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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
Antigone's fiance Haemon and then her future father-in-law Creon found her dead. She was walled up in an isolated cave. Haemon managed to break through, but not in time to keep her from hanging herself. Neither was Creon able to save her or his son from their untimely deaths by suicide. Creon had repented of his harsh punishment of Antigone for having buried her brother Polyneices. But he got to the cave in time to find Antigone hanging by a linen halter, and his son clinging inconsolably to her dead body.
What does Haemon reveal about public opinion regarding Antigone?
Haemon appears twice in the play 'Antigone'. In the first instance, he has a conversation with his father, Theban King Creon. The King says that his son won't be allowed to marry Antigone. Instead, Antigone is going to be punished for having disobeyed the law of non-burial of enemy Argive and Theban dead. In response, Haemon informs his father of the admiration of the people of Thebes for Antigone's defiance of the law. Specifically, Haemon says, 'For the dread of thy frown forbids the citizen to speak such words as would offend thine ear; but I can hear these murmurs in the dark, these moanings of the city for this maiden; 'no woman,' they say, 'ever merited her doom less - none ever, was to die so shamefully for deeds so glorious as hers' who, when her own brother had fallen in bloody strife, would not leave him unburied, to be devoured by carrion dogs, or by any bird: deserves not she the meed of golden honour?'
How would you compare and contrast the characters of Antigone and Creon?
In the comparison between Antigone and Creon, her uncle and her king, both characters have strong wills. As an example, Antigone is as determined to respect the god-given laws regarding the dead as Theban King Creon is determined to enact and enforce his own manmade laws. Both chance losing a great deal if what they do boomerangs on them. For example, Antigone risks losing her life for violating the law, and the King risks losing his kingdom for enacting and enforcing an inhumane, unfair, unjust, unpopular law. And both are descended from Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. Antigone descends from Cadmus through her father King Oedipus. The King and Jocasta, the mother of Antigone and the wife of Oedipus, descend from Cadmus through their father, Menoeceus. In contrast, Antigone believes that manmade laws must harmonize with the higher god-given justice, morality, rites, rituals and traditions. But the King believes that he can issue his own manmade laws that directly contradict the god-given. Additionally, Antigone considers the hatreds of a lifetime as ending with death. She therefore believes that both the disloyal and the loyal Theban dead need to be given proper burial. But the King considers a dead enemy as much an enemy as a live enemy, and therefore not deserving of the same funerary treatment as living and dead friends. And finally, Antigone thinks of the consequences of her actions, in terms of the passage through life into death. But the King considers only his own needs and wants, as he consolidates his power over his family and his people. He doesn't think in advance of the repercussions of what he does. And he certainly doesn't think of the pain and suffering of the loved ones that the dead leave behind. In fact, he doesn't think of anything regarding the living and the dead until his deeds and misdeeds catch him up in the end.
Was the character Antigone prosperous?
The play 'Antigone' gives no information on the financial situation of the main character of the same name. But readers of the play and viewers of a performance tend to think of Antigone as having financial resources and social standing. She's the niece of the currently reigning Theban King Creon, who is to be her father-in-law. For she's the fiancee of his son and her first cousin, Haemon. She's the sister of the immediately preceding monarchs, the twin brothers Eteocles and Polyneices. She is the daughter of Theban King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta, the monarchs immediately preceding her brothers. Through both her father's and mother's family lines, Antigone is the great great great granddaughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes in about 2000 B.C.; and the great great great great great granddaughter of Poseidon, the sea god.
Antigone dies because she disobeys a royal decree. The decree forbids the burial of the disloyal Theban dead from the recent armed struggle against the Argive invaders. She decides to violate the law, because her brother Polyneices is among the disloyal Theban dead. She can't leave his body above ground and exposed to the elements, dogs, and birds. She also violates the law because of its direct contradiction of the god-given rights of the dead to proper funerary procedures before passage into the realm of the underworld god. The decree is issued by Antigone's uncle, Theban King Creon. The King believes in an ordered society in which his word alone counts, and in which violators are punished.
What is an allusion in 'Antigone'?
