Teiresias As A Foil To Creon

“All men make mistakes--that’s not uncommon. But when they do, they’re no longer foolish or subject to bad luck if they try to fix the evil into which they’ve fallen, once they give up their intransigence. Men who put their stubbornness on show invite accusations of stupidity.” (Lines 1139-1145) In the Greek play, Antigone, Creon is an arrogant, self-centered king who has many foils throughout the length of the play. Teiresias’ character serves as the superlative foil towards Creon’s character by highlighting his sour attitude of disrespect, showing him what he has done wrongly through their negative interactions, and by exposing his fatal flaw. Teiresias is an old, blind prophet who has never been proven wrong, so when he tells Creon what

all he has done wrong, and what it has caused, Creon begins to see things in a different light, but he realizes that he is too late to do anything about it, and everything he has ever loved is withdrawn.
Teiresias challenges Creon’s sour attitude of disrespect when he confronts him about what he is doing wrong.

In Scene 5, the blind prophet comes in with a boy, and tells Creon about what he has seen and knows with good intent. “Our state is sick- your policies have done this. In the city our altars and our hearths have been defiled, all of them, with rotting flesh brought here by birds and dogs from Oedipus’ son, who lies there miserably dead. The gods will no longer accept our sacrifice, our prayers, our thigh bones burned in fire.” (Lines 1128-1134) He desires to help by warning Creon about what is happening and to fix what is wrong. “I’ve been concerned for you. It’s good advice. Learning can be pleasant when a man speaks well, especially when he seeks your benefit.” (Lines 1148-1151) Yet, Creon continues within his self pity and arrogance to tell the prophet that he is wrong for his advice and conflicting motives. He in turn, criticizes the prophet because he refuses to believe his own motives are the cause. “Old man, you’re all like archers shooting at me- For you all I’ve now become your target- even prophets have been aiming at me. I’ve long been bought and sold as merchandise among that tribe. Well, go make your profits. If it’s what you want, then trade with the Sardis for their golden-silver alloy- or for gold from India, but you’ll never hide that corpse in any grave. Even if Zeus’ eagles should choose to seize his festering body and take it up, right to the

throne of Zeus, not even then would I, in trembling fear of some defilement, permit that corpse a burial. For I know well that no man has the power to pollute the gods. But, old Teiresias, among human beings the wisest suffer a disgraceful fall when, to promote themselves, they use fine words to spread around abusive insults.” (Lines 1152-1170) He does not truly realize this until Teiresias warns him about the consequences he could suffer from his choices. “Then understand this well- you will not see the sun race through its cycle many times before you lose a child of your own loins, a corpse in payment for these corpses.” (Lines 1194-1197) “Since my hair changed color from black to white, I know here in the city he’s never uttered a false prophecy.” (Lines 1222-1224) Creon knows that this prophet has never been wrong, and is not sure that he will be now.
The negative interactions between Creon and Teiresias being about the conflict of Creon’s wrongdoings and make him realize all the damage he has done to his kingdom.

“I know that too- and it disturbs my mind. It’s dreadful to give way, but to resist and let destruction hammer down my spirit- that’s a fearful option, too.” (Lines 1224-1227) And so he tries to fix them before the prophecy comes true. “Tell me what to do. Speak up, I’ll do it,” (Line 1229) “you think I should concede?” (Line 1232) “Alas, it’s difficult. But I’ll give up. I’ll not do what I’d set my heart upon. It is not right to fight against necessity.” (Lines 1236-1238) By the time Teiresias had taken his boy and left, Creon realized his flaw and that the prophet was right, but it was too late to change his kismet. Creon had not known this yet, and began his journey to fix his wrongdoing. (Lines 1240-1245) “I’ll just go as I am. Come, you servants, each and every one of you. Come on. Bring axes with you. Go there quickly- up to the higher ground. I’ve changed my mind. Since I’m the one who tied her up, I’ll go and set her free myself.” His decision to not listen to the wise man when he was there trying to help, and his continuance to be intransigent until the last minute, led to his downfall. The interaction between these two characters helped develop the theme and plot by creating conflict, the realization for Creon of his downfall, and kept them busy while the plot moved forward behind the

scenes.
Throughout the story from Teiresias’ appearance to the end, the plot was constantly moving, in the scene and the background to evolve the theme. As the two were arguing, Antigone had hung herself in a snare of fine woven linen, and the son, whom the prophet warned would die, had time to find his bride in their ‘horrifying marriage bed,’ to kill himself only moments later in front of him. Teiresias came in and caused conflict between himself and the king to highlight Creon’s major flaws, which were his arrogance, stubbornness, and intransigence when they argued.“Men who put their stubbornness on show invite accusations of stupidity. Make concessions to the dead- don’t ever stab a man who’s just been killed. What’s the glory in killing a dead person one more time?” (Lines 1144-1148) This quote succors Creon better understand his mistake, and warns him about what will lead him to his downfall, and it eventually destroys him in the end.
If Creon had been more docile when interacting with other characters, his motives wouldn’t have been so conflicting, in turn preventing him from becoming a tragic hero and suffering such consequences. When Teiresias confronted him, he could have been cooperative and selfless, and changed his mind. Instead, he wasted his time arguing with the wise prophet, which could have been put towards ‘fixing his evil in which he had fallen’ and ‘his bad luck’ before it was too late. That few minutes of conflict could have been the difference between finding Antigone at her last breath and saving his family, or losing his loved ones. But now, he has made his mistake. He can no longer have bad luck because he’s already lost everything he has ever loved. If he had listened when he interacted with the enlightened, blind prophet, he could have become sophic without the suffering the gods put upon him for his mistakes. And in the process, prevented his downfall as a tragic hero. All of this leads back to the theme of the story, which is revealed by the chorus in lines 1491-1495. “The most important part of true success is wisdom- not to act impiously towards the gods, for boasts of arrogant men bring on great blows of punishment- so in old age, men can discover wisdom.” Creon did not listen to the wise one who expressed the disapproval of the gods, and exposed Creon’s arrogance when he did not listen. Consecutively, Creon suffered the unbearable blows of punishment from the gods, and now is on his way to being as foresighted as the decrepit prophet, Teiresias, who attempted to spare him of his woe.