Antigone

He marries his mother and the king's widow, Jocasta.

Theban Queen Jocasta is Theban King Creon's wife in 'Oedipus Rex'. She's the mother of his four children. She also is Oedipus' mother, through her first marriage to Theban King Laius.

The decision to spare Ismene is the change that Theban King Creon makes in his plan to kill Antigone and Ismene. Antigone is found breaking the law of non burial to the disloyal Theban dead. Ismene isn't. But Ismene claims that she's an accessory. At first, Creon decides that the death sentence is going to be carried out against both of his nieces. But he then backs down, and decides the only his future daughter-in-law Antigone is going to be executed.

As a relative by blood and marriage, and as joint ruler, Theban King Creon is related to Theban King Oedipus. Specifically, Creon is Oedipus' uncle. He's the brother of Theban Queen Jocasta, who's Oedipus' mother through her first marriage to Theban King Laius. The relationship between the two men further is solidified by Oedipus' marriage to the grieving widow, Jocasta. Creon thereby becomes Oedipus' brother-in-law. Additionally, he becomes Oedipus' lateral colleague on the job. The two men work out with Jocasta a joint power sharing arrangement whereby all three are co-sovereigns of Thebes.

Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh [June 23, 1910-October 3, 1987] wrote his version of the legend of 'Antigone' in 1942. Its first performance on the stage was in Paris on February 6, 1944. It was adapted to television, as a PBS program, in 1974.

Respect for Polyneices as dead, a monarch and her sibling, for Hades and for proper funerary procedures describes why Antigone buries her brother in the namesake play by Sophocles (496 B.C.-406 B.C.). Antigone interprets Polyneices as a human-being deserving protection from desecration by the birds, dogs and elements through the perceived god-given procedures for and traditions of funerary rites and rituals. She opts for respecting Hades, the place to which all human beings, including herself go, for eternity.

King Creon regards only the requirement of political expediency. Soon after the civil strife between Eteocles and Polynices ends in their deaths, he announces a decree denying Polynices' burial. He is unrelenting in his stance, as he wants Thebans to know that he is a firm ruler. Thus he sentences his own niece, Antigone, to death for defying his law.

The play 'Antigone' begins not too long after the successful conclusion of the Theban defenses against the Argive invaders and their Theban collaborators. No dates are mentioned in the play, which was written around 443, 441 B.C.E.* But it's possible to guesstimate a date for the action of the play. For Thebes may have been founded around 2000 B.C.E.* by Cadmus, who was the great great grandfather of Theban King Creon, and the great great great grandfather of Antigone. That's five generations Cadmus-Creon, and six Cadmus-Antigone. A generation typically may range 20-40 years. So the play 'Antigone' may have taken place about 120-240 years later, anywhere between 1880 B.C.E. - 1760 B.C.E. *Before the Christian Era.

In the play 'Antigone', the main character of the same name is prepared to go as far as any mortal can go on behalf of loved ones. A recent decree by her uncle and future father-in-law, Theban King Creon, denies god-given, traditional rights of proper burial to all Thebans who betray their city. The punishment is death. Antigone goes ahead and buries her brother Polyneices. She knows her uncle well, and realizes that capital punishment will be carried out.

Dramatic irony refers to a character presenting the existing situation as being quite different from what it actually is. It tends to imply that the character doesn't know the entire truth about a particular situation. This is the element of tragedy that the choir shows in 'Oedipus Rex'. The mention of the possibility that Theban King Oedipus might be doomed to banishment by his own decree represents an element of tragedy that also is an example of dramatic irony.

Haemon tells his father Creon to not act with sovereign and to listen to other people's thoughts.

The issuing of a royal decree that contradicts the will of the gods by not respecting her brother Polyneices' god given rights to below ground burial and funeral services is what upsets Antigone.

That Oedipus will kill Laius is what the Oracle prophesizes to the Theban King about the birth of the future Oedipus. In ancient Greece, it's considered far less heinous to kill a child than to kill one's father and one's sovereign. It particularly is considered as an acceptable response if it stops the child from committing a grave offense against the gods and a serious crime among mortals.

he blinds himself with his dead wife's broach, summons Creon back to the castle to appoint him the new king of Thebes, asks him to take care of his children and then asks Creon to exile him from the city

No, he was the adopted son of the king of Corinth, Polybus.

Yes, Theban King Creon is the uncle of Theban King Oedipus. He's the brother of Theban Queen Jocasta, who is Oedipus' mother and becomes his wife. So Creon also becomes Oedipus' brother-in-law.

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The play 'Antigone' is known for clear, straightforward dialogue and elegant odes. It also is known for economy of stage props and setting. And it's known for the mental and physical actions of the main characters. And it also is known for its timeless appeal through its treatment of questions of universal applicability and concern. For example, does one obey only manmade laws? What does one do if manmade laws contradict one's moral or spiritual beliefs or customs? What is the responsibility of the ruler to the ruled, and vice versa?

Antigone's father has the name of Oedipus. Unknowingly, Oedipus kills his father, Theban King Laius; and marries his mother, Queen Jocasta. By both parents, Oedipus is descended from Cadmus and Harmonia. Cadmus was the founder of Thebes, around 2000 B.C.E.* He came from Phoenicia, where he lived as the son of Telephassa and King Agenor of Tyre. *Before the Christian Era.

Eteocles is Polyneices' brother. The two are actually twins. They're among the four children of disgraced Theban King Creon and Theban Queen Jocasta. They inherit the throne with their father's blinding and exile, and their mother's suicide. They're supposed to share royal powers by alternating years of rule. But Eteocles refuses to give up his powers when his year is over. He banishes Polyneices, who returns with a vengeance as part of a combined force of invading Argives and discontented Thebans. Polyneices loses the battle, which ends with the brothers killing each other.

She was sentenced to be hung, but instead she committed suicide.