How Does Tiresias Make An Aspect Of Oedipus Rex

Ancient Greeks cared deeply about the pursuit of knowledge. Although the truth was often a terrifying concept, they still saw it as a critical virtue. The theater was one way in which the ideas of knowledge and truth were examined.

A kingdom cursed by the gods, doomed to die by famine and plague, in Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King, the people of Thebes and their king desperately cry out to the divine and beg for mercy and a way to end their agony. Finally, a glimmer of hope, a riddle that a prophet can solve, and the damned nation call to him for help. A directed scene of what plays out in Oedipus’ confrontation of the truth of his fate with Tiresias is covered in this document. The scene is set in its traditional form of ancient Greece but contains the contemporary English language of Robert Fagles’ translation so that modern audiences can more thoroughly understand and enjoy the content of the play while preserving the cultural charms of the time period. The background

Character development tackles the many different unfolding attitudes and opinions toward certain subjects during the play. For example, Tiresias states, “Wisdom is a dreadful thing that brings no profit to the possessor,” (Sophocles 19). Tiresias’s vexing message alludes to the fact that he can see the truth, but the truth may not be favorable for Oedipus. This excerpt from the chat between Oedipus and Tiresias fortifies the overarching theme subject of sight. Additionally, Oedipus states, “Say what you like. It will all be meaningless,” (Sophocles 22) in response to Creon’s accusation of Oedipus being the murderer of Laius. This conveys Oedipus’s blindness towards the real truth of the situation, with his pride clouding the possibility that it could be him. This doubt caused Oedipus to eventually accuse Tiresias of being the real murderer, with no evidence to make his claim on. This existed as Oedipus’s inferring that Tiresias attempted to defile Oedipus’s position of king, an act of folly on Oedipus’s part.

I chose to reflect off of Oedipus the King because of the characters and the elements of drama. Jocasta, Oedipus, and Tiresias were the main characters that pulled me into having interest in this play. I enjoyed Jocasta because during that time period, women did not have much say in society. I felt as if she was a figure for women starting to develop a role in society, which is the type of person I hope to be in the future. I also was amazed that she realized who Oedipus was, but she wanted to protect him from finding out the truth in himself. This showed how much she cared for him, and how even though his fate had already been decided, she tried to find ways to change it. I was drawn by Oedipus because he was the protagonist and the antagonist of the story, which is not normal to find in other stories. He was known as being innocent and a great ruler, to eventually cursing the city. It showed how easy it is to go from one type of person to another. The main character that shocked me the most was the prophet, Tiresias. I never read a story and play that has a prophet in it, so I felt as if I learned something new. Tiresias was a “blind prophet,” yet he was the one in the society who had knowledge from the Gods

Both topics of Tiresias being accused as blind by Oedipus (when he is in fact the blind one in the scenario placed within the play) and Jocasta being blind to the fact that the prophecy foretold to her came true coalesce in regards to reversal of binary in numerous processes, especially in regards to both having the motif of blindness vs sight, and ignorance vs knowing—not to mention disrespect of the Gods as a whole, something very fundamental to Greek culture at the time. What is happening here in regards to binary within the play as a whole is that such examples explain the central theme at work, the binary of total omniscience and all knowingness of the gods vs the folly and ignorance of humankind as a whole. Such an example of this binary in action is in the case of Tiresias, representing the concept of the all-knowing God within a form more palatable to the decidedly ignorant human, which is Oedipus. He brings up legitimate concerns over Oedipus not regarding the actual servant of Apollo, and therefore his interpreter seriously “I am not your slave. I serve Apollo” (467) is but one of the claims Tiresias spread forth against Oedipus as he continues to not regard his claims. The refusal of Oedipus to look within himself or the gods is why Thebes is in chaos in its own right. Oedipus is the hero of the story, technically—but he is arrogant enough to refuse all attempts of understanding the situation despite the god nearly literally throwing proof of his guilt at him.

