Tiresias

Question 1

Introduction

Answer 1

In Sophocles’ Antigone, set in 440BC, the character of Tiresias is first seen in the fifth epeisodion where his enigma and ability to prophesize the future has a huge impact on the audience due to his other-worldly nature. A typical Greek audience would know before watching Antigone at the Dionysia festival that Creon as the tragic here ultimately goes against the rule of the gods. Tiresias, therefore, is the mystical character that reminds Creon that he is a ‘man balanced on a razor’ in that the Gods are angry for his hubristic acts.

Question 2

Tiresias’ role

Answer 2

Prophet who tells Creon his fate= clairvoyant
Force of truth rejected by a wilful and hubristic king
Personified fate

Question 3

Interpretation of Tiresias

Answer 3

wise
omniscient
blunt
powerful
pious and devoted to prophetic truth
unflinching
admirable
truthful

Question 4

Tiresias casting

Answer 4

old 80 year old man
short
frail
long grey hair
beard and facial hair
blind= rough dark makeup around eyes with distorted contacts
scars on face

Question 5

Tiresias costume

Answer 5

dark, torn, brown chiton to contrast white chiton of Creon’s and blood red cloaks of the Chorus
a shawl that covers the majority of his face= eerie
old wooden walking stick
led by a young boy, dressed in similar fabric

Question 6

Audience response to Tiersias

Answer 6

tension and fear builds especially as he’s revealing Creon’s fate and Haemon’s death and angry gods
moral message to the audience = disobeying gods - tragic downfall/ consequences
more relatable to a traditional audience than a modern one

Question 7

Tiresias key moments

Answer 7

Fifth episode