Creon Foil To Oedipus

Creon to Oedipus Even though Tiresias is calm and collected while Oedipus yells with rage, Creon is a foil to Oedipus because he highlights all his qualities, good and bad. If not for Oedipus’ endless determination and pursuit of knowledge we wouldn’t see the contrast between his actions and Creon’s. Oedipus continuously acts blindly without first thinking, wherein Creon who is even-tempered and diplomatic, speaks with caution and thought. Creon’s relative calmness and suaveness highlights Oedipus’ sense of franticness and rash decision making. Oedipus is strong willed, arrogant, intractable, and blinded with rage. Oedipus arrogantly tells the Chorus, “You pray to the gods? Let me grant your prayer (245)” Oedipus sees himself as better than

“My fellow-citizens, I hear King Oedipus levels terrible charges at me”, “I’ve no desire to linger out this life, my reputation in ruins.” Creon’s rational reaction to the accusations highlight the anger lying within Oedipus. Storming in Oedipus says, “You-here? You have the gall to show your face before the palace gates? You, plotting to kill me, kill the king- I see it all, the marauding thief himself scheming to steal my crown and power” (594-598). In dealing with Creon, Oedipus is acting unreasonably and is unable to control is anger. He feels threatened by Creon and believes that he covets the throne-leading to lack of self-control, the antithesis of Creon. Leading to the final scene of Oedipus the King Creon is the king and Oedipus is being cast out by his own

Even in Oedipus’ newfound humbleness, he still grasps onto some of his leadership, the most piteous example being his command to Creon, “bury her as you see fit”. This preempts Creon to act ill-mannered, contradictory to his humble and suave personality. Whatever sympathy we might have lost for Oedipus amid his ranting in the second scene, we regain at least partially in the third. After allowing Oedipus to see his children Creon revokes his actions when he says, “Enough. You’ve wept enough. Into the palace now.” Due to the ongoing contrast between Creon and Oedipus-Oedipus becomes a tragic figure rather than an atrocious king in the plays final