An allusion is an indirect reference to something. In 'Antigone', one example of an allusion is the phrase 'bewailing the loss of his bride'. The possessive adjective 'his' refers to Haemon. The noun 'bride' refers to Antigone, who is Haemon's cousin and bride-to-be. Another example is the phrase 'the Cadmean bride'. The adjective 'Cadmean' refers to the Cadmeia Palace on the Theban acropolis. The noun 'bride' refers to Semele, who is the daughter of Theban founder Cadmus and Harmonia, and the mother of the god Bacchus. Semele's home is the Cadmeia Palace.
What is the larger moral issue at stake in the dispute between Creon and Antigone?
Religious beliefs and ethics versus Law/ Politics. Creon attempted to stop a religious process using his legal authority and status. Also, individual rights versus the majority and what they want/ need.
Perhaps the majority wanted the traitor left out there, but Antigone wanted her brother to go to the afterlife. The conflict between Creon and Antigone is a representation of the tension between the Rule of Law (which requires that the law must apply to everyone equally for it to be capable of maintaining order) and the freedom and rights of the individual within civilized society. Although Creon can see the inhumanity in denying Antigone the right to bury her beloved brother so that he may be put to rest with peace and dignity, he feels that the need to establish firm and consistent order through rigid and draconian laws was more pressing in the aftermath of the civil war that nearly led to Thebes' collapse. This theme recurs regularly in current events when debating issues such as The Patriot Act, or the legitimacy of practices at Guantanamo Bay or of extaordinary rendition.
No, Theban King Creon isn't Theban King Laius' brother. Instead, he's his brother-in-law. Laius' wife, Theban Queen Jocasta, is Creon's sister.
Why does Tiresias keep mentioning King Oedipus's parents?
The fact that Theban King Oedipus doesn't know who his real parents are is why Teiresias the blind prophet mentions them. That knowledge is critical to the solving of the problems that overwhelm the Theban people and their king. The reason is that the seemingly happy, model royal couple are living in sin. That sin pollutes the entire city of Thebes and all of its people.
Oedipus and his people believe Corinthian King Polybus and Queen Merope to be none other than the monarch's biological parents. Oedipus and his people believe Theban Queen Jocasta to be a legitimate royal consort. And Oedipus and his people believe the royal marriage to be decent and valid.
But in actuality, the Corinthian monarchs are foster parents to Oedipus. In actuality, neither Oedipus nor Jocasta may be considered as legitimate spouses to each other. Their true relationship prevents all notion of legality or legitimacy. In fact, they're mother and son. So their marriage is neither decent nor valid. It comes about through the murder of Jocasta's first husband, Theban King Laius. And the albeit unknowing murderer is Oedipus.
What happens to Oedipus when he finds out his true identity?
Blindness, homelessness, and joblessnessare what happen to Theban King Oedipus once he finds out his true identity. He becomes blind through his own efforts. He just can't bear to look at himself or the mess of his life upon learning that he's a murderer and a sex offender. He becomes homeless and jobless through the sentence that at least one of his crimes demands.
Albeit unknowingly, he kills his father and his sovereign, Theban King Laius. The penalty is death or exile. Oedipus ends up with exile through the decision of his uncle and brother-in-law, Theban King Creon.
How does Creon believe the act of burying Polyneices was carried out?
Theban King Creon believes that Thebans who oppose his rule are behind the burying of Polyneices. Polyneices was Creon's nephew. But he invaded Thebes, and therefore is considered by the King to be disloyal and unworthy of god given rights to proper burial rites and rituals.
What is the meaning of Haimon's statement Antigone's death will cause another?
The death of his father or that of himself is what Haemon means by saying that Antigone's death will cause another. Antigone is Haemon's beloved first cousin and bride-to-be. She's sentenced by Theban King Creon, Haemon's father and her own uncle, to death by being walled up in a remote cave. Haemon tries to kill his father. When he fails, Haemon turns the sword on himself.
What did Oedipus do after he found out Jocasta was his mother?
Jocasta discovered the truth before Oedipus, and she proceeded to commit suicide. Oedipus, seeing the truth and a dead wife-mother, blinded himself with her broaches(pins). He chose not to kill himself for two reasons: so he would not have to face the people of Thebes and see their disappointment in him, and so he could carry out the same punishment he mentioned before: exile.
What does Antigone's father do to himself as punishment in the Oedipus plays?
