Creon, as the ruler of the land, is obligated to carry out social order. He has ordered that the body of Polynices should be left to rot because he was a traitor to the city. Antigone has disobeyed Creon’s orders by digging up her brother’s grave after his proper burial rites were forbidden. She has already buried her parents and brother Eteocles, who died fighting Polynices, and feels obligated to honor her brother’s life. Antigone is also determined to obey the gods, because it is against morality to leave any corpse unburied. She informs Creon that “Death longs for the same rites for all”.…
Although Creon created the edict with good intentions for the people of Thebes, his failure to recognize the familial bond that ties Antigone to her brother Polyneices coupled with his newfound power as ruler of Thebes contributes to his tyrannical and delusional behavior which ultimately leads to his downfall. Looking back at “Oedipus The King”, Creon established himself as a rational individual, especially during his confrontation with Oedipus when clearing his name as culprit in a placid manner. However, Creon’s attitude shifts dramatically in “Antigone” after assuming the throne. Analysing Creon’s argument with oracle Tiresias reveals Creon’s transformation into a delusional tyrant. Tiresias offers his wisdom to Creon claiming he is responsible…
The consequences at the end of each play relate overall back to the matter of denying a truth that is above man. Oedipus and Creon in Antigone and Oedipus Rex respectively portrait a character that would have traits like an average Greek would. Both have a lot of pride in their person and believe that they as men have a lot of power. Oedipus expresses his power in his quest for the murderer and Creon expresses his by inciting an ordinance that violates the spiritual beliefs of some. Both characters as well are warned by a prophet, meant to depict the spiritual world or ultimate truth, but still deny the truth and the consequences the prophet warns of. These together ultimately leading to their downfall. Socrates believed very strongly in the presence of a universal truth and it is mirrored very clearly in these works of Sophocles. With the many Greeks who would come to the theatre to watch these famous plays, it would seem illogical that none of the audience would be affected by the deeper message in the play. Although many people supported the views of people such as Socrates and Sophocles, the culture as a whole could have benefitted from the views being the most popular. Maybe, but just maybe, Greece would still be today as it was in the golden age if they would…
All of us learn from experiences and are greatly influenced by the people and society around us, through the sociological perspective. Some of us are even told were just like our mothers or fathers, despite not necessarily trying to be. Oedipus accidentally fulfilled the prophecy, despite his efforts not to, that he would kill his father and marry his mother, and would bring disaster to his city and his family. When they discovered what had happened, his wife hanged herself, and Oedipus gouged out his own eyes. They had had four children together.…
Antigone says the gods want her to bury Polynices, which she does. While burying her beloved brother, she is caught by the guard, taken to the palace where she awaits her fate. When she's is being questioned by Creon for her crime she announces to Creon “take me and kill me-what more do you want?” (Line 266). She accomplished what she needed and buried her brother. She does this bringing out Creon’s determination to kill anyone who buries Polynices, Even if it’s his son's fiancee. So determined to stick to his morals he responded “Me? Nothing. With that I have everything.” (Line 267). When she announced what she did to Creon it brought out his determination to kill anyone who buries Polynices, and nothing would stand in the way of his punishment, even if it meant deeply saddening his son with his Fiance’s…
In the play, Antigone, Creon, the New King of Thebes, has made a decree about two recently deceased princes-while Eteocles can be buried with full military honors Polyneices cannot be buried, for he attacked the city.Oedipus daughter and one of the main character of the story, is the sister of the two fallen brothers and believes it her solemn duty to bury her brother. She confronts her other sister about it but she is worried about Antigone’s well being as well her own and she refuses to help Antigone. Antigone…
Continuing on, knowing the consequences of her act, she will bury her brother because it is the will of the gods that a family gives its members a proper burial. And because of this, she will face the punishment of death for disobeying Creon’s order. For fighting against Thebes, but Antigone being an honor sister will give him a proper burial knowing what he did. Creon by doing this will let the city know that by unburied Polynices action will show others to think before thinking in betraying their city if anyone had the intention to do it. Also since he's the king, he needs to gain the respect of the people. When at the same time it was…
