Antigone

An ever strengthened desire to do the deed is the effect of Ismene's reply to Antigone's appeal for help in burying their brother Polyneices in the play "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Creon, King of Thebes and uncle to the Princesses Antigone and Ismene, refuses to honor god-given guarantees of proper burials and funerary rites to all Thebes. One of the Thebans so affected is the princesses' disloyal dead brother Polyneices. Antigone wants to go ahead and bury Polyneices, Ismene tries to talk her out of it, and Antigone becomes ever more determined to do the deed and to insult Ismene for having a different opinion.

Creon does not order Antigone to be locked in a vault in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues an edict that his niece, Princess Antigone, violates. The sentence is death from being pelted with stones thrown by her fellow Thebans. He commutes the sentence to life imprisonment by being walled up in a remote cave. It is Creon's hope that once out of the public sight, Antigone will not serve as a rebellious example to others and will cease to pollute the environment with her contrary behavior and insubordinate ways.

Teiresias represents wisdom in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. -- 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Teiresias the blind prophet is Thebes' wisest resident. He is respected for what he knows about the past, present and future of all things Thebans. But he also is esteemed for what he figures out from skilled reading of divine will in ritual bird sacrifices.

That he is losing control is what Creon's accusing Ismene indicates in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon says that his niece, Princess Ismene, has a lifelong track record of behaving wisely. But he ends up accusing her of joining with her sister, Princess Antigone, in breaking the royal edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. In contrast, he describes Antigone as engaging in lifelong folly. He careens out of control under the stress of the recently ended civil war and opposition among Thebans to his rule. He therefore accuses Ismene when he has no grounds other than that she looks upset, which well she may just given daily life in Thebes under King Creon.

It is the relationship of niece to uncle that is revealed in the scene between Antigone and Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon calls Princess Antigone his closest living blood relative. He describes her as his sister's child. But it is not until Ismene, Antigone's sister and Creon's niece, shows up that Antigone also is identified as Creon's intended daughter-in-law engaged to his only surviving son and heir apparent, Prince Haemon.

That she seems to add an element of ironic regret to her rebellion is the way in which Antigone's manner changes in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone keeps up her attitude of rebellion against royal trespass into divine domains of responsibility. She may exhibit less determination than anger in her first interaction with her sister Ismene. She may express equal amounts of anger and determination in her interaction with King Creon and in her second interaction with Ismene. But by the time that she processes to her death, Antigone moves from determination mixed with angry comments about Creon to an almost ironic regret about dying because she defends divine will.

It is by attempting to bury her brother despite posted guards that Antigone is caught dusting Polyneices' bodyin "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Polyneices' body is left above ground instead of being honored with the below-ground burial promised by the gods to all Thebans. Theban Princess Antigone does not have the strength to bury her brother other than partially, which involves covering all body parts with a layer of dust. She does so once before guards are posted to prevent such acts and again afterwards, at which point she is arrested in the act.

Polyneices' burial, Antigone's trial and Teiresias' prediction are three major events in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the burial of Polyneices is a major event because it activates the conflict between Theban Princess Antigone and King Creon. Antigone's trial is a second major event because it sets in motion the fatal responses of Antigone, Prince Haemon and Queen Eurydice to Antigone's live burial and suicide. Teiresias' prediction is a third major event because it starts up the process of reversing the non-burial edict and overthrowing Creon.

Yes, "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.) is a tragedy.

Specifically, a tragedy describes the unfortunate turn or end to the life of the main character. The description fits the story of the life and times of Theban King Oedipus. He starts the play at the top of his game in personal happiness and professional success. But fate and mistakes ultimate trip him up and deprive him of wife, sight, reputation, job and home.

That it is against divine law not to bury him and that she wants to be welcomed by her family and respected by the gods in the Underworld of the afterlife are the reasons why Antigone wishes to bury Polyneices in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, all Thebans have god-given rights to below-ground burials and funeral rites. But Theban Princess Antigone's brother Polyneices is being denied those rights by an illegal royal edict issued by his uncle, King Creon. His body therefore will be left above ground and exposed to weather and wildlife unless Antigone disobeys Creon's law and carries out the provisions of divine law and Theban traditions.

