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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
How are Creon and Haemon compared and contrasted in 'Antigone'?
Oh, dude, Creon and Haemon in 'Antigone' are like night and day. Creon is all about that power trip, being the king and laying down the law, while Haemon is more chill and just wants to marry his girl, Antigone. They clash because Creon's like, "I'm the boss," and Haemon's like, "But, like, love, man." It's a classic father-son showdown, Greek tragedy style.
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.
What is the prologue of Antigone?
Antigone and her sister, Ismene, have a conversation about the burial of their brother, etocles. Ismeme disagreed on the idea and she didnt want to have anything to do with it because she didnt want to face the deadly consequeces.
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.
How do Oedipus' promises create tension in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Theban King Oedipus promises his people that he will seek out and punish the killer[s] of his royal predecessor, Theban King Laius. He promises that the punishment will be carried out even should the perpetrator[s] be found within his own household. This promise raises the possibility that the royal householdindeed will be the very place where the criminal[s] will be found. It raises the additional possibility that the city's own beloved king may be the killer or one of the killers.
These possibilities all create tension, because Oedipus takes on the roles of law giver and law enforcer, of king and of judge. To these administrative roles must be added the possible and increasingly probable roles that Oedipus plays as law breaker and law suppliant, as the perpetrator of crimes and as the victim of his own ignorance, pride, and short temper. The ever increasing number of roles that Oedipus takes on increases his chances of being punished, pitied, or both.
What does Creon say when Oedipus accuses him of trying to take the crown for himself?
Theban King Oedipus accuses jointly ruling Theban King Creon, his brother-in-law and his uncle, of trying to govern their city alone. But Creon answers that he doesn't want to wear the crown of Thebes or occupy its throne alone. He specifies that ruling alone means having to do things that he doesn't want to do. He claims that's something that doesn't appeal to him.
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.
Why would people see Oedipus Rex if they already know the ending?
dramatic irony sets up tension that makes audiences examine important questions
What is the Greek 'Creon' in English?
'Ruler' is an English equivalent of 'Creon' [ΚÏÎων, KreÅn].
Perhaps the most famous use of the name is in the Theban cycle of plays by Sophocles [496 B.C.E. - 406 B.C.E.]. In these dramatizations of the life and impact of Theban King Oedipus, Theban King Creon shares power in 'Oedipus Rex' and appears to rule alone in 'Antigone'. He's the son of Menoeceus; the brother of Theban Queen Jocasta; the brother-in-law of Theban King Laius and then of Oedipus; the father of Theban Prince Haemon; the husband of Theban Queen Eurydice; and the uncle of royal heirs Eteocles and Polyneices and of Princesses Antigone and Ismene.
Why does ismene object to antigones plan to bury polyneices in 'antigone'?
Ismene doesn't wasnt her sister, Antigone, to bury POlyneices because she fears for her sister's life. Creon proclaimed that whomever might bury Polyneices would be publically stoned to death.
A Freudian theory that all young boys (like ago three to five, I believe) begin to see their fathers as a threat in their affection from their mother, and they begin to wish to kill their fathers and have a sexual relationship with the mother. For girls, this is called the Electra complex, and it is the same, only they wish to kill their mothers.
What are the three points of view in Antigone?
The three points of view in the play 'Antigone' are those of the main character of the same name, of King Creon of Thebes, and of the chorus. For example, Antigone looks at the consequences on an earthly life and death of obedience to changing, manmade laws and of disobedience to unchanging, god-given justice. The King looks only to the consequences of violation of his decrees. And the chorus looks at the acts of obedience and disobedience within the context of the type of law and the type of compliance or resistance.
first person, third person limited, third person omniscient
Who is Antigone and what did she do in 'The Adventures of Ulysses'?
