compartive essay

Comparative Essay Oedipus the King and King Lear The Theme of Blindness March 22, 2000 BJ Wheatley In Sophocles and Shakespearean terms, blindness means a completely different thing. Blindness can normally be defined as the inability of the eye to see, but according to both plays; blindness is not always a physical quality, but a mental flaw some people possess. Out of both plays, Shakespeare’s King Lear has the most dominant theme of blindness. King Lear, …

…unbearable to see. He like Gloucester suffered from physical and mental blindness. It came about their demise. Shakespeare and Sophocles both use the theme of blindness in both physical and mental persona. It utilizes and captivates the audience and enhances the characteristics and roles each character plays. Whether it is Lear or Oedipus, both blinded by their royalty, thinking they are superior to the common man. Yet, both admit defeat to blindness at the end.