Insults followed by reluctant acceptance is Creon's response to Teiresias' advice in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues the turns Theban rights to below-ground burials and funeral rites into differentially applied privileges. Birds and dogs therefore eat the flesh and drink the blood of the unburied dead. Teiresias the blind prophet tells Creon to bury his nephew Polyneices and to free his niece Antigone, whom he sentences to death for burying his brother. Creon accuses Teiresias of being paid to say what he says and refuses to reverse his acts until counseled to do so by the chorus leader.

That the law conflicts with divine law is the reason that Antigone gives Creon for disobeying his orders in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone says that burial and funeral rites are promised by the gods to all Thebans. She says that she must choose obedience to divine law over human law because the gods, not mortals, rule this world and the afterlife. Breaking a human law means death in this world whereas breaking a divine law has consequences in both this world and the afterlife.

To develop Antigone's emotional arc is Creon's objective in actor's terms in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the term emotional arc describes a path of emotional growth and often spiritual awareness of a character. People and situations may activate this growth. Through the arc the character receives significant insights.

Arrogance, foolhardiness or stubbornness may be seen as Creon's tragic flaw in issuing an illegal royal edict in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon shows arrogance, or an exaggerated sense of self, when he issues an edict that contradicts divine will and Theban traditions. He manifests foolhardiness when he deliberately defies the gods, whom he appears to think he can emulate or beat at their own game. He expresses stubbornness every step of the way in standing behind his edict until loss, pain and suffering are about to descend upon his own household.

That he is as much the victim of his own choices as he is of fate is an assessment of Oedipus at the end of "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Oedipus has some behavior patterns that lead to questionable choices. For example, a rumor of his parentage and hedging answers by his presumed parents send him running off to the Delphic Oracle. The oracle says that Oedipus will kill his father and marry his mother. So Oedipus runs away from home, kills a man who looks to be an older version of himself, does not engage in cleansing rituals for the killing, and marries a woman old enough to be his mother. Ultimately, he discovers that the prophecy comes true and that his own choices contribute to the fulfillment of that prophecy every step that he thinks to be a distancing from that miserable fate.

Appearing weak is Creon's greatest fear as king in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon emerges quite scathed from the overthrow of disgraced King Oedipus and from the civil war between Oedipus' twin sons and heirs, Eteocles and Polyneices. He is reluctant to engage in further controversy and conflict. He thinks that a strong rule by one strong authority figure is necessary to keep him from appearing weak and being vulnerable to challenge.

Whom to obey is the conflict between Antigone and Ismene in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone considers divine will the ultimate in law and the gods the ultimate in authority figures. In contrast, her sister Princess Ismene looks to the more immediate authority of their uncle King Creon and his laws. She understandably shudders at the thought of confronting her daunting uncle and his equally daunting death sentences to violators of his laws.

It is because she considers it an illegal law that Antigone commits civil disobedience in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone finds out that her uncle King Creon is issuing an edict of non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead. Antigone looks at the particular law as not legal at all. She maintains that all Thebans have divinely sanctioned rights that cannot be denied by any mortal, not even by a king.

That opposing opinions can be insightful and that Antigone has the gods, reason and Thebes on her side are among Haemon's arguments to defend his future bride in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon argues that policies benefit from the insights of different opinions and from analysis of their impacts. He insists that Princess Antigone, his betrothed and beloved first cousin, is incorrect in honoring the gods, burying her brother Polyneices and questioning Creon's edict of non-burial. He maintains that he, the gods and all Thebes are on Antigone's side.

That the king must rule in the way that best protects the city's welfare but royal laws must not thwart divine will orTheban traditions is the public's opinion of the law in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, public opinion is expressed through the chorus, the chorus leader, ThebanPrince Haemonand Teiresias the blind prophet. All of them start from the people's perspective that King Creon holds their city together through trying times. But Creon actually foreshadows popular opposition by announcing at the beginning that behind his back he has enemies to his rule and critics of his law. The royal suspicion is not back up by rebellious acts other than Antigone's. But it is backed up by Haemon's and Teiresias' conversations and by the observations of the chorus and its leader.

That his niece already is dead, that his son tries to kill him and that his son then kills himself is what happens when Theban King Creon goes to rescue Theban Princess Antigone in the play "Antigone" by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Creon recognizes the lament of his son, Theban Prince Haemon, from within the opening to the previously walled-up entrance to the cave in which Antigone is buried alive. He sees Haemon next to Antigone's body hanging from the noose made from her own clothing. He sidesteps Haemon's angry charge with sword drawn and then witnesses his son's suicide.