Oedipus #1

Oedipus is told in third person. It's written as a play in the early stages of drama during the height of Athens, so there is a maximum of three characters on the stage besides the chorus. The two most interesting characters to me were Oedipus himself and Tiresias.

Oedipus: He is presented as a very noble, well-liked and respected leader. At the very end of the reading, the chorus says "Never will I convict my king, never in my heart" (187). He is also very proud and doesn't like to be contradicted. He becomes very angry with Tiresias when he answers Oedipus' questions truthfully, but Oedipus thinks he is mocking him and conspiring against him. He says, "If I though you would blurt out such absurdities, you'd have died waiting before I'd had you summoned" (184). Oedipus knows he is respected, but he doesn't want to appear weak, as he would if he let Tiresias just talk about him in what seemed to be a mean, mocking way. Oedipus' pride in his leadership, citizens and land are also evidenced in the very beginning of the play when he says "But my spirit grieves for the city, for myself and all of you" (162). This is his way of showing the people that though they are grieving, he is such a great leader that he grieves for ALL of them, AND he wants to do something about it.

Tiresias: He is a prophet, and I think Creon's own magician type dude. He speaks in riddles and recognizes the enormity of the situation. It would've been a lot simpler and it would've saved a lot of people a lot of pain if Oedipus never found out the truth, and Tiresias realizes that and doesn't want to tell Oedipus. Still, even when he does, Oedipus doesn't believe him, which makes Tiresias' efforts worthless. Tiersias' wisdom is seen when he says "Just send me home. You bear your burdens, I'll bear mine. It's better that way, please believe me" (177).