Antigone

The chorus leader convinces Creon to free Antigone in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon receives the warning from Teiresias the blind prophet that the royal household will suffer if Creon does not bury Polyneices and free Antigone. Creon keeps up the insults and threats all the way until Teiresias leaves. But he then asks and acts upon the chorus leader's advice.

Father to son is the relationship between Creon and Haemon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon and Queen Eurydice are the parents of three children. Their daughter Megara and their son Menoeceus die violent deaths. Prince Haemon is their sole surviving child and heir.

The ill will of his cowardly enemies is what Creon believes to be at the root of atrocity against a king in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues a controversial, unpopular law that contradicts divine will and Theban traditions. No sooner does he issue his edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban than the body of his disloyal nephew Polyneices is buried not once, but twice. Creon accepts no middle ground between support and opposition and therefore assumes the perpetrator is doing it for bribes from powerful but cowardly opponents of Creon's regime.

Jobless, homeless and friendless is Creon's fate at the end of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon loses his royal position and residence because he issues an edict that contradicts divine will and cherished Theban tradition. He no longer has a family because of the suicides of his son and wife. The play ends without indicating how much further Creon will be punished. For example, he can be punished with exile if the gods so wish.

Death by being walled up in a remote cave is the final sentence that Creon orders for Antigone in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, throwing stones until the guilty person dies is the punishment for disobeying Theban King Creon's edict against burying the disloyal Theban dead. So that is Creon's initial sentence for his niece and intended daughter-in-law Antigone. But he ends up changing his mind, to avoid Thebes being polluted by the killing of a member of the royal family.

That Haemon finds Antigone dead, tries to kill his father and then turns his own sword upon himself are what happen in Scene 5 of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon is engaged to his first cousin, Princess Antigone. But his father, King Creon, sentences her to be buried alive in a remote cave. Haemon travels to the cave either to join or release her. Heunsuccessfully tries to kill Creon after finding Antigone already hanging by the halter of her own dress and then succeeds in killing himself and dying in Antigone's dead arms.

Yes, Antigone is right about burying Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Thebans are guaranteed by the gods of below ground burials. Below ground burials are part of Theban traditions. They express respect for family and reverence for the gods. It is disgusting for dead Thebans to be left lying above ground and exposed to ravaging weather and scrounging wildlife. It also is vindictive since the dead so exposed must seek entry as disfigured, dismembered entities into the Underworld of the afterlife.

A voice to the caution, practicality and reason of the ordinary law-abiding citizen and to the repressed will of the traditionally defined female are the dramatic purposes of the character of Ismene in the plays "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Ismene is shown to have a supporting role within the cast of main characters. She therefore is almost as anonymous as the "man on the street." That she chooses to follow the rules of the here and now as opposed to the those of the later and elsewhere of the afterlife confirms her as the careful, practical, reasonable person who may be seen as just one of the gatekeepers instead of one of the movers and shakers in life. It also establishes her as the female whose presence is controlled and whose voice is not heard in a male-dominated society such as that headed by her uncle, Theban King Creon.

Ismene also serves as a dramatic foil to her sister Antigone. Whereas Antigone is stubborn in her resolve to bury her brother Polyneices regardless of the consequences, Ismene waffles between resolve to obey the letter of the law regardless of her own feelings and swearing to accompany her sister to the grave in guilt for not burying their brother. Her inconsistency highlights Antigone's constancy.

It is in his opinions that gender bias affects Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, gender bias refers to prejudice against someone for being female or male. Theban King Creon disdains women. He describes them as all alike and completely replaceable in their one use for society.

Claim that she helps Antigone bury Polyneices is what Ismene does when she is brought before Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Ismene behaves in a way that is uncharacteristically out of control. She is misinterpreted as being upset over breaking her uncle King Creon's law instead of over her sister Princess Antigone's capture. She mixes things up further when she confesses to helping Antigone bury their brother Polyneices even though her sister says it is not so.

Open theater is a realistic theater design for "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the play is designed to be performed on a clear, open space. Such a design makes for easy movement of characters in and out of the palace as well as on and off stage. It makes it more comfortable and dramatic for characters to act out offstage and past events, such as when the sentry reports Antigone's capture. It permits the chorus to achieve the most dramatic impact when they dance and sing back and forth across the stage.

Burial is a symbol of respect in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, all Thebans have divinely ordained guarantees of below ground burials. Theban King Creon issues an edict that grants only to Theban loyalists these burial rights. His niece Princess Antigone shows respect to her family, her gods and Theban traditions by burying her brother Polyneices whose rights are being denied by Creon's edict.

No one knows what Eurydice's final words to Creon are in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Eurydice only shows up in the last scene or exodus. She interacts with the chorus and the messenger. She goes inside the palace after hearing about the suicides of her son Prince Haemon and his betrothed, Princess Antigone. A messenger comes out to tell Creon that Eurydice is dead from a self-inflicted knife wound and that she dies cursing and blaming her husband for all of her children's violent deaths.

That he is accepting bribes to tell lies is what Creon accuses the blind prophet of doing in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet criticizes King Creon for withholding from the disloyal Theban dead the divinely ordained rights of all Thebans to below-ground burials. He demands that Creon bury the bodies of Polyneices and the other Thebans who died attacking Thebes in the recent civil war over the Theban royal succession. In response, Creon insults Teiresias with charges of accepting bribes from the king's enemies and of telling lies for monetary gain and personal and profession advancement.

The Roman Goddess of crops and grain was Ceres.

Hence cereals.

Argumentative and solemn is the way to describe the tone of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the play deals with the conflict between two higher authorities. The main characters argumentatively line up in defense of divine will or royal power. The chorus members solemnly make observations about the characters, the events and the gods.

That god-given rights need to be respected and that conflict between divine and royal will does not mean disrespectful behavior towards a royal are how Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) views Antigone's actions and burials in "Antigone."

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is correct in defending god-given rights of all Thebans to below ground burials. She is incorrect in speaking disrespectfully to her uncle, King Creon, even though he is in the wrong. Even when in the wrong, royals must be treated respectfully since they are the gods' representatives on earth.