Antigone

The gods limit Creon's power in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon acts as the earthly representative of the gods in

Thebes. He is the immediate authority figure over his people. He may consult with advisors such as the leader of the chorus of Theban elders and Teiresias the blind prophet. But at all times he must make sure that what he does and says does not contradict or compete with the gods.

King Creon is the sovereign of Thebes. He holds the throne, as the closest eligible relative to the last throne holders. The royal powers previously were held by his nephews Eteocles and Polyneices.

Creon is the sibling of Theban Queen Jocasta and therefore the brother-in-law of Jocasta's husband, Theban King Oedipus. But unbeknownst to the royal couple, Jocasta and Oedipus are mother and son. So Creon also is Oedipus' uncle. He's uncle and great uncle to Oedipus' and Jocasta's daughters Antigone and Ismene and twin sons Eteocles and Polyneices.

He's the husband of Theban Queen Eurydice. Their son Haemon is Antigone's first cousin and fiance. So Creon is Antigone's intended father-in-law.

He's the great great great grandson of Cadmus and Harmonia. Cadmus is the founder and first king of the city of Thebes, in around 2000 B.C.E. But originally, Cadmus is from Phoenicia, where he's the son of King Agenor of Tyre and Queen Telephassa.

In fact, Creon is the great great great great great grandson of Poseidon the sea god. He's the great great great great great great grandson of the world's first children Cronus and Rhea, and Oceanus and Tethys. And he's the descendant of Gaia, the mother of the world's first children.

Bury her brother is what Antigone does against Creon's wishes in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon announces that the bodies of all disloyal Theban dead are to be left above ground and exposed to weather and wildlife. Princess Antigone defies the non-burial edict when she buries her brother Polyneices. Creon insists upon the non-burial of his nephew Polyneices, whom he considers a traitor to Thebes.

Compassion and relief are the sentry's feelings when he delivers Antigone to Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the sentry demonstrates compassion in describing Theban Princess Antigone's pain at the sight of her brother Polyneices' re-exposed body. He exhibits relief in finding the law breaker. He knows that he will not be tortured or killed just because hot-tempered King Creon cannot find the actual perpetrator.

Angrily, insensitively and insultingly is the way in which Creon reacts to Haemon defending Antigone in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon is first cousin and husband-to-be of Princess Antigone. Haemon's father, King Creon, issues a law that Antigone breaks and for which the sentence is death. Haemon loves Antigone and unsuccessful tries to save her. It is a lost cause since Creon thinks one woman is like any other and therefore completely replaceable.

Creon is to blame for the tragedy in the play "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues a decree by which the divinely guaranteed rights to proper burials and funerary rites for all Thebans are honored in terms of Antigone's brother Eteocles as his city's loyal defender and withheld in terms of Antigone's brother Polyneices as his city's traitor. Antigone therefore must choose between obeying a human law that conflicts with divine will and respecting Theban traditions that conflict with Creon's will. Either way, she faces tragic punishment: death as the breaker of human laws or consequences in the afterlife as the breaker of divine laws.

That she breaks a law in order to protect a vulnerable family reason and that she accepts her punishment are reasons why Antigone is brave in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone breaks a royal law that forbids the burial of her brother Polyneices. She knows that Polyneices' cause is just and that he deserves that his Theban burial rights be respected. She manages to bury him even though she is sentenced to death for her civil disobedience.

That he needs to discourage future challenges to his authority is the reason why Creon passes the new law in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon does not want a repeat performance of the first civil war over the Theban royal succession. He insists that the security of the city and the stability of the state best are served by a strong ruler who rewards supporters and punishes traitors. He things that Thebans will not rebel once they see that god-given rights to below ground burials will be denied them.

Yes, Oedipus can be regarded as responsible for the death and suffering in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Oedipus is responsible for the death of King Laius and four of Laius' five member escort party. He most likely can enter a successful plea of self-defense since he is outnumbered. In fact, Laius and his charioteer behave badly, hurtfully and offensively. Oedipus subsequently becomes responsible for the suffering of his people because of the pestilence brought on by his neglect of mandatory cleansing rituals in the aftermath of his crimes.

Arrogance, fear, pride and uncontrolled emotions are the tragic flaws in the characters of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, arrogance causes Theban Princess Antigone to believe that she can honor the gods by obeying their law but dishonor them by disrespecting their earthly representative, the equally arrogant King Creon. Fear leads Princess Ismene not to help her sister Antigone give their brother Polyneices' body the below ground burial that he deserves and is his right. Pride and uncontrolled emotions motivate Antigone, Creon and Prince Haemon to such a degree that they ruin every opportunity for reconciliation.

Adrastus, Thersander, and Timeas are Theban King Oedipus' grandchildren through the marriage of his son Polyneices to Argea [aka Argeia, Argia], daughter of King Adrastus and Queen Amphithea of Argos. Laodamas is Oedipus' grandchild through the marriage of Polyneices' twin brother, Eteocles. There are no known grandchildren through Oedipus' daughters, Antigone and Ismene.

Oedipus is forced to give up the Theban throne that he rules jointly with his wife and mother, Theban Queen Jocasta; and with his brother-in-law and uncle, Theban King Creon. He's succeeded by Eteocles and Polyneices, who end up quarreling and killing each other. They in turn are succeeded by Creon until Eteocles' son Laodamas is old enough to rule. By that point, Polyneices' son Thersander successfully leads a combined force of disgruntled Thebans and invading Argives. From Thersander on, therefore, the Theban throne is in the hands of the descendants of Polyneices.

That the law breaker is in fact a female is the dramatic irony when Creon refers to the man who buries Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the phrase dramatic irony describes a situation in which characters have incomplete or incorrect understandings of their situations and words. The description fits Theban King Creon's assumption that his edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead is a man. It is interesting that he does not consider the implications of a slighter, younger law breaker who gives Polyneices a partial burial under a dusty layer rather than a more physically demanding below ground burial.