The play Antigone Is about Oedipus’s three two sons Eteocles and Polynices killing each other in a conflict over who rightfully is king of Thebes. With both of the possible heirs to the throne their uncle Creon is king of Thebes. Creon passed a law stating that giving Polynices a proper burial was illegal. Creon stated that “proclamation has forbidden to dignify him with the burial, morning him at all” (Sophocles, 1109, 228). The reason for this law is that Polynices shared the throne with his brother for years but since he wanted the kingdom for himself he fought his brother. This lead to both of them killing each other so, Creon labeled Poylnices a trader. However, this goes against the religious duties of the people in this era of burying the dead so they can pass over to the afterlife.…
Antigone is a tragic play wrote by Sophocles about the conflicts between family members. Oedipus the king of Thebes and his wife both killed themselves due to a mistake that they made in the past. After Oedipus died his two son Polyneices and Eteocles killed each other to see who will be the next king. Both die and Creon, Oedipus’s brother in law, is the next in line to became king. The first law that Creon made since he became king is no one is allow to bury Polyneices body because he is a traitor to Thebes. Anyone who buries Polyneices will die. This law has everyone involved in suffered greatly. Creon has suffered enough for his actions and the Thebens people should not punish him any further.…
In the play, Antigone, written by Sophocles, the tragic hero presented is Creon, the king of Thebes. Creon’s obstinate personality led him to avoid listening to anyone else’s reasoning. Creon has used bad judgment while he was ruling over Thebes. However, Creon went to great lengths to correct his mistakes. Creon’s personality, wrong conduct, and effort to reverse his mistakes make him a tragic hero.…
In the stories of Oedipus Rex and Antigone, there are many similarities between the rules of Thebes. Oedipus Rex is about a man who tries to escape his fate by running away from his supposed mother and father, just to end up fulfilling his destiny by killing his father and marrying his mother. Antigone is about a woman who has buried her brother against her king’s orders. Imprisoned in a cave as punishment, she proceeds to kill herself. Two of the rulers of the city of Thebes were Oedipus and Creon. In the two stories that depict these kings, many similarities arise in the areas of their hubris, their unmitigated disregard for Teiresias, and the rationalization of their fate of whose hands they have fallen victim to.…
Creon compares himself to Oedipus. They were loyal to him so they should be loyal to Creon “You never hesitated in your duty to our late ruler Oedipus[…] and I as in the next in blood have succeeded to the full power of the throne…until he has been tested in office” (196).…
The same as in Oedipus the King, an open space before the royal palace, once that of Oedipus, at Thebes. The backscene represents the front of the palace, with three doors, of which the central and largest is the principal entrance into the house. The time is at daybreak on the morning after the fall of the two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, and the flight of the defeated Argives. ANTIGONE calls ISMENE forth from the palace, in order to speak to her alone.…
At first glance, Oedipus and Creon are two very different people. But as time progresses their personalities and even their fates grow more and more similar. In Sophocles's play "Oedipus the King", Oedipus and Creon are two completely opposite people. Oedipus is brash and thoughtless, whilst Creon is wise and prudent. In "Oedipus the King", Oedipus effectively portrays the idea of the classic "flawed hero". He becomes arrogant and brash. He accuses Creon and Tiresias of treachery. Even worse however, Oedipus goes against the gods. This causes them to punish him severely. Creon is the exact antithesis of Oedipus. He thinks before he acts. Creon is wise and loyal. In Sophocles' other play, "Antigone", however, he undergoes a drastic personality change. He becomes more and more like Oedipus. Creon commits acts of hubris, kills and humiliates people for no reason whatsoever. Once he realizes the folly of his ways, he punishes himself for going against the gods and destroying all that he loved, This is strikingly similar to the story of Oedipus. At first Oedipus and Creon seem like entirely different people. But through the course of events, they share almost identical personalities and even fates.…
By burying her brother Antigone knowingly and willingly went against royal orders and in doing so chooses her own death. She knows as well as anyone in the town that death would come to all that disobeyed Creon's order. Antigone says to this "no one will ever convict me for a traitor (page 61)," and decides to bury the body, this is quite ironic because by burying her brother a traitor is exactly what she is convicted of being. Antigone's activities were traitorous against her homeland, Thebes in that she acted for herself instead of for the good of the country. Creon had declared that "Our country is our safety. Only while she voyages true on course can we establish friendships truer than blood itself. Such are my standards. They make our city great (page 68)." He says this meaning that if everyone acted as a whole they would always prosper. If someone were to go against go against the laws and ideals put forth by Creon it would only cause dissension. When Antigone did go against the law this exactly what happened. Chaos would not have ensued if she trusted her king to be right in his decision, just as all the townspeople and her sister Ismene did.…