Who is teiresias in oedipus

Teiresias played an important role as he announced the fate of King Oedipus. He knew everything, whereas Oedipus was completely ignorant about his fate. Thus, as a prophet, Teiresias plays an important role in making the audience know the real culprit in the tragedy of King Oedipus.

Yet, both Oedipus and Creon claim to trust Tiresias deeply. The literal blindness of the soothsayer points to the metaphorical blindness of those who refuse to believe the truth about themselves when they hear it spoken.

Haemon is engaged to marry Antigone. Ismene fears helping Antigone bury Polynices but offers to die beside Antigone when Creon sentences her to die. Antigone, however, refuses to allow her sister to be martyred for something she did not have the courage to stand up for. The king of Athens in Oedipus at Colonus. A renowned and powerful warrior, Theseus takes pity on Oedipus and defends him against Creon.

Theseus is the only one who knows the spot at which Oedipus descended to the underworld—a secret he promises Oedipus he will hold forever. Sometimes comically obtuse or fickle, sometimes perceptive, sometimes melodramatic, the Chorus reacts to the events onstage. Read an in-depth analysis of Chorus. In the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles, the character Tiresias acts as a guide within the plot.

He holds the key to advancement and seemingly controls the final outcome of many of the characters lives. Tiresias serves the purpose of motivating and propelling the main character Oedipus through the story. Through values such as truth, knowledge and faith, Tiresias controls the fate of Oedipus the King.

Tiresias is a blind soothsayer or rather, a prophet. As a prophet, Tiresias is ordained to tell the truth. Along with his prophetic insight, comes the responsibility and obligation to tell the truth in any circumstance. We can see why. Even though he's blind, he can see better than any of those around him. He's in tune with the mind of Apollo and receives visions of the future. Teiresias is also gifted in the magic art of augury, or telling the future from the behavior of birds.

You might think these are pretty awesome skills, but it's probably difficult when everybody around you is doomed to shame, death, or mutilation. Not to mention, it must be annoying that whenever Teiresias does drop a little knowledge, people don't believe him. Both Jocasta and Oedipus are skeptical of his prophecies. Oedipus even goes so far as to accuse Teiresias of treason. The blind seer only shows up for one scene in Oedipus the King , but it really packs a punch.