12/3/19 Gautaman Asirwatham PD 2

December 3, 2019 PD 2 Aim: How does Oedipus’ self-mutilation highlight the tragedy of metaphorical blindness? Do Now:  Who is truly at fault for the fall of the house of Oedipus? Should we blame Jocasta? Laius? Odeipus, himself? Tiresias? Apollo? The Messenger of Herdsmen? Kanye? Some believed that it was the fault of Laius as his sin of raping a boy is what initially cursed his family’s later generations. Others believed it was also Oedipus and Jocasta’s fault because they tried to change their fate which was considered an act of hubris.  This seemed to make sence at first, but it begs the question of why Oedipus and the others were punished at all. The Greeks believed in fate so if someone was fated to do wrong then they would. However, it can be argued that if Oedipus was never part of a prophecy he would never be able to display the type of hubris he did. Therefore, the gods effectively chose a future in which Oedipus sins by sending him his prophecy. In this way, Oedipus’ prophecy can be seen as a test. The proper action from Oedipus should have not been to avoid fate but rather to accept it humbly as it was god given. Violence in Ancient Greece Displaying acts of violence in ancient Greece was often considered profane, crude, or gauche. Instead of showing any violence, characters would often act as messengers sharing the shocking story. As you can see from Oedipus Rex, the Second Messenger runs in to inform the Chorus that Oedipus has gouged out his own eyes, and Jocasta has hanged herself.  This was interesting to me because the Romans glorified violence in their cauloseums and today we are not very averse to displays of violence in films and tv shows. This is one part of greek culture that hasn't carried over to modern day. Why is the story appealing and relevant, even 3000 years later? It is appealing because it takes the audience on an emotional rollercoaster. The Greeks called this catharsis. Having finished the story you feel emotionally drained but also emotionally liberated in a sence.  It is relevant because it affects modern media and literature. Today, the story of a man killing his father is common. It is also common for characters to meet their demise because if their hubris.