When Teiresias accuses Oedipus in Oedipus the King, Part I, Oedipus immediately assumes, without evidence, that he and Creon are traitors. Given the details of the play up to this point, what is the most likely reason Oedipus is so quick to accuse the others?

Question

A. Teiresias is an old blind man who has lost his ability to see the future.
B. Oedipus knows that he is guilty as charged and tries to cover up with bluster.
C. Creon is more popular in Thebes than Oedipus and would make a better king.
D. Oedipus cannot face the idea that he might have committed such a repulsive crime.

Answer 1

The most likely reason Oedipus is so quick to accuse Teiresias and Creon is:

B. Oedipus knows that he is guilty as charged and tries to cover up with bluster.

In the play, Oedipus's aggressive reaction and swift accusations can be seen as a defense mechanism. He is grappling with the possibility of being implicated in the very crimes he is trying to uncover, which leads him to lash out at others in an attempt to deflect attention from himself. This fits with the tragic theme of the play, where the protagonist struggles against fate and the truth of his own identity.