Rhetorical Devices In Oedipus The King

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Within these two passages, Teiresias is explaining to Oedipus that the Prophecy admitted he killed his father. Oedipus is denying the fact that he killed his father and looking passed the problem. In the play Oedipus the King, written by Sophocles, Sophocles uses rhetorical devices to explain to the readers that Teiresias may be blind, but is seeing through the lie that Oedipus is living, while striking him the truth; this is explained through imagery, metaphors, an allusion, and ethos appeal. In the beginning, in which Teiresias is explaining to Oedipus, Teiresias is trying to convince Oedipus about the danger he has with Thebes at that moment. This leads to the Prophecy being correct. Oedipus is bringing the city of Thebes to an end as …show more content…

He then came out destitute to vision meaning he cannot see the abyss he has created. The person who can see this is the Prophet, Teiresias, who happens to be blind, which makes this ironic. An allusion is being used in the play to explain that Oedipus has just sinned by saying “I tell you, you have sinned/ And do not know it-against your own earth/ And in your grave. This is an allusion to the bible. This relates to the bible because the sin is acting as a god. If you are wrong to the gods then the wrath Tuataras will come down on you. Oedipus has just sinned and sooner or later the wrath will comes down on him. He knows he has just made the wrong decision, but does not want to admit it. He states this because his ego is bigger than the Gods, so he will eventually have to suffer for …show more content…

The imagery of sight versus blindness lead to his ultimate downfall. He is transparent to the lie he has created. Also the contempt and torture he has just brought upon this city. Like the prophecy says his wife will kill herself first, then later his life will all go downhill from there. Later prophecy actually comes true. First with his wife killing herself, then Oedipus realizes that he has done wrong. He was blind when Teiresias told him the first time. He then actually saw the irony in what he has done wrong. He later then actually makes himself blind and stabs out his eyes so he cannot see anymore. This causes his downfall and later his

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