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Idioms
Definition of Imagery
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After Apple-Picking" contain imagery that engages... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines from Robert Frost's poem "After... read full definition
Imagery, in any sort of writing, refers to descriptive language that engages the human senses. For instance, the following lines... read full definition
Lines 1311-1680
Explanation and Analysis—Black Hail of Blood:
When a messenger recounts Oedipus's self-blinding to the crowd outside the palace, he uses imagery and simile to paint the scene:
His voice like a dirge, rising, over and over
raising the pins, raking them down his eyes.
And at each stroke blood spurts from the roots,
splashing his beard, a swirl of it, nerves and clots—
black hail of blood pulsing, gushing down.
Sophocles makes use of imagery during the moment of Oedipus's self-blinding, describing what is heard—"his voice like a dirge"—and seen—"blood spurts [...] splashing his beard, a swirl of it, nerves and clots." The simile comparing Oedipus's voice to a dirge further contributes to the weight of the scene. A dirge is a song or hymn expressing grief for the dead, often as a part of a funeral rite. Oedipus is lamenting Jocasta's suicide, making the simile not far off from the reality of the situation.
The imagery paints a visceral picture of the play's climax—which occurs offstage—highlighting the gore and violence of Oedipus's self-blinding. The metaphorical description of the blood as a "black hail" is yet another example of how figurative language brings to life the visual imagery of Oedipus's act. Oedipus' blinding thus becomes an act of unique, extreme violence, the only one appropriate for the tragic hero. The fact that the blinding occurs offstage makes the figurative language used by Sophocles particularly significant, as the messenger has to bring to life the horror of the moment for the audience.
The use of imagery to describe Oedipus's loss of sight is also an instance of situational irony, as Oedipus loses his ability to see just as the visual spectacle of this loss is emphasized through figurative language. In a play laden with irony foreshadowing the conclusion of the play, this climactic moment of situational irony allows Sophocles to once more gesture at Oedipus's ignorance and futility: he is blind when others can see.
Related Themes:
