Who is Tiresias in Oedipus the King?
Rachel Newton
Updated on April 16, 2026
Likewise, what is the role of Tiresias in Oedipus the King?
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.
Also, who was Creon in Oedipus the King? In Oedipus Rex, Creon is a brother of queen Jocasta, the wife of King Laius as well as Oedipus. Laius, a previous king of Thebes, had given the rule to Creon while he went to consult the oracle at Delphi.
In respect to this, why is Tiresias blind in Oedipus the King?
But in Oedipus the King, Tiresias also serves an additional role—his blindness augments the dramatic irony that governs the play. Tiresias is blind but can see the truth; Oedipus has his sight but cannot. Oedipus claims that he longs to know the truth; Tiresias says that seeing the truth only brings one pain.
What is the confrontation between Tiresias and Oedipus?
In a confrontation between Tiresias and Oedipus, Tiresias tells Oedipus point blank that he is the murderer that he is looking for. In a word, Oedipus is responsible for the plague of Thebes.