Past Events In Antigone

Antigone’s Suffering Connected with Past Events

Have you ever believed that your family was cursed or that fate was lead you to your destiny? In the philosophical play “Antigone” written by Sophocles, Antigone, the daughter of Oedipus believed she was “destined” to die because of her family’s curse that has proved itself true through many different family deaths. Creon, the king of Thebes, ordered that Antigone’s brother would not be buried since he was fighting against Thebes in the war. Eventually, Antigone went against the law, buried her brother, and was condemned to death. Sophocles illustrates the significance of Antigone’s suffering though Greek gods and mythical allusions.
Antigone’s family’s history affected what was happening in
her life when she was sentenced to death. When the chorus explained why she must die, she exclaimed, “your marriage strikes from the grave to murder mine,” (Scene 4, 41). The allusion referred to was the "family curse" that began when Laius, Oedipus' father, kidnapped his defender’s son, and Apollo, the Greek god of music, cursed him to a death by his son's hands. Eventually, Oedipus unknowingly killed his father, and fulfilled part of the curse. Finally, Oedipus married his mother, which fulfilled the final half of the curse. A metaphor in the allusion was when Antigone said, "marriage strikes." "Marriage strikes," is a metaphor and personification because the idea and concept of marriage cannot literally strike another person. Antigone compared her father’s marriage to hers because she was suffering because he fulfilled the curse from Apollo. Fulfilling the curse makes her suffer because she was condemned to death by another’s sword.
Many of Antigone’s family members died due to their actions, and there are many allusions that illustrated their suffering.
Ismene, in hopes of talking Antigone out of burying her unworthy brother, explained that she will die just like her father, mother, and brothers. Ismene explained to Antigone the “Oedipus family curse,” “Oedipus died, everyone hating him for what his own search brought to light, his eyes ripped out by his own hand; and Jocasta died, His mother and wife at once: she twisted the cords that strangled her life; and our two brothers died, each killed by the other’s sword.” (Prologue, 37-42). The many topics alluded to are the Oedipus Curse, Jocasta’s death, and her sibling’s deaths. The Oedipus Curse was referenced when she said her father’s death was by his own hands. In addition, Ismene articulated their mother “twisted the chords that strangled her life.” This showed Antigone that her mother’s death was her fault by hanging herself with cords or ropes. Finally, Ismene reminded Antigone that the only reason for her death was because she chose to save the soul of her brother who betrayed Thebes in war. In addition to the allusions to the “family curse,” Sophocles made many more allusions that referenced the idea that Antigone’s suffering was caused by her own actions, just like her own family members
died. In addition to Antigone’s family curse, Antigone also reproduced the fates of other gods.
The chorus told about King Lycurgus who mocked the God Dionysus and the nine implacable sisters. After he offended Dionysus and the sisters, he was punished for his actions by being locked into a cave where, “his madness died among echoes. So at the last he learned what dreadful power his tongue had mocked,” (Ode 4, 13-15). King Lycurgus’ dreadful death was like Antigone’s suffering in many ways. Both King Lycurgus and Antigone defied a greater power. Antigone rebelled against Creon’s laws and King Lycurgus mocked Dionysus’ power. Both of their actions caused them to be locked into a stone cave to die. This allusion of King Lycurgus showed that other people have died for resisting power. When Sophocles refers to how King Lycurgus “learned what dreadful power his tongue had mocked,” he is comparing Antigone’s ignorance of Creon’s rule to King Lycurgus violate the gods wishes. They both learned about the consequences of ignoring a greater power by suffering a painful death. Sophocles referred to King Lycurgus’ death through an allusion that connects to Antigone’s
condemnation.

There were many reasons alluded to from Antigone’s past that caused her death in Sophocles’ play “Antigone”. Antigone had many reasons throughout the play to believe that she was dying because of her “family’s curse,” but Sophocles referenced many other times someone had suffered similarly to Antigone. Antigone believed her death and suffering marriage was derived from Oedipus’ mistakes. Even though Oedipus’ curse could be the reason for Antigone’s death, her other family members perished from their choices, the same way Antigone chose to go against the king and bury her rebel brother. Finally, Antigone unknowingly followed in the footsteps King Lycurgus after he mocked the god Dionysus and was sentenced to a similar death as Antigone. Despite all the allusions Sophocles made, the real reason Antigone was suffering could have been because it was her mission in life to follow what she believed was right by burying her brother.