When Does Tiresias Tell Creon Analysis

Haemon stated that his father had dishonored the gods by sending Antigone off to her death, but Creon responded by saying, “You, you soul of corruption, rotten through-/ woman’s accomplice!” (836-37) Creon refused to acknowledge his son’s point, therefore, not changing his mind on Antigone’s fate. In another scene, Creon showed his independence by refusing to listen to Tiresias’ prophecy. Knowing that Tiresias’ prophecies were never wrong, Creon still ignored him. Creon stated, “You and the whole breed of seers are mad for money!” (1171) He claimed that Tiresias was wrong, and he was doing the right thing. In this scene Creon showed his independence in a cruel manner by disrespecting Tiresias. Antigone and Creon both showed that they wanted to be independent. Antigone’s will to be independent ultimately caused her death, and Creon’s caused him to lose his son, niece, and wife.

Arrogance stimulates looking down upon others and down grading them giving themselves a high confidence and self esteem, others look down at these people for numerous reasons. Creon was not happy that Antigone buried her brother, and while he feels he is doing his responsibility, Teresias (a blind god) is telling him otherwise. Teresias tells Creon that the city is sick because of him. Stubbornness and pride get in the way of how Creon acts as Teresias gives him advice to not kick the dead. The blind prophet has always provided accurate information, yet Creon never brought him in before. The chorus gives him advice and Creon actually took some responsibility saying it was a mistake when things got out of hands after Haemon (his son) and Antigone kill themselves in the cave. It took a lot for Creon to finally realize that things got out of hands and unfortunately arrogance can get in the way of things and blind people from what is in front of them.

who is also very narrow minded. Creon who only thinks of himself, not the good of

In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus believes Tiresias and Creon are working together to overthrow him. During this time Creon gives a prolonged speech, how he doesn’t want to be the King, but in Antigone, Creon is seen as a unswaying sovereign, unwilling to listen to anyone. Creon is likewise blinded by his own corruption. His excessive pride gets the best of him. Antigone, Haemon, and Tiresias warn Creon

     Oedipus and Creon are alike in yet another way. They both committed vile acts of hubris. Both of them went against the gods for feckless and pointless reasons. Oedipus committed hubris by insulting Tiresias. He accuses Tiresias of “betraying us, destroying Thebes” (177). Tiresias is a prophet of the gods. He is just telling Oedipus what he has seen. Tiresias’s refusal to tell Oedipus his secrets only results in more name-calling and humiliation. Oedipus calls him the “scum of the earth” (178). Oedipus is so enraged by his prophecies that he accuses him of “helping to hatch the plot” (178). Oedipus suspects that Tiresias is being bribed. “Who primed you for this? Not your prophet’s trade” (179), he says. Oedipus’ rashness lead him to accuse Tiresias, a prophet of the gods and a wise seer, that he is corrupt and a fraud. This is obviously

Even after Tiresias explains to Creon of his wrong doing, Creon refuses to change his mind and begins to insult Tiresias by claiming the prophet is only out for money. In anger, Tiresias unleashes a brutal prophecy to Creon, giving him one last warning:

We see that he becomes a lot like Oedipus. Instead of allowing both brothers, sons of Oedipus the former king, to both be buried in an honorable manner he declares that Polynices cannot be buried or mourned for and must be left to be eaten by animals. Anyone who goes against this law will be put to death. Tiresias tells Creon that his decree to not allow Polynices to have a proper burial is not what the g-ds want. Creon, like Oedipus, denounces what Tiresias has to say, even though Tiresias’s prophecy in Oedipus the King was right. Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus, does not see any justice in Creon’s decision and decides to give her brother a proper burial. Antigone is caught for her crime and sentenced to death. She is left in a cave to die. Haemon, the son of Creon and future husband of Antigone, is not okay with this decision. He tries to convince his father to not kill Antigone. Haemon goes to find Antigone and has found her dead, hung by a noose. In turn, Haemon kills himself with his own sword. Creon having listened to Haemon and the citizens of Thebes he goes to set Antigone free and finds both Antigone and his son dead by their own hands.

