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Antigone
The play 'Antigone' is at least 2,440 years old. Still timely nevertheless are its main concerns over what to do about a bad law and how far to go for the sake of love or justice. Contributors typically ask and answer questions about the play's author, characters, imagery, literary devices, plot, and relationship to other plays of the same themes or time period.
3,361 Questions
Why does Antigone kill herself?
No explicit reason is given in the play 'Antigone'. But she was walled up in a dark, remote cave. She was cut off from Haemon, her cousin and husband-to-be; from Ismene, her sister and the only remaining member of her immediate family; and from Thebes, her hometown. The cave may have had acidic water, disgusting smells, and evil creatures such as snakes. She may not have had a dark-adapted eye. Or she may not have kept her sanity. Or she may not have liked the isolation from her own kind. Or she may have made up her mind to quicken her meeting with her loved ones in the underworld realm of the dead.
In the play 'Antigone', Theban King Oedipus is the husband and son of Queen Jocasta, who is the sister of subsequent Theban King Creon. He also is the son of Theban King Laius, whom he kills and succeeds to the throne of Thebes. He therefore is the descendant of Cadmus, the founder and first King of Thebes; and of Poseidon the sea god. Through his marriage, King Oedipus becomes the father of Antigone, Ismene, and the twins Eteocles and Polyneices. But he also is brother to his children, whose mother is his mother and his wife. The knowledge of his incest with his mother and of his murder of his father swiftly is followed by his loss of his kingdom, his sight, and his wife.
How is 'Oedipus Rex' still relevant?
The play 'Oedipus Rex' still is relevant nowadays, because of the modern issues that it raises. For example, a main question is the extent to which individuals are responsible for their acts. In the play, Theban King Oedipus unknowingly kills his own father and sovereign, Theban King Laius. He then marries, and has children with, his own mother, Theban Queen Jocasta.
Readers and viewers of the play, and witnesses to events of the twentieth century, well may question Oedipus' character. It may be agreed that Oedipus tries to escape a horrendous fate and that he takes a life in order to save his own. But can he be said truly not to have known of his crimes, and does he do everything possible to avoid committing them?
Yes, he does.
What is Apollo's temple where Oedipus comes in search of the truth in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Delphi is the location of the Apolline temple where Oedipus seeks the truth in the play "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Apollo the sun god joins the ranks of Aphrodite the love goddess and Artemis the huntress to form three important defenders of the city of Thebes. His oracle therefore is consulted regarding important or problematic events. The most famous of the Apolline oracles is the one at Delphi.
What does Antigone accuse Ismene?
Ismene wouldn't help Antigone bury the body of their brother, but when Antigone is caught she won't let Ismene take any of the blame because she was loyal to the law and not to her family.
Who helps Oedipus defeat the Sphinx in 'Oedipus Rex'?
No one overtly helps Oedipus defeat the Sphinx in the play "Oedipus Rex" by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Oedipus runs away from Corinth because the Delphic Oracle says that he will kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus therefore decides to cut all contact with his presumed parents, King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth, and to live out his life elsewhere. Somehow, he ends up at Thebes, which he can enter only if he solves the monstroux Sphinx's riddle. At the beginning of the play, it is explained that Oedipus is the best of humans and figures things out on his own.
What riddle did Oedipus solve?
The riddle of the Sphinx which goes as follows:
What goes on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?
Oedipus was able to answer the question correctly: Man.
Does Oedipus think that Teiresias is framing him for the murder of the previous king of Thebes?
Yes, Theban King Oedipus thinks that Teiresias the blind prophet is framing him for the murder of the previous king of Thebes. Oedipus thinks that he knows himself and his life very well. He knows of having committed a murder before arriving in Thebes. But it's unthinkable to him that the surly individual whom he kills in a street brawl over the right of way at a crossroads may have been a king. So he concludes that Teiresias is lying, for self advancement, in saying that the murderer of Theban King Laius is the current sovereign of Thebes.
Which of these values does Creon praise in his initial speech to the Chorus?
In Sophocles Antigone, Creon praises loyalty to the Theban monarchy. He says that the best value is for Thebans to respect the monarchy no matter who the legitimate ruler is.
How is the love between Antigone and Haemon in 'Antigone'?
Great is supposed to be the love between Antigone and Haemon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Theban Princess Ismene claims that her sister Antigone and Prince Haemon share a great love. Antigone and her first cousin commit to marriage through a betrothal that is in effect before the play begins. Haemon speaks volumes about Antigone, who never mentions her betrothed.
How is Creon treating the body of Eteocles and why?
Creon is treating Eteocles body badly and does not want Antigone to bury him.
No!
Eteocles is the loyal prince in the eyes of Creon and so is honorably buried.
His brother Polyneices is the one treated badly.
Why is 'Antigone' called a tragedy?
Because of the drastic consequences of the story's events. the play "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) is called a tragedy.
Specifically, excepting Teiresias the blind prophet, Theban Princess Ismene, and Theban King Creon, every single one of the main characters dies. Additionally, there is the massive destruction of enemy and native life through the battle whose end is the beginning of the play. Similarly, there is the large-scale misery of Thebans in the aftermath of their own deliberately unburied dead. Finally, there is the individual heartbreak of Creon who loses everything that makes his life worth living.
How did Antigone overcome her hardships?
