Antigone

That no one believes her guilty is the reason why no one allows Ismene to share in Antigone's guilt in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon points out that his niece, Princess Ismene, has a lifelong track record of not being foolish. The chorus does not seem to believe Ismene's last-minute claim to being an accessory if not a participant in burying her brother Polyneices. Additionally, executing an innocent person comes down to murder, which is seriously offensive to both gods and mortals in ancient Greece.

That each one is relentless, stubborn and uncompromisingis the main reason why Antigone and Creon cannot resolve their conflict in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone and King Creon are related to each other as uncle to niece. In addition to common ancestors, they have similarly dominating, unreconciling personalities that make it difficult for them to get along. For example, Antigone and Creon never let anything pass and never let go of what gets their attention. They just never make room for the flow of ideas and opinions other than their own.

A dead Antigone and an angry Haemon are what Creon finds at the stone chamber in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon climbs to the remote cave in which his niece Princess Antigone is buried alive. He expects to pardon his niece and release her from her deathly prison. Instead, he finds Antigone hanging dead from the halter of her own dress. He is greeted by an angry Prince Haemon, his only surviving child and Antigone's husband-to-be. Haemon tries unsuccessfully to kill his father but succeeds in killing himself.

It is as the struggle over the separation of churchand state that the struggle of protagonist against antagonist best can be described in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the struggle deals with the ultimate authority as divine or royal in earthly life. Theban Princess Antigone defends the dominance of the gods in personal and professional life. In contrast, her uncle Creon maintains that he can issue an edict that is more pertinent and effective than divine will and Theban traditions. He therefore separates religious from government power as much as his niece fuses them.
The union or separation of church and state is a way of best describing the struggle of protagonist against antagonist in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone as the protagonist is the main character who is the heroic doer of great deeds. She makes it clear that the ultimate authority in life and death are the gods. In contrast, King Creon as the antagonist opposes influence, input or intervention of any kind in his godless government.

That mortals can be defeated by death and by divine wrathis the meaning of the second ode in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus begins with praises for human achievements and domination over nature and wildlife. But the members caution about two challenges to mortal powers. One is death, from which there is no escape. Another is foolishness in regard to divine and royal laws.

That her feelings are with dead family members is the reason why Antigone says that she is a stranger in her own land in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone makes the above mentioned observation while she processes to her execution by live burial. From the beginning of the play, she mentions that her overriding concern is her reunion with her family in the Underworld of the afterlife. She sacrifices her life because she loves the departed more than the living.

An edict on non-burial of the disloyal Theban dead is the law that Creon passes in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues a royal edict by which below ground burials are given only to Theban loyalists. Exposure above ground to weather and wildlife is the way in which the enemy Argive and the disloyal Theban dead bodies are to be treated. But Creon's edict contradicts divine guarantees to all Thebans of below ground burials and proper funeral rites.

Because his edict violates divine law and because the chorus leader wonders whether Polyneices' burial is the work of the gods, Creon becomes angry in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon issues an edict that respects god-given guarantees of below-ground burials only for loyalists such as Eteocles and denies them to perceived traitors such as Polyneices. Because he moves into the realm where royal powers end and divine will prevails, Creon is filled with anger at the suggestion that the gods are having done what he is forbidding to be done. Additionally, Creon may be feeling quite defensive since he is in the wrong: the brothers fight and kill each other because Creon supports Eteocles' refusal to honor a legal, joint royal power-sharing arrangement with twin brother Polyneices.

Because he considers her presence polluting Creon chooses to bury Antigone alive in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Princess Antigone breaks a recently issued Theban law for which the penalty is death by her fellow Thebans pelting her with stones. But King Creon considers his niece a troublemaker whose presence pollutes the Theban environment. He therefore revises the sentence to death by being walled up in a dark, remote, scary cave.

Yes, the play "Antigone" is a work of fiction in the sense that the actions and the dialogue are the product of the imagination of Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, it is unknown whether Sophocles' story is based on actual places, people and events. The only information on Theban Princess Antigone and her family comes from works of fiction meant to entertain and instruct cultured audiences in ancient Greece. But Sophocles' birth place was Colonus, the death place of Antigone's father. His adult life was spent in Athens, where the story of the Theban royal house was well known. Antigone's story therefore was either purely a popular work of fiction or one based on fact.

The attitude and personality of Sophocles (495 B.C.E.* - 406 B.C.E.) may be seen through the comments of the chorus. At first, the chorus is supportive of Theban King Creon. They respond to the King's decreed non-burial of the enemy dead with the comment that Creon "...hast power...to take what order thou will, both for the dead, and for all in who live." Next, they express disquiet over the illegal burial of Polyneices with the question, "O king, my thoughts have long been whispering, can this deed, perchance, be e'en the work of gods?" Then they become cautious in the face of death's inevitability, and the remembrance of both manmade laws and god-given justice.

