Antigone

Tragedy is the genre of literature that describes "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the literary form is drama. The literary genre is the depiction of suffering to entertain and instruct an audience. The media is performance.

That he issues and enforces a controversial law is the reason why Creon is to blame for the outcome in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the events happen the day after the end of the first civil war over the Theban royal succession. Theban King Creon hinders instead of helps healing by denying to the disloyal Theban dead their god-given rights as Thebans to below ground burials. His policy impels his niece Princess Antigone to break the law, bury her brother Polyneices, get the death penalty and hang herself. It also is the cause of environmental pollution and irritable gods over unburied bodies as well as two more suicides.

No, Antigone never gets married in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is engaged to her first cousin, Theban Prince Haemon. But the engagement is broken by Theban King Creon, Antigone's uncle and granduncle and Haemon's father. Antigone deliberately breaks the recently issued edict against burial of the disloyal Theban dead, and Creon sentences her to death. She and Haemon end up committing suicide.

It is from lacking to finding courage that Ismene changes since the beginning of "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Ismene is not a risk taker. She observes that burying her brother Polyneices and receiving the death sentence from her uncle King Creon are outside her comfort zone. She prefers to follow and obey men than to protect the rights of a vulnerable family member. But she realizes in her second interaction that playing it safe makes life lonely without her courageous sister. She stands up for herself and Antigone.

Antigone is the protagonist in the play "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, in English, the noun "protagonist" may refer to the champion of a particular cause. It also may refer to the main character. Either way, the English word comes from the classical language of the ancient Greeks. In Greek, the word "protagonistes" combines "protos" for "first" with "agonistes" for "actor." All three descriptions - champion, leading actor, and main character - apply to Antigone.

The hero, the mother and the wise old man are archetypes in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term archetype describes an original that generates copies and derivations. Theban King Oedipus therefore is the archetype of the hero who does great deeds but fails because of a tragic flaw. Queen Jocasta is the archetype of the mother who attempts to protect her son and her husband in ironically blasphemous ways. Teiresias the blind prophet is the archeteype of the wise old man who has all the answers to past, present and future questions.

It is to entertain and instruct that other myths are included in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the ancient Greek dramatist deals with the themes of divine will, fate, human folly and wisdom. He incorporates parallels to similar experiences in other myths. The parallels tend to be found within the choral odes, by which the audience is entertained with the singing and instructed by the theme of the consequences of foolish and wise human behavior.

Release her is what Creon decides to do about Ismene in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon considers his niece, Princess Ismene, as a lifelong example of wisdom. He does not believe that she is a participant in her sister Antigone's lawbreaking activities. He therefore decides to release her and not sentence her to death along with Antigone.

Realization and punishment are the meanings of the fifth episode in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the fifth scene is the exodus. It describes the ultimate consequences of the conflict on the main characters. For example, it covers the suicides of Theban Princess Antigone, Prince Haemon and Queen Eurydice. It concludes with King Creon's loss of everything and everyone who gives his life meaning.

Proud, non-stopstubbornness is one thing that Antigone and Creon have in common in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone and King Creon throw themselves into the middle of controversial issues. They each then take strong stands from which they argue to their heart's delight. But the argument is not a debate since all they do is defend their own position without looking for common ground: this is extreme stubbornness.

That he is abhorrent to, and must be obedient to, gods and to mortals is what Oedipus learns at the end of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus recognizes that he is immoral in marrying his mother and in having children with her and criminal in killing his father and his king. All three acts, albeit unknowing, are offenses against the gods and all people. Oedipus has neither a personal and professional life nor his sight any more. He therefore must back off from giving orders and learn how to take orders from mortals and follow the orders of the gods.

That rights need to be earned in life and death cases is the way in which Creon's conflict can be seen as equally good between the stability of the state and the obedience of divine will in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, all Thebans are guaranteed god-given rights of below ground burials. But it is possible that the Theban identity ends with behavior that is destructive to community and to self, such as a bloody rebellion. Rights may need to become honors and privileges to be earned in the above mentioned cases where the sense and survival of community are challenged.

Negatively by Creon, positively byHaemonand Teiresias, and questioningly by the chorus and Ismene are the ways in which Antigone is perceived by the other characters in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon views Princess Antigone as a foolish lawbreaker who allows her emotions to run wild. Prince Haemon sees Antigone as the defender of divine will and cherished Theban traditions and finds support in that idea from Teiresias the blind prophet and the Theban people. The chorus and Princess Ismene question the way Antigone is willing to stand out in a crowd for her convictions.

Because she thinks that he is wrong is the reason why Antigone defies Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues a royal edict by which Theban loyalists are honored with below-ground burials and funeral rites but by which those same god-given rights are denied his perceived enemies. One of the Thebans who will be left above ground to be ravaged by weather and wildlife is Princess Antigone's brother Polyneices. Antigone decides that it is wrong to defy divine will and Theban traditions and that it is right to defy Creon.

It is in moving from getting Antigone released to joining her that Haemon changes his mind in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon meets with his father King Creon. He seeks a pardon for Antigone, his first cousin and bride-to-be. But he switches to leaving and joining her on death row in the face of his father's stubborn refusal to reverse his non-burial edict and its capital punishment.

The ultimate authority in life is the source of conflict between Antigone and Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon believes that he can decide what is best for himself, his city and his people. He does not feel influenced or inhibited by what goes before, around or after him. He in fact is in transition from Antigone's old ways of cherished traditions, divine will and family ties.

It is because she is caught breaking the law that the guard leads Antigone to Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone breaks her uncle King Creon's edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. She is caught in the act of burying and anointing her brother Polyneices. One of the posted sentries leads her into Creon's presence for interrogation and sentencing.

That she is a royal engaged to a royal and raised by a royal is the reason why Antigone dwells with Creon and his household in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone is the eldest daughter of disgraced Theban monarchs Oedipus and Jocasta. She is the direct paternal and maternal descendant of Cadmus, Thebes' founder and first king. She is the niece, subject and ward of her maternal uncle, King Creon, who is the father of her husband-to-be, Prince Haemon.

Which of two conflicting laws to obeyis the main conflict that Antigone faces as the play opens in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone learns that the divinely guaranteed rights of all Thebans to below-ground burials and funeral rites are to become privileges to be respected for some and denied to others. One person who is to be left above ground and exposed to the ravages of the weather and wildlife is her brother Polyneices. She must resolve whether to disobey King Creon's edict, bury Polyneices and be sentenced to death or to disobey divine will, buck Theban traditions, not bury Polyneices and face consequences for all time in the Underworld of the afterlife.