most interesting symbols in that play. They embody the values of the people. The birds may represent the people’s beliefs in fate and gods. In Ode 1...