Users questions 

Why is Tiresias important in Antigone?

Joe Ford

Why is Tiresias important in Antigone?

Tiresias represents the law of the gods, which is in conflict with the law of man. This is a major theme in Antigone by Sophocles.

What happens to Tiresias in Antigone?

A boy leads in Tiresias, the blind soothsayer of Thebes. Creon swears that he will obey whatever advice Tiresias gives him, since he owes so much to his past advice. Tiresias tells him that his refusal to bury Polynices and his punishment of Antigone for the burial will bring the curses of the gods down on Thebes.

What did Tiresias do?

At Thebes, Tiresias played an active part in the tragic events involving Laius, the king of Thebes, and his son Oedipus. When they consulted Tiresias, he asserted that women had greater pleasure than men, and Hera thereupon struck him blind. Zeus, in thanks for his support, gave him the gifts of prophecy and longevity.

What type of character is Teiresias?

The blind prophet of Thebes appears in Oedipus the King and Antigone. In both plays, he represents the same force — the truth rejected by a willful and proud king, almost the personification of Fate itself.

Why is the setting of the underworld important to the theme?

The configuration of the underworld is important to locate the reader, where the theme is being developed, how the characters relate to that place, what can happen in a place like this, among other things.

What is the theme of the story Orpheus?

When Eurydice dies, Orpheus mourns for her. His true love is now gone, but the power of death was not as strong as his love. He bends the will of Hades, and he goes down into the underworld to get her. Hence, one theme is the power of love; love is stronger than death itself.

What do you think is the author’s purpose in writing the story Orpheus?

Answer: The purpose in writing the story of Orpheus is probably to deliver the message of love that chose to withstand and defy the challenge of death and redemption. The story also aims to entertain and inform the readers of the value of acceptance.