Many people try to warn him and beg him to reconsider. First, Haemon tries to appeal to his father’s sense of reason when he says, “The gods have given men the gift of reason, greatest of all things that we call our own…do not feel your word, and yours alone, must be correct” (line 625). Creon, because of his pride, becomes furious with his young son for trying to teach him wisdom, and says, “One thing is certain: You are going to pay for taunting and insulting me” (line 709). Next, Tiresias comes to warn him that he “stands upon the brink of ruin” (line 918). But Creon refuses to heed his warning and accuses Tiresias of profiteering. Finally, after Tiresias’s doomful prophecy, the Chorus tries to change the King’s mind. At first Creon resists the advisement of the chorus by stating “To yield is bitter. But to resist and bring a curse on my pride is no less bitter” (line

After everyone else has failed to convince Creon that he is wrong about sending Antigone away, and old, fervid Prophet comes to visit him. Teiresias is a blind old prophet who tells Creon that the gods are angry at Thebes and will curse it if Creon does not change his arrogant ways. “All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong… The only crime is pride” (232) At first Creon is stubborn still, and insults the skill of prophets, but Teiresias goes on despite the king’s words. Teiresias eaves with a final warning saying if he does not heed the God’s word, he will be punished. After consulting his chorus and hearing Teiresias’ speech Creon finally recognizes that he was wrong. His moment of recognition is “Oh it is hard to give in! but it is worse to risk everything for stubborn pride.” (235)

He thinks everything through with intelligence and reason. For example, as Oedipus rants, Creon stays calm and collected instead of firing back. When Oedipus says Creon is plotting against him, he tells Oedipus “No. Reason it out, as I have done. Think of this first: Would any sane man prefer power, with all a king’s anxieties, to that same power and the grace of sleep. Certainly not I.” In Oedipus at Colonus he is much more ambitious. He decides things quickly and irrationally.  For instance, he kidnaps Oedipus’s daughters when Oedipus denies to return to Thebes and when the chorus threatens him he says “Your city will have war if you hurt

Soon after his decision of the fate of Antigone, Creon’s tragic flaw blooms the greatest. This Hubris focuses on the Creon’s relentless, uncompromising, and egotistical attitude. Many try to convince Creon to reconsider on his misguided decision, however, Creon does not yield. It is at this point when one realizes the Hubris of Antigone. Creon possesses a false sense of pride and/or confidence in his intelligence. He believes he cannot be wrong, therefore his uncompromising and egotistical attitude shines brightest. It portrays him as “superficial, pigheaded, self-important man.” (Porter) This is Hamartia, his relentless,

Creon also refuses to listen to the warnings of Tiresias. Teiresias comes to Creon and tells him about the vision that he has seen. Teiresias says "Think: all men make mistakes, But a good man yields when he Knows his course is wrong, And repairs the evil: The Only Crime is pride... Think I beg you: it is for your own good that I speak as I do. You should be able to yield for your own good. (Sophocles,93)" Tiresias warns Creon that what he has done is wrong and that he is on the wrong path. He tells him that no one is perfect and that at one point every single person is bound to make a mistake. The difference between a good man and a bad man is that good men are able to admit when they are wrong and try their hardest to quickly fix the situation.

He uses his power to strike fear in the heart of his subjects, and through this fear he convinces the people of Thebes to keep quite and obedient to his laws. Creon’s son Heamon tells his father, “The man in the street, you know, dreads your glance. he’d never say anything displeasing to your face.” (Line 773-774).

In one of these question and answer sessions, Oedipus seeks the counsel of the wise Tiresias. During the session, Oedipus starts a heated argument and refuses to believe Tiresias when he accuses Oedipus of murdering the previous king. Tiresias foreshadows the truth in ambiguous riddles, stating that Oedipus is his “own mortal enemy” (). Angry and insulted by this charge, Oedipus mocks Tiresias and lets his emotions get the better of him, preventing him from thinking clearly and making rational decisions. As a result, he creates a barrier between him and Creon, choosing to banish him from Thebes rather than listen to reason: “If you believe that stubbornness without sound cause is a gift, you are not wise” ().

As prophets are the messengers of the gods, contesting with Tiresias is tantamount to defying the gods themselves. As king, he feels that he has the power to determine truth, and that he has supreme power over the city. He accuses Creon of conspiring with Tiresias, and threatens to exile or even kill him. Before Oedipus was the accused, his status as king gave him confidence and leadership, which are attributes that were productive in solving the mystery. After he was accused of murdering the former king, this status became a negative and caused him to be too overwhelmed with his power to identify the truth. This is also the point at which he stops trusting the divine ability of prophets. His mother Jocasta seems to stop trusting prophets at this point as well. She began to tell Oedipus not to listen to Tiresias, even though she proved at various points earlier in the story that she believed in prophecies. She pretentiously conveys a disbelief in prophecies as she speaks to her son and husband: "Fear? What should a man fear? It's all chance, chance rules our lives. Not a man on earth can see a day ahead, groping through the dark." She realizes that she failed in preventing the predetermined fate, but attempts to maintain the stability and reputation of the royal family by hiding the truth. The family would inevitably be destroyed, however, as was the will of the god Apollo. The inferiority of the family's political power compared with the divine power of