Antigone

That he has children by the same woman, or figuratively plows the same furrows, as his father Laius is the significance of Oedipus as plowman in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus marries Queen Jocasta, his wife and his father's widow. The relationship proves to be even more fertile than that in Jocasta's first marriage. The royal couple's intimate relations are likened to plowing a field, sowing seed and producing food. It serves as a somewhat subtly comic and ribald note in an otherwise heavily tragic play.

That Antigone, Eurydice and Haemon are deadis what the messenger says in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the first messenger announces the suicides of Theban Princess Antigone and Prince Haemon at a cave outside Thebes. Haemon's body is brought down from the cave. The second messenger then makes the announcement of the suicide of Queen Eurydice, Haemon's mother and Antigone's aunt.

Acceptance appears to the chorus' position on Creon's edict in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus of Theban elders listens to Theban King Creon's edict on non-burial of those who fight against Thebes in the recent civil war over the royal succession. They comment that Creon as king has the power to do what needs to be done regarding the Theban living and dead. The position of validation of the royal word is maintained until the contrary comments and prophecies of Teiresias the blind prophet signal the imminent end to Creon's rule over Thebes and Thebans.

Satisfaction with a job well done tinged with vague regret is what Antigone feels in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is comfortable with her choice of family ties over civic duty and of divine respect over royal deference. She looks forward to her welcome reception in the Underworld of the afterlife. But she regrets that recognizing the gods as the ultimate authorities in life and death stops her life short before marriage and parenting.

That it cannot be escaped until it dies with its last intended victim is the meaning of fate in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, fate describes a pre-determined outcome to mortal lives. The royal house of Labdacus from which Theban Princess Antigone descends is cursed by the gods. The curse runs out with disgraced King Oedipus' children, who are the last full-blooded Theban royals. It wreaks no havoc on Theban King Thersander, who descends partly from the Theban and partly from the Argive royal households.

Haemon is the person to whom Antigone is engaged in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is the daughter of disgraced former Theban King Oedipus. But she also is the direct descendant of Cadmus, Thebes' founding King. For that reason and because King Creon is her guardian and her uncle, she is the most eligible candidate to be his son's betrothed, which she in fact is.

That she carries out two burials, conducts her own defense and prepares her own eulogy are the ways in which Antigone is organized in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone buries and reburies her brother Polyneices as well as carry out the proper funeral rites. She also conducts her own defense, which is actually an admission of guilt. Finally, she delivers her own eulogy as she processes to her live burial in a remote cave outside Thebes.

Accept responsibility is the way in which Antigone reacts to the accusations in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is accused of deliberately violating a law whose measures and punishment are public knowledge. Antigone makes no attempt to deny her guilt. In fact, the moment that she decides to bury her brother Polyneices she takes responsibility for the crime and its punishment.

That it keeps Theban Queen Jocasta beautiful and young enough to get married a second time is the role that the Necklace of Harmonia plays in "Oedipus Rex."

The necklace is a gift from Hephaestus the blacksmith god to Harmonia upon her marriage to Cadmus, founder and first king of Thebes. The gift keeps the wearer from aging and becoming unattractive, but at a high price. The price is an unlucky life.

Hephaestus is the maker of the necklace. He knows what the necklace will do to the wearer. He sees it as just punishment for the infidelities of his perpetually beautiful, young wife, Aphrodite the love goddess. Specifically, Harmonia is the child of Aphrodite's extramarital affair with Ares the war god.

The necklace seems to bring initial luck into Jocasta's life by keeping her attractive enough to get married a second time after the tragic death of her first husband, Theban King Laius. But at the same time, the necklace brings bad luck because the man that Jocasta attracts turns out to be her very own son, Oedipus.

The love between Antigone and Haemon is what Ismene reminds Creon of in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Ismene tries to help her sister Antigone get a lighter or no sentence at all for disobeying the royal edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. She thinks that emphasizing the personal ties that bind the judge, her uncle King Creon, and the defendant may work. She therefore reminds Creon that Antigone is engaged to Prince Haemon, Creon's only surviving child and heir.

That she is Antigone's sister and that she is uncharacteristically upset are the reasons why Creon includes Ismene in the sentence in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon knows that Princess Antigone is the culprit in the burying of her brother Polyneices. To his way of thinking, the criminal and the crime fit perfectly since Antigone has a lifelong track record of folly. But at the same time, in his mind, the two do not fit regarding Ismene, who has a lifelong track record of wisdom.

That he is decisive but opinionated,results-oriented and stubborn is what can be inferred about Creon's personality from his reaction to the sentry's first report in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon demonstrates decisiveness and a results orientation when he demands that his law be enforced and that Polyneices' body be unburied. He exhibits opinions when he jumps to conclusions as to the identities of the perpetrators. He manifests stubbornness when he refuses to budge from a single position that he takes.

It is posted sentries who guard Polyneices' body in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon assigns sentries to guard the unburied bodies of Polyneices and the disloyal Theban dead. Creon denies Polyneices and his Theban supporters their god-given rights as Thebans to below ground burials. He has the sentries there to capture anyone who plans to disobey his edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead.

The blind, long-lived prophet of Thebes is who Teiresias is in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias is the first and foremost advisor to the rulers of Thebes. In fact, he holds that position since the city's founding by Cadmus, first Theban king and Antigone's great-great-great-grandfather. He tries to talk Theban King Creon into freeing Antigone from her walled-up prison and honoring the god-given rights of Polyneices and the other unburied dead to below-ground burials and funerary rites.

Bury Polyneices and release Antigone is the advice that Teiresias gives to Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet explains why there is pestilence. He points to the air and altars being polluted by the bodies of birds that consume the blood and flesh of the unburied Theban dead. He says that the gods are angry because of Creon denying to disloyal Thebans the god-given rights of all Thebans to below-ground burials.

Help her bury their brother is what Antigone wants Ismene to do in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Polyneices' body is denied its divinely guaranteed right to below-ground burial and funeral rites. Princess Antigone, Polyneices' younger sister, decides that she will brave the royal edict of non-burial of the disloyal dead in the recent civil war over the royal succession. She asks for help from her sister Ismene in the hopes of giving Polyneices a below-ground burial. Without Ismene's help, she will have to give Polyneices a partial burial, whereby the body is left above ground but covered completely with a layer of dust.