In the play 'Antigone', the main character of the same name experiences the loss of her twin brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, in an armed struggle. She faces the challenge of burying her brother, on her own and against manmade laws. For she feels the pain of one brother being given the proper funeral of a loyal Theban dead, and the other being denied that god-given right. She has the heartbreak of seeing her betrothal to her first cousin Haemon ended, and of knowing that she won't live to enjoy the love of a husband or children. She knows the humiliation of shameful treatment from her sister Ismene, and from her uncle, Theban King Creon. She passes from life to the cold darkness of a walled up, isolated cave. Ultimately, she overcomes these hardships, and more, by taking her own life. The play doesn't give much information over the imprisonment of Antigone other than to let readers know that she commits suicide by hanging herself with her own halter.
In the gangster as tragic hero by Robert warshow what is the intolerable dilemma?
"This is our intolerable dilemma: that failure is a kind of death and success is evil and dangerous, is-- ultimately-- impossible. The effect of the gangster film is to embody this dilemma in the person of the gangster and resolve it by his death. The dilemma is resolved because it is his death, not ours. We are safe; for the moment, we can acquiesce in our failure, we can choose to fail."
--Robert Warshow in "The Gangster As Tragic Hero"
How does Creon find out about Antigone in 'Antigone'?
It is through her capture that Creon finds out about Antigone in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Theban King Creon forbids the burial of any disloyal Theban dead. His niece, Princess Antigone, deliberately disobeys her uncle and buries her brother Polyneices under a layer of dust. Antigone disrespects her uncle and his law so she wants to be caught and sentenced. She gets what she wants because Creon's sentries see her openly breaking the law in broad daylight and take her to the palace for interrogation and sentencing.
Are there pictures of Antigone and Ismene?
There's a well known painting of Ismene. It's found on the side of a large, handled jar that dates back to about 560 B.C.E. The jar counts among the Louvre Museum's collection, in Paris, France.
Ismene has long, dark hair that's styled into twists that may be held in place by metal rings. Her face is shown in profile. She has large eyes and distinct eyebrows. She wears a series of armlets just below her right shoulder, which is gripped by the left hand of Tydeus. In his right hand, Tydeus readies his sword to kill Ismene. Tydeus is one of the six captains who support Ismene's brother Polyneices' rightful claim to the throne of Thebes against Ismene's other brother, Eteocles.
A copy of a photograph of the amphora may be found at one of two sites that relate to the play 'Seven Against Thebes' by Aeschylus [525/524 B.C.E.- 456/455 B.C.E.]. One is a site on Ismene: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ismene. The other is on her purported killer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tydeus.
What type of dialect is used in 'Antigone'?
Athenian Greek is the dialect in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Princess Antigone lived and died in the ancient Greek city of Thebes during the twelfth (12th) century B.C.E. Her story is told most famously by Sophocles, a dramatist who was born in Colonus, but spent his adult and professional life in nearby Athens during the fifth (5th) century B.C.E. Sophocles therefore used the Athenian dialect even though Antigone would have spoken a much older, Theban dialectical form of ancient Greek.
After he leaves Thebes, but before he gets to the Delphic Oracle, is when Theban King Laius is killed. He's described as having silver in his hair. So he may have been around 40 or 50 at the time. It may have been about 20 years after his wedding, since his killer is an adult. So it also may have been about 20 years before the action of the play 'Oedipus Rex'.
How do you overcome Oedipus complex and electra among children?
Most children outgrow this as they mature into teenagers.
Were Laius and Jocasta the rulers of Thebes?
Yes, Theban King Laius and Theban Queen Jocasta were the rulers of Thebes. They both were descended from Cadmus, founder and first Theban King around 2000 B.C.E. So they were related by the ties of marriage and by those of blood. That's why Jocasta's second husband, Oedipus, became sovereign upon marrying Laius' widow.
Does Antigone follow Creon's orders?
No, Antigone doesn't follow the orders of her uncle, Theban King Creon. The royal orders are burial of the loyal Theban dead, and non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. The decree directly contradicts the god-given rights of the dead to equal access to proper burial procedures. Antigone respects the passage of mortals through life into death. So she chooses to be in compliance with the word of the gods, and in non-compliance with the King's orders.
What is the motivation of Antigone in the play 'Antigone'?
Respect for the gods, family and the afterlife are the motivations of Antigone in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone must choose between obeying and disobeying a recent law that contradicts divine will and Theban traditions. She chooses her actions to be motivated by respect for the gods and for family. She says that mortals spend more time dead than alive and that she must be able to look her family in the face when they all meet again in the Underworld of the afterlife.
What are the catastrophes in 'Antigone'?
The pestilence is the catastrophe in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).
Specifically, a natural catastrophe is a sudden disaster that affects many people. A dramatic catastrophe is the event to which all of the play's action leads. In both cases, it is the pestilence in Thebes.
For example, the play's action relates to what to do with the bodies of the disloyal dead in the recent civil war over the royal succession. That the bodies are not buried means that the decay takes place above ground and brings on the subsequently pestilential environment. Additionally, the blood and the flesh of the unburied bodies are consumed by birds, who atypically fight among themselves and whose body parts cannot be read properly to understand divine will. Consequently, pestilence ravages Thebes and cannot be stopped until divine will is made known through Teiresias the blind prophet and carried out by Theban King Creon.
Just in terms of dramatic catastrophe, additional examples are the suicides of Princess Antigone, Prince Haemon and Queen Eurydice.
Sophocles' character Antigone is the heroine of the Greek tragedy of the same name. As the virtuous protagonist, she choses to defy the king's edicts and bury her brother Polyneices. She clearly values the laws of nature and the gods over the orders of temporal rulers such as Creon. Her disobedience results in her eventual death.
