Tieresias' Personality for the Antigone Mask Project andQuotes (all are from Scene 5)

Scene 5, line 4: “I have much to tell you”. This shows that Tieresias is a speaker and wishes other to know the things he does.

Scene 5, line 33 and 34: “Think: all men make mistakes, / But a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, / And repairs the evil.” This is an example of Tieresias' wisdom.

Scene 5, line 58: “You are sick, Creon! You are deathly sick!” This shows that Tieresias is brave and not afraid to appose incorrect authority.

Scene 5, line 6: “Then you have done wisely, King, and ruled well.” This can help show that Tieresias seems to be able to know when to show respect to a king.

Scene 5: “What glory is it to kill a man who is dead? … Think, I beg you: … You should be able to yield for your own good.” This shows that Tieresias, perhaps, has a higher understanding of philosophical concepts, and he is obviously applying these concepts for the good of the state (and obviously Creon now)

Scene 5. “No, you will find them to costly.” He believes that wisdom is something that can not be bought.

Collectively, this shows that Tieresias was a wise character. He had the power of insight and prophecy, however this is perhaps complemented by his own, normal mental traits. It is likely that the mental powers that the gods gave to him merely complemented his original mind. Tieresias seems to have a “stock” of comments as replies when he talks to Creon. Tieresias' personality shows that he believes in being “just” or “right” and abiding by the laws of the gods. A mask for Tieresias might not show that he is completely blind by throwing in a “third eye” above the nose to show that Tieresias may be blind, yet he still sees things which others do not. His eyebrows may be thick to show a ponderous mind, and wrinkles on the forehead and below the eyes to show wisdom, which he claims comes with experience (age). His eyes are wide because, though he is blind, he sees more than others more commonly than not. He has a full head of hair to remind people that he is indeed not a (total) freak. The mustache is factored in to show a sense of character that distinguishes him in social settings. The scar is placed to remind people that he was attacked by the gods (and hence his lack of sight). The beard generally goes with the fallacy that the longer the beard, the wiser the man. In this case, Tieresias would be the wisest of them all in Oedipus and Antigone (Antigone wouldn't have much of a chance with the beard-thing anyway). Behind everything - his eyes, hair, mustache, etc (in case you can't determine what makes up a face) --- he possesses a basic build like many others, hence the use of the dry “monotonous” facial expression and lines used as the base.

Bryan Bishop, October 24th, 02005