Antigone

The meeting of the two sisters is what happens first in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban sister Princesses Antigone and Ismene meet outside the main entrance to the Theban royal palace. The final battle of the first civil war over the Theban royal succession occurs the day before. But the event takes place before the opening of the play and therefore does not count as the play's very first event.

That she is going to deliberately disobey a royal edict that carries a death sentence is what Antigone tells Ismene that she will do in the opening scene of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues an edict against the proper, Theban-style mourning and burying of the disloyal dead. With that edict, he justifies burying his loyal nephew Eteocles and not burying his disloyal nephew Polyneices. But Creon's niece, Theban Princess Antigone, plans to disobey the non-burial law and give her brother Polyneices the same respect in death as her brother Eteocles.

Yes, Haemon dies in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon is engaged to his first cousin, Theban Princess Antigone. She breaks a recently issued Theban law against non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. The sentence is death, and Antigone ends up killing herself. When Haemon finds Antigone dead, he tries unsuccessfully to kill his father, Theban King Creon, for having sentenced Antigone to death, and then most successfully turns his own sword on himself.

Anxiousness and a complete lack of enthusiasm describe Ismene's feelings towards Antigone's idea in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Ismene expresses concern over breaking the royal edict of non-burial and facing the death penalty. She feels that the chances of carrying out the task of burying Polyneices and surviving are non-existent. She categorically opposes any action that puts her sister Princess Antigone or herself in direct, open conflict with King Creon, to whom they owe respect as his nieces, subjects and wards.

The exodus is the scene in which Eurydice appears in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the last scene is called the exodus, because it leads to the departure of all of the play's characters from the stage. Queen Eurydice is neither mentioned nor present in any other part of the play. She makes her brief appearance to confirm everyone's bad opinion of her husband, King Creon, and to kill herself.

The state as a ship is the metaphor that Creon uses during his first speech in the first scene of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term metaphor describes one person or thing by something quite different. The description fits Theban King Creon's characterization of the Theban state as a ship on the ocean. He likens the first civil war over the Theban royal succession to choppy waves upon which the ship of the Theban state is tossed but ultimately steadied by the gods.

It is for defying an unjust law and burying her brotherthat Antigone is known for in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone causes an unjust law to be overturned. Her uncle, King Creon, issues a royal edict that contradicts divine will and cherished Theban traditions. The edict leaves disloyal Theban dead bodies unburied even though all Thebans have divine guarantees of below ground burials.

That they each offend a very important person, face divine curses and deal with unburied Theban dead are reasons why Antigone compares herself to Niobe in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone must decide what to do about an unburied dead brother. Lydian Princess Niobe, wife of Theban wall builder Amphion, must deal with her unburied dead children. Their predicaments are aggravated by divine curses and offensive attitudes and behaviors towards very important people. For example, Antigone offends Creon, her uncle and her sovereign, while Niobe is offensive to Leto, goddess and mother of Zeus' children Apollo and Artemis.

Stoning is the punishment for violation of Creon's law in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon comes up with his own law regarding burials in Thebes. He makes below ground burial the privilege of Theban loyalists instead of the god-given that it is for all Thebans. He thinks that he will ensure compliance with his law by enforcing the punishment of death under a showed of heavy, sharp rocks thrown by fellow Thebans.

From an initial warm welcome to sustained rudeness is the way in which Creon treats Teiresias in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon initially acts friendly and respectful when Teiresias the blind prophet shows up. But he quickly loses all semblance of courteousness when he hears what Teiresias has to say. Creon rejects all criticism of his policies so he is most unhappy with being pinpointed as the cause of the environmental pestilence, polluted altars and wrathful gods in Thebes. He terminates the conversation with insults and threats.

The provision of musical interludes in the intervals between the scenes of the play is one role of the chorus. The interval is called the 'stasimon'. The scene is called an 'episode'. The provision of a commentary on what happens in the play is another chorus role. So the roles come down to education and entertainment.

The chorus conforms to society by making sure that it meets the expectations of the audience. That audience is drawn from segments of ancient Greek society. The ancient Greek audience expects to find a certain length and meter in the choral odes. They expect to hear the chorus singing and see the chorus dancing in first one direction and then the opposite. They expect to understand the play's backgroundand course of events through the choral commentaries. They expect to witness the transmission of legends and myths that reconcile the actions of mortals with the will of the gods.

It is Teiresias who proves Creon wrong in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon crafts an edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. The edict denies rights of below ground burials that are divinely guaranteed to all Thebans. Princess Antigone disobeys the law, and her sister Princess Ismene and her husband-to-be Prince Haemon criticize its divisive and painful impact on Thebans trying to heal from the first civil war over the Theban royal succession. But it is Teiresias the blind prophet who actually proves Creon wrong. He points to the impossibility of interpreting divine will when animal and body parts are mixed inside ritually sacrificed birds whose last meals are the exposed bodies of the disloyal Theban dead.

Money is what Creon believes Teiresias wants in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet blames King Creon for divine wrath over polluted altars in Thebes. He identifies the cause as the unburied bodies of the disloyal Theban dead being consumed by birds that then are ritually sacrificed. Creon objects to all criticisms of his policies and therefore decides that Teiresias is being bribed by Creon's powerful but cowardly enemies in Thebes.

The interactions of Antigone with Creon and Ismene as well as that of Haemon with Creon are examples of gender conflict in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the phrase gender conflict describes disagreement or discord based on or involving the roles of men and women. The description fits Antigone's interactions with Princess Ismene and King Creon as well as Prince Haemon's interaction with Creon. Creon and his niece Ismene think that Antigone's gender is the starting point for not doing what she dares to do whereas Antigone and her husband-to-be Haemon disagree.

That Polyneices is an enemy of the state is the way in which Creon justifies his order not to bury Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon differentiates between disloyal and loyal Thebans. He does not want a repeat of the recently ended first civil war over the Theban royal succession. He thinks rebels will be discouraged if they see how miserable it is to be denied their cherished, god-given rights to below ground burials.

That the king is the earthly representative of the godsis the reason why Antigone's defiance of Creon is ironic in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, an ironic response includes one whose implications far exceed what is intended and understood by its doer. The description is an exact fit with Theban Princess Antigone's defiance of King Creon, her uncle, king and intended father-in-law. In terms of all three relationships, Antigone owes respect to Creon as her superior and the gods' earthly representative in Thebes. She shows none even though she claims to respect and defend the gods.

A remote cave outside Thebes is the place where Antigone dies in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone receives the death sentence for breaking a recently issued royal edict. She is supposed to die outside the main entrance to the Theban royal palace. But her uncle, King Creon, changes the penalty from death by being pelted by stone-throwing Thebans to by being buried alive.

Breaking the law and dying are what Antigone plans to do in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues an edict that changes god-given rights of below-ground burials into arbitrary privileges to be bestowed upon his supporters and denied to his enemies. Creon's niece, Princess Antigone, plans to bury her brother Polyneices even though the edict demands that his body be left above ground to feed birds and dogs. She likewise plans to die in the way specified by the death penalty or by her own hands.