Antigone

Hired thugs are the individuals whom Creon initially blames for Polyneices' burial in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon knows that people oppose him and his rule. He describes them as being powerful but cowardly. He concludes that his enemies bribe people who need money to break Creon's law of non-burial.

Antigone's defiance and death, environmental pestilence and the suicides of Haemon and Eurydice are the effects of Creon forbidding Polyneices' burial in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone buries her brother Polyneices and is sentenced to death for breaking King Creon's edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. She commits suicide rather than die a painful death from live burial and starvation. Polyneices' body is re-exposed with Antigone's capture and sentencing. It is the cause of a pestilential environmental, pollution of sacred altars and the wrath of the gods because of sacrificial birds consuming the exposed bodies and including animal and human body parts within their digestive systems. Creon's son Prince Haemon and wife Queen Eurydice each take their lives because of Antigone's suicide.

Quietly supportive is what describes the community's reaction to Antigone's defiance of Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon mentions that there is opposition to his controversial edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. Princess Antigone, Prince Haemon and Teiresias the blind prophet likewise indicate that Thebans suffer in silence. Antigone and Haemon describe Thebans as too afraid of Creon's temper to dare to openly oppose him.

That survival depends upon respecting authority figures and their rules is Creon's argument on the importance of obedience in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon is concerned with the security of his family and Theban society as well as the stability of his kingship. He lets it be known that there must be no challenge or questioning of his authority and his rules within the royal household or the Theban government. Rules need to make sense only to him as the supreme household and governmental authority figure over his family and his people.

Suicide and death from old age are what happened respectively to Theban Queen Jocasta and Theban King Oedipus in "Oedipus Rex."

Specifically, Jocasta hangs herself once it is crystal clear to her that she is married to her own son. Oedipus blinds himself when he figures the distressing situation out. He loses his job, home, and friends when he is forced into exile. But ultimately, he dies from old age according to the play "Oedipus at Colonus."

A covering of dust over the body and the pouring of ritual oil symbolize the burial of Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone does not have the strength to give her brother Polyneices a proper below-ground burial. But it is acceptable to give him a partial burial. The first part of the partial burial is achieved by covering Polyneices' body with dirt until no body part or clothing or accessory is visible. It is time-consuming, but do-able by Antigone. The second part is pouring ritual oil from a bronze ewer over the body.

Theban King Creon doesn't talk about tragic heroes be they effective or ineffective. He instead sees himself as the only hero in a world defined by obedience or disobedience to his will. The Theban who obeys is good, but still no more than a subject. The Theban who disobeys is evil and undeserving of balanced judgment, fair treatment or even fundamental acknowledgment as a fellow mortal let alone Theban.

But that isn't the categorical, limited world view of Creon's creator, Socrates [496 B.C.E.-406 B.C.E.]. And yes, the ancient Greek playwright identifies the heroes and villains among his characters in different terms. Those who are heroic do great deeds or have great powers of strength. But his heroes meet unheroic ends because of fatal tragic flaws within their personalities. So Sophocles' heroes are glorious because of the good that they do and yet inglorious because of poor choices and decisions that bring evil into their lives and the lives of others.

Yes, Antigone has hubris or excess virtue that dooms her in 'Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term hubris describes an exaggerated sense of self worth, arrogance, pride. Theban Princess Antigone is arrogant in thinking that she can disrespect King Creon, the gods' earthly representative in Thebes. But at the same time, she may be said to have excess virtue because of her uncompromising love for her family and loyalty to the gods.

That obedience is what family and subjects owe their king, that sovereigns rule alone and that women are replaceable are Creon's responses to what Haemon says in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon attempts to respectfully offer a second opinion on Thebes' problems and his father's problem-solving. But King Creon believes that family and subjects are to be seen carrying out tasks and not heard. Additionally, he particularly disdains women, to whom he gives no individual significance or collective value.