3. In the beginning of this play, Oedipus is a very caring, couragous, and concerned king. During the play he gets more frustrated and inconsiderate, while putting the blame on others. Finally, at the end of the play, Oedipus is a very wise and compassionate. During the play he loses both of his fathers, his mother/wife, his morals, and his eyesight. He gained knowledge about his past and future. I would say the central theme of this play is inevitability of one’s fate. I feel this theme fits the play well because it shows that one cannot hide from their

I first heard of the myth of Oedipus in my early years of high school and I originally thought it was strange and had no interest in it. However, after I read the play for a senior year class I surprisingly enjoyed it and after reading Oedipus for the second time, I have an even greater appreciation for Sophocles’ work. Oedipus the King is such a great piece of theatre because it is so well written.

Literary devices have been used in many narratives, often to convey a point or to make an idea coherent. Some examples of these devices may be similes, metaphors and foreshadowing. Oedipus the King is a play translated by Sophocles that has influenced society at an extensive scale. It uses literary devices to portray various concepts and notions. Two literary devices that are prevalent throughout the play are forms of irony and motifs.

In ancient Greece, the oracle was expected to tell the prophecies regardless of how he felt about it come what may Teiresias refused to tell Oedipus what he wanted to know which was incomprehensible for that time. The audience knows the truth of the matter but the characters in the play do not so to them during this scene Teiresias comes across as egotistical and resistant in helping the city although that is far from the truth.

At the start of the play, a tragic crisis became a very important aspect of the character’s lives. Oedipus learns that the king, Laios, has been murdered, and that it is his job to find the murderer. Until he discovers the mystery of Laios’ death, a dreadful plague will hang over the heads’ of all of the Thebians. Oedipus was faced with this task and knew that the lives of his people were in his hands. Within the chaos of this tragic event, Oedipus is further worshiped for defeating the Sphinx, the terrible monster of Thebes.

Each part of scene in the Oedipus Rex play aids in some form of symbolism to help the audience understand what is going on. From the way conversation between Oedipus and the prophet flows to the coloring of the costumes as well as the scene, each part has a meaning. The acting was very interesting to view at first, because it is not what I’m used to. However, once I took into account the style of the play it helped me to better understand.

In this play Tiresias give reader a story while acting like a guide within the plot. Tiresias control the whole play and the final outcome of most of the characters lives. He motivates and pushes Oedipus throughout the story. Tiresias control Oedipus the King with the truth, value and faith. Tiresias is a blind seer or prophet that is bound to tell the truth in any situation. Tiresias reveals the truth to Oedipus

9. In the passage, it seems like everyone that was around Oedipus and his daughter Antigone was just staring at them the moment they arrived at the Colonus. The passage as well describes how there were maids just staring at them wondering why they came back as if they don’t want them to be there. The surroundings were gossiping about Oedipus arrival that he is the cause why there are bad things that are happening at Thebes. Everyone at Colunos seems to know the whole story about Oedipus. After many years away from the Colonus Oedipus arrives. Oedipus was outside Athens in a grove. Oedipus was blind and he was walking with his daughter Antigone. Antigone was helping him walk. Oedipus and his daughter Antigone didn’t know where they were at. They sort of realize they were at the Athens. At the moment, Oedipus arrives with his

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Particular bold features define this ageless funerary mask, creating an immortalized face. A broad nose sits in the heart with a mustache directly beneath, a feature quite common of those regal. Proportion plays a chief role in the deceased man’s face, for close examination reveals how evenly spaced each feature is. Perhaps the proportion is there to provide the man, who is thought to be a monarch, a godly presence. Given the Olympian gods are supposedly perfect, it only makes sense as to why a man gifted a beaten gold mask has flawlessly proportioned features. Individuals seemingly must have worshipped and blindly obeyed his every whim like the Chorus in Sophocles’, Oedipus Rex, followed their false god, Oedipus. That theory can even furthermore be confirmed, considering this artwork comes after the life of this man occurred, his death not sufficient in ceasing the infatuation many held.