Antigone

Jocasta commits suicide in Oedipus Rex because she realizes that the prophecies have been fulfilled, and that she has married her own son. In essence, her kids with Oedipus are also her grandchildren.

All of the grief associated with this realization makes Jocasta's will to live go away. She kills herself because she doesn't want to deal with reality.
For breaking divine and human laws, Jocasta commits suicide in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Queen Jocasta disrespects the gods by trying to thwart a horrible prophecy about her child and her husband. Subsequently and albeit unknowingly, Jocasta compounds the matter by marrying her own son Oedipus and having children with him. Incest is an offense against the gods, who can consort with whomsoever they please; and against mortals, who are considered blasphemous when they ape the gods. A mortal committing suicide is acceptable to the gods, who consider taking one's life an admission of and apology for misbehavior

Theban King Oedipus wants to find his royal predecessor's murderer in order to end the suffering of his people. The Delphic Oracle says that Thebes is visited by a plague, for not having tracked down the murderer of their previous sovereign, Theban King Laius. The Oracle says that any perpetrator of that heinous offense must be identified and brought to justice. Otherwise, the suffering of the city and its people will continue unabated.

Theban King Oedipus wants to find the murderer of his royal predecessor, Theban King Laius. His motive is his desire to end the plague He wants to stop the suffering of his people who are seeing their own numbers reduced as quickly as those of his livestock and as fast as the volumes of his harvests.

Theban King Creon is Theban King Oedipus' brother-in-law.

Specifically, Creon is the brother of Theban Queen Jocasta, wife and mother to Oedipus. So Creon also is Oedipus' uncle. But not one of the three sovereigns realizes that the three are linked other than by the marriage of Oedipus and Jocasta and the blood relationship between her and Creon.

Yes, Creon has a recognition scene in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a recognition scene allows a character to face up to accidents, commissions, mistakes and omissions. It is foreshadowed by Theban King Creon's relenting on the non-burial of his nephew Polyneices and the capital punishment of his niece, Princess Antigone. It actually takes place when Creon acknowledges how everything that makes his life worth meaning is lost through his own stubbornness, poor choices and offensive acts.

Neither one of Antigone's brothers is killed by Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone has two twin brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices. Her brothers kill each other in the final battle of the first civil war over the Theban royal succession. Her uncle Creon supports Eteocles but is not involved in the final duel between the brothers.

The question of ultimate authority is the way in which power is a major theme in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, authority figures can be gods or kings. Kings govern as the representatives of the gods on earth. But their rule has to harmonize with and validate divine will. It must not conflict, which is what Theban King Creon's edict does in regard to divine will and cherished Theban tradition.

That a traitor does not deserve a hero's burial is the reason that Creon gives for his ruling concerning the bodies of Eteocles and Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Eteocles dies defending his hometown of Thebes. Polyneices dies defending his legitimate claim to the Theban throne against the usurping rule of his twin brother Eteocles and his uncle Creon. Divine will and Theban tradition make both brothers as Thebans born and bred automatic recipients of below ground burials. But Creon reverses divine will and Theban tradition by respecting those rights for Theban loyalists such as Eteocles and denying them to Theban traitors.

That the gods are angry is the reason why the chorus' sympathy changes in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus is made up of Theban elders. The members therefore express loyalty to and sympathy for Theban King Creon. But they change their sympathy during the scene between Creon and Teiresias the blind prophet. They cannot accept Creon's actions resulting in the pollution of sacred altars and the inability of priests and prophets to interpret divine will through the reading of ritual sacrifices.

Yes, there is alliteration in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, alliteration refers to a literary device whereby at least two words in succession begin with the same letter. Any example from the play is dependent upon the particular edition or language being used. But one early example from one of the English translations of the original Greek text has Theban Princess Ismene describe her sister, Princess Antigone, as having a "hot heart for chilling deeds" in the Prologue.

Haemon and Eurydice die after Antigone dies in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone hangs herself in the walled-up cave to which she is sentenced to be buried alive. Prince Haemon, her first cousin and groom-to-be, stabs himself with his own sword when he finds Antigone's dead body. Queen Eurydice, Haemon's mother and Antigone's intended mother-in-law, stabs herself with a knife when she hears of the two suicides.

That at least one of them is illegal is Antigone's attitude toward the laws of Thebes in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone does not accept a conflict between a royal edict and divinely ordained Theban traditions. She expresses strongly supportive feelings for her family and the gods. It is not easy to understand her position regarding royals other than that their actions must be in line with divine will and that King Creon's non-burial edict does not do so.

That it goes from respect to anger is the change in Haemon's attitude towards Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon begins his conversation with his father, King Creon, in a deferential and respectful tone. But he has trouble maintaining his calm and reason in the face of his father's contradictions, insults and threats. It is when Creon makes insulting and threatening remarks about Haemon's beloved first cousin and bride-to-be, Princess Antigone, that the son begins to replace patience and respect with disrespect and anger.

It is to bury her brother that Antigone uses her power in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone has royal powers as the daughter, the direct descendant, and the niece of Theban kings. She also has royal standing as the betrothed of the royal heir apparent and as the ward of the current king. She uses her limited royal powers to break her uncle Creon's edict of non-burial and to bury her brother Polyneices.

Antigone and Creon are the two characters that face each other in the major conflict in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues a royal edict against burial of the disloyal Theban dead. The edict leaves exposed to wether and wildlife the body of Polyneices, Princess Antigone's beloved brother. Antigone questions the legality of Creon's edict, which contradicts divine guarantees to all Thebans of below ground burials and proper funeral rites.