The chorus always take a judgmental stance regarding Antigone, because of her inflexible passion and rash, foolhardy speech. They go on to being observant of the nature of divine and human interactions: "Nothing that is vast enters into the life of mortals without a curse." They even may be said to see mortals as the toy of the gods to be tempted, cursed, and punished. Indeed, their matter-of-fact observation is coupled with an agreeing to the importance of obedience, and to the replaceability and questionable nature of women.

The attitude of the chorus becomes conciliatory over the conversation between Theban King Creon and his son Haemon. They note, "...on both parts there hath been wise speech." But it quickly shifts to warning against the "fierce" passions of youth regarding Haemon, the stubbornness regarding the King, and the inexorable workings of fate particularly in response to pride.

Yes, the setting of the play "Antigone" can be different.

Specifically, the concerns that the play addresses are timeless in when they can take place. They also are universal in where they can take place. So just about any time period, set or location may be used.

It is Antigone who has a stronger case than Creon in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone defends cherished Theban traditions of below ground burials. She has right on her side because she is consistent as opposed to Creon's prejudicial objecting to traditions that he dislikes and observing those that he likes. Additionally, the right of a below ground burial is being denied to the body of Antigone's brother Polyneices, the rightful occupant of the Theban throne.

The white shield is an example of a symbol in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, a symbol describes the representation of something abstract for something concrete. The description fits the white shield that is mentioned in the parados. The white shield is a concrete representation of the Argive nation that supports Polyneices' legitimate claim to the Theban throne.

That it is trouble is what the chorus believes about love in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the chorus makes observations about love in regard to the interaction between Creon and Haemon. The members note that Haemon is all caught up in his love for his first cousin and bride-to-be, Princess Antigone. They observe that love does not lead to the best decision making.

Whether or not to speak one's mind is what the internal conflicts are about in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, the sentry explains what he and his colleagues go through in deciding what to say or not regarding the burial of Polyneices' exposed body. Prince Haemon has to figure out what to say or not regarding Antigone's death sentence. Teiresias must work out what to say or not regarding Creon's illegal edict and the city's pestilential environment.

What to do about Antigone and how royal decisions are to be reached are what Creon and Haemon argue about in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Prince Haemon believes that Antigone, his first cousin and bride-to-be, is correct in burying her brother Polyneices despite his father's non-burial law to the contrary. He considers effective decision-making as respecting not only the wisdom of the older and more experienced but also the fresh insights of the young and less experienced. In contrast, Creon denigrates Antigone's right to independent actions and opinions as a woman. He insists that the most effective ruler decides on his own about all things for all people.

It is the rigid body language that reflects Creon's status as king in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon is determined and focused in his kingship. He lets no impact, opinions or precedents guide or influence him and his laws. The rigid, uncompromising, unyielding stance that he assumes physically and verbally reflect the narrow and stubborn focus of his kingship as a newly ascended king who remains unfamiliar with the give and take, the ups and downs implicit in any rule over time.

That she is the cursed daughter of a cursed royal house and that her fate is to die in defense of her family and gods is Antigone's self-awareness in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone calls herself the cursed daughter of cursed parents, disgraced Theban monarchs Oedipus and Jocasta. She also considers herself the cursed direct maternal and paternal descendant of the cursed royal house of Labdacus so offensive to Dionysos the wine god. She is aware that her fate is to die in defense of her family and divine law even though the gods are supposed to be the ultimate authority in life and death.

That she is presented with two choices, each of which lead to death, is the way in which fate brings about Antigone's downfall in "Antigone" by Sophocles (496 B.C.-406 B.C.).

Specifically, Theban Princess Antigone hears that her brother Polyneices' body will be be left above-ground to the desecrations of weather and wildlife. She may honor the recent Theban law which condones this sacrilege. Or she may obey the ancient divine law which condemns the desecration and guarantees below-ground burials and funereal rites to all Thebans.

Respecting Thebes' illegal law allows Antigone to live out her life in this world, but not in the underworld of the afterlife. Respecting eternal, divine law will result in her execution by her uncle, Theban King Creon, for disobeying his law. But it will gain her admission into the underworld.

Yes, the chorus agrees with Creon's final statement in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, disgraced Theban King Creon accepts blame for the deaths of his son Prince Haemon and his wife Queen Eurydice. He blames his own reckless foolishness for an upcoming miserable fate. The chorus notes that foolish challenges to the gods catch and trip mortals up when they are old and will feel their divinely ordained miserable punishment the most.

Unforgiving laws and swift punishment are what Creon believes justice to be in "Antigone" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.).

Specifically, Theban King Creon assumes royal responsibilities as the closest, most eligible, sole surviving member of the Theban royal family. He does so in the aftermath of the bloody first civil war over the Theban royal succession. He feels the need to discourage future challenges to his authority. He sees the most effective approach as the harsh justice of strict laws and swift executions. He thinks that punishment of Theban rebels must be on the same vindictive level as that of enemy invaders.