Antigone is the name of two different women in Greek mythology. One is the daughter of King Oedipus of Thebes. The other is the daughter of King Eurytion of Phthia. Both ended up committing suicide by hanging themselves. Antigone of Phthia became the wife of Peleus. Peleus and his brother Telamon were the sons of King Aeacus of Aegina. They had to leave their homeland when they accidentally killed their half-brother, Phocus. They fled to Phthia, where Peleus married the King's daughter. But during the hunt for the Calydonian boar, Peleus accidentally killed his father-in-law. Once again, Peleus had to flee. He settled in Iolcus, where he angered King Acastus' wife, Queen Astydameia. The Queen then sent the false news to Phthia that her daughter was going to marry Peleus. Antigone hanged herself. Peleus then killed the Queen, and escaped. He subsequently married Thetis the sea-nymph. Their child was Achilles, who became the greatest Greek fighter in the war against Troy. Achilles also was an acquaintance of Odysseus, who was the main character of 'The Adventures of Ulysses', which was an Italian film version of 'The Odyssey'.
What does 'Antigone' say about fate?
According to the play 'Antigone', fate isn't what a mortal makes of life. Instead, it's what the gods make of the mortal's earthly existence. The mortal may be able to make choices. But every choice leads back to the same destination, the same outcome. Perhaps the best example of the irrelevance of choice is the origin of the English adjective 'trivial'. The word derives from the meeting of three roads. The choice of which road to take is trivial. It's a meaningless choice, because any one leads you to where the gods want you, not where you hope to be going. The gods indeed control everything.
Where can you find a copy of the 1972 movie 'Antigone' on the Internet?
Please visit www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.ap?pid=2214750. This is the website of cdUniverse. Copies of the 1972 movie still are on hand as of information last checked on June 1, 2009.
Why does Creon change his mind about killing Antigone?
Theban King Creon sentences his niece, Antigone, to death for disobeying his recent decree while respecting god-given traditions. The punishment for violation of the law is death by stoning. After interacting with Antigone and then Haemon, her cousin and husband-to-be, the King changes the sentence to death by being walled up in a remote cave. Why does King Creon appear to change his mind about Antigone's fate? His reasons are a 'gesture of piety'; protection of the city from the defilement of Antigone's life and death [Lines 873-874]; and a show of the lonely, powerless 'waste of breath' it is to respect the god of death [Lines 876-878]. The King then changes his mind again about Antigone's fate. He decides against her death by isolation and starvation. Why does he go through yet another change of mind? He learns from Teiresias the blind prophet that woe is in store for his household because of his offenses against the gods in not allowing the disloyal Theban dead to be buried and in not letting Antigone to live, marry, and have children.
he doesnt die.. he lives on fearing death and wishing it to come quickly and kindly.
The dramatic irony in Oedipus Rex arises in part from the audience's knowledge that?
Oedipus is Laius's murderer.
Theban King Oedipus can't bear to look on the incestuous, murderous mess that he makes of his life, and the lives of his family and his people. So he blinds himself. He then carries out upon himself the very sentence that he issues for the murderer of his father and his sovereign, the deceased Theban King Laius. He stumbles away from his beloved city, as a beggar, an exile, and an outcast among mortals.
Why does Creon permit no one to bury Polyneices?
Because Polyneices attacked Thebes in order to retrieve the crown from his brother Eteocles, but in the midst of it the war it caused to be waged wreaked havoc and destruction upon Thebes. Creon who saw this as treason, since Polyneices was originally from Thebes and he waged war upon his own people. In return for such a violation King Creon declares Polyneices a tyrant who does not deserve burial rites since he sunk so low enough to destroy his home nation.
He marries his mother and the king's widow, Jocasta.
Who is Oedipus' wife in 'Oedipus Rex'?
Theban Queen Jocasta is Theban King Creon's wife in 'Oedipus Rex'. She's the mother of his four children. She also is Oedipus' mother, through her first marriage to Theban King Laius.
What change does Creon make in his plan to kill both Antigone and Ismene?
The decision to spare Ismene is the change that Theban King Creon makes in his plan to kill Antigone and Ismene. Antigone is found breaking the law of non burial to the disloyal Theban dead. Ismene isn't. But Ismene claims that she's an accessory. At first, Creon decides that the death sentence is going to be carried out against both of his nieces. But he then backs down, and decides the only his future daughter-in-law Antigone is going to be executed.
