Journal Entry 2 Oedipus

I think that Oedipus is showing signs of a deficient leader. This is because of how the man changed so drastically in this part of the play. In the beginning of the act, Oedipus gives a grand speech in front of his public, basically saying how he will use any sort of resource to hunt down the perpetrator of the crime the murder of Laius. And so, already hearing from the oracle, from the word of Apollo, he seeks out the man Tiresias. When Tiresias arrives, Oedipus makes a big show of how he is so thankful that Tiresias has come and how Tiresias is the one who can save the city. After Oedipus forces Tiresias to tell him the murderer, after of course Oedipus forces Tiresias to tell him after Oedipus discredited Tiresias and said he was working against the city, Oedipus doesn't even believe him. He went through all the effort to find the mystical all-knowing prophet, and he basically rejected him, (even though Tiresias is never believed). That is a very bad way to spend his resources, or treat the opinion of another, and defiantly more wiser, person. Also, Oedipus told Tiresias to "Rescue yourself, your city, rescue me-" (Sophocles 2:2:355). This shows how Oedipus basically put himself and his possessions before the rest of the city, since after saying that line, he hastily said "rescue everything infected by the dead" (2:2:356). A leader should not put himself before the people of his city. He should always try to care for them first. Lastly, after Tiresias stated that Oedipus was the killer, Oedipus immediately tries to put the blame onto another person: Creon. He tried to make a scape-goat, even though all Creon did was get Tiresias, by showing that Oedipus wondered if "this conspiracy his [Creon] or yours [Tiresias]" (2:2:431). This shows how quickly Oedipus wanted to have the blame off of himself. A leader should take responsibility for his actions, or if the accusations of said actions are false, then a leader must remain cool and collected, and explain his innocence, rather then blaming another.

My impression of Oedipus changed drastically. In the first part of the play, he seemed so nice and caring, even if he was a little bit pompous and full of himself. You could see how he wanted to protect his people and care for them. He was also a lot calmer. In the second part of the play, he becomes more erratic and hostile. He also states how only he wanted to be saved, before adding everyone else, showing selfishness. He also became very poisoness and angry at something that there was no need for anger for.

I would describe Creon's personality as loving and obedient. This is due to how he did not angerly challenge Oedipus' decree against him, he just wanted his king to listen.

Tiresias I would describe as cautious, and yet prideful. This is due to how he wanted to protect Oedipus from the truth that he knew, but, when his hand was forced, was willing to tell the truth to Oedipus. Tiresias also seems a little bit cynical, for he didn't seem to have a lot of faith in Oedipus being able to deal with what he was about to tell him.