Blinding himself is what Antigone's father does as punishment in the Oedipus plays by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles (496 B.C.E. - 406 B.C.E.).
Specifically, Theban King Oedipus discovers that he is married to his own mother, Theban Queen Jocasta, because of having killed his own father, Theban King Laius. The facts that he kills a man old enough to be his father and whom he resembles and that he marries a woman old enough to be his mother and whom he may resemble somewhat in gesture or speech were always right before him, staring him in the face. The truth always has been there for those with eyes to see it.
And yet the only person in all of Thebes to recognize the truth is the blind prophet Teiresias. Oedipus accordingly blinds himself with Jocasta's brooches. In one fell swoop, he thereby hopes to punish himself and also to have the clear vision and understanding that eluded him during the sighted portion of his miserable earthly existence.
Who is Polynieces and Eteocles?
They are related to Antigone as a brother. They both died in a battle, where they both killed themselves.
What is the central ethical question in 'Antigone'?
Ethical questions deal with good versus evil, and moral questions with right versus wrong. The central ethical question in the play 'Antigone' admits the possibility that a law may be evil and do harm and wrong to the people whose well-being it's supposed to promote and protect. The question then becomes obedience or non-obedience to an inhumane, unfair, unjust law.
What are the prophecies in 'Oedipus Rex'?
One set of prophecies has to do with Theban King Oedipus' life. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will kill his own father and marry his own mother.
Another set of prophecies has to do with Oedipus' downfall and death. According to these prophecies, Oedipus will become blind and end up being driven into exile.
How does Creon disrespect the gods in 'Antigone'?
In 'Antigone', Theban King Creon disrespects the gods by overturning the time-honored burial practices. He decides that the rites and rituals of proper burial may be adhered only in regard to the loyal Theban dead. He refuses to allow the same adherence to proper burial procedure in regard to the enemy. Contrary to tradition and the interpreted will of the gods, the King requires the dead Argive enemy and their dead Theban allies to be left above ground and exposed to the elements, dogs, and birds.
A law that only respects the rights of the loyal dead to god given burial and funerary procedures is what Theban King Creon passes. Previously, all Thebans are guaranteed by the gods of below ground burials and funeral services. Creon decides to punish in death those Thebans who die disloyal to their hometown in the recent civil war between Creon's nephews, Kings Eteocles and Polyneices.
What is Creon's crime in 'Antigone'?
Theban King Creon's crime is his violation of divine laws. The gods, from whom he's descended by way of his ancestor Cadmus, say that with death, all Thebans are eligible for below ground burials and funeral services. Creon decides to respect those god given rights only for those who die loyal to Thebes in the recent civil war against discontented Thebans and invading Argives. That means that he denies god given rights to those who die disloyal to their hometown. It simply isn't a call that he gets to make.
Who kills himself after finding Antigone's body?
Haemon, who is Antigone's first cousin and fiance, kills himself with his own sword after finding her dead body hanging from her halter.
How are Antigone and Rosa Parks related?
They both stand up for what they believe in, no matter the consequences.
The suicide of his sister, the exile of his broher-in-law, the deaths of his nephews, and the childhood of the heirs are what allow Creon to become the sole King of Thebes. The throne first is held by Laius. But Laius gets murdered, albeit unknowingly, by his own son, Oedipus. Albeit unknowingly again, Oedipus then marries his own mother, Laius' widow Jocasta. The couple discovers their incest years later. Jocasta kills herself. Oedipus blinds himself, goes into exile, and dies away from home.
Oedipus is succeeded by his twin sons, Eteocles and Polyneices. The twins are supposed to alternate throne years in a joint power sharing arrangement. But Eteocles refuses to hand over the throne when his year is up. Polyneices is exiled, but returns with supporters from Argos to assert his royal rights by force. The brothers end up killing each. They each leave heirs who are too young to rule.
That's where Creon comes in. He's Jocasta's brother-in-law. As with Laius and Oedipus, he's in direct line of descent from Cadmus, the founder and first king of Thebes. After Laius' death and Jocasta's remarriage, Creon enters into a power sharing arrangement with Oedipus and Jocasta. So he's experienced, he's entitled, and he's enthusiastic. The throne is his.
