Analysis of Burial at Thebes Essay

Instead of considering the people's interests, he seeks vengeance towards those who have wounded his pride. In fact, he accuses Teiresias, the most insightful messenger in Sophocles' plays, of yielding to greed for material wealth when Teiresias warns Creon of the consequences of his actions. Creon's decision "to use any legal means...both about the dead and [living]" (168) demonstrates how his appetite for revenge ultimately transforms any of his noble intents to protect Thebes into a mere conflict for power, particularly worsened by Antigone's rebellious actions; instead of trusting the gods to punish Polyneices, he uses his authority to indulge in his vengeance.

In Antigone, Sophocles introduces the struggle between loyalty to civil law versus familial loyalty and divine law, which is a central conflict in the play. Antigone has a firm belief in upholding family values and honoring the gods and deceased by burying her brother. In contrast, Creon wants to do what is best for the city which is, in his opinion, forbidding the burial of Polynices. Both Antigone and Creon believe that their point of view is more important, and neither is willing to change perspective, causing the chain of destructive events in the plot. Loyalty causes the deadly dispute between Antigone and Creon because of their conflicting perspectives about precedence.

When a messenger comes to Creon, bringing the news that Antigone has buried her brother, he begins his arguments why Antigone has broken the law. He begins by stating that a man shows what he is made of by his "skill in rule and law." In other words, the law is everything and as a ruler, he must do everything for his country. He considers Polyneices an enemy of the city and a threat to the security of the city as well. Thus Polyneices will be called a traitor in life and in death and dishonored. The scene when Antigone and Creon face each other is the opportunity for both to defend themselves. Creon questions Antigone. She bases her responses on that the city laws proclaiming her as illegal are not the laws of Zeus or laws proclaimed by gods, but rather, laws made by a man that one day will also die. She will honor her brother's death because this is what the gods have proclaimed for all mankind. (lines 460-463)

Antigone’s argument with her sister about her plans to defy the king is the scene that opens the play. From the start, she appears certain that burying Polynices will restore justice when she says, “even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory (Sophocles 86).” She was so sure of the immorality of Creon’s law that she was willing to go to any means necessary to keep her brother from becoming a cautionary tale. In the philosophical statement made by Martin Luther King Jr., he says that, “An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.” Antigone stood alone in defending her brother's honor, and did not waver from her beliefs at any point. She went to great lengths in order to convey her belief that Creon had been unfair in the conviction of Polynices. In doing so, she attempted to awaken the consciences of the other Thebans and prove to them that even though Creon was their leader, they had the ability to voice their concerns about

This quote explains the main conflict of the play. Creon has ordered that Polynices, Antigone’s brother, cannot receive a proper burial because in Creon’s eyes he is a traitor. Polynices fought against his brother to claim the throne of Thebes, the pair ended up killing each other. Tiresias tries to tell Creon that he is wrong to do this because it is angering the gods that he is denying them a body. Tiresias even warns Creon not to be stubborn, “Stubborness/ brands you for stupidity-pride is a crime.” (1137-1138). Pride in Greek tragedies is most often the cause of a characters downfall and Creon is no exception.

The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon's point of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices. He sees Polynices as an enemy to

The play “Antigone” is a tragedy by Sophocles. One main theme of the play is Religion vs. the state. This theme is seen throughout the play. Antigone is the supporter of religion and following the laws of the gods and the king of Thebes, Creon, is the state. In the play Creon has made it against the law to bury Antigone’s brother, something that goes against the laws of the gods, this is the cause of most conflict in the story. This struggle helps to develop the tragic form by giving the reader parts of the form through different characters.

Sophocles symbolizes family over authority by using Antigone and Creon to conflict each other's core beliefs, showing that Antigone is willing to die to honor the love for her family, while Creon is willing to kill to honor and enforce his own authority at any cost. As we see in the story, when Antigone's brothers die, she chooses to bury Polyneices even though she knows this will cost her her life. In the play when Antigone tells her sister what she’s going to do, ismene says, ”But think of the danger! Think what Creon will do! ANTIGONE: Creon is not enough to stand in my way” This shows Antigone represents family for the great lengths she will go to to honor her brother. By contrast, Sophocles paints Creon to symbolize authority through murder of his own bloodline. In the play he plans to kill Antigone for choosing her love for her brother over his rule, and so he plans out her execution although she is family to Creon. The Choragos asks Creon “Do you really intend to steal this girl from your son?,” which then he responds by saying “No; Death will do that for me.” Which shows the reader that Creon is unsympathetic to who Antigone is in relation to him. He disregards the importance of family to uphold his authoritative values. By the end of the play the author has shown us Creon has come to realize his ways have cost him his family, and he regrets his decisions.

Even if he believes he is right and his son should obey him, he doesn’t show an ounce of sympathy for Haemon, who loves Antigone. Creon details his thoughts on the importance of the rule of law over other loyalties, and his belief that to allow any anarchy or, seemingly, freedom would threaten the state. Creon’s method of executing Antigone is interesting. By entombing a living person, Antigone, and denying burial to a dead person, Polynices, Creon’s laws seem to go against common sense, tradition, and nature itself. Creon does not keep a cool head, as a wise leader should, or look for a way to compromise. He is as stubborn as Antigone, as if this were a street fight, he feels he could never back down.

This play is ultimately concerned with one person defying another person and paying the price. Antigone went against the law of the land, set by the newly crowned King Creon. Antigone was passionate about doing right by her brother and burying him according to her religious beliefs even though Creon deemed him a traitor and ordered him to be left for the animals to devour. Creon was passionate about being king and making his mark from his new throne. Although they differed in their views, the passion Creon and Antigone shared for those opinions was the same, they were equally passionate about their opposing views. Creon would have found it very difficult to see that he had anything in common with Antigone however as he appears to be

To begin the tragedy, Creon is an activist for justice, forbidding the burial of the traitor Polynices. Creon wants a proper burial for the loyal Eteocles, reasoning that a traitor and loyal Theban do not deserve the same honors, “never at my hands will the traitor be honored above the patriot” (page 68). Creon’s desire for righteousness is supported by his decree, “and whoever places a friend above the good of his own country, he is nothing: I have no use for him” (page 67). Creon’s decree is made with the intentions of equality and honor. To begin the tragedy, Creon is a just ruler, advocating fairness while holding his citizens accountable by the punishment of death.

The Burial at Thebes, by Seamus Heaney, depicts a Greek play entitled, Antigone. Within the play we find our protagonist, Antigone, and our antagonist, King Creon. In the commencement of the play we are told from Antigone’s sister Ismene their brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, have perished from battle, one a hero, another a traitor. Since Polyneices went against Thebes he was not given a burial, so Antigone swept sand over his body. A guard catches her in the act and immediately sends her to the King. When they arrive the king is furious, and her explanation of doing such an act is because Creon is overstepping his boundaries and trespassing in the laws of the Greek Gods’. Effectively, we are searching for evidence to see if it’s plausible Creon actually wanted Antigone to commit suicide instead of having to take her life himself.

Creon is characterized as an authoritarian tyrannical ruler. He created the law stating that nobody was to bury the body of Polynices because he betrayed the city of Thebes. Creon was right to make his law because Polynices was a turncoat and died on Theban soil. Although his law was harsh, he believed that he was in the right because a villain such as Polynices did not deserve a proper burial. Creon was especially enraged when Antigone disregarded his law because Polynices was her brother, “Oh but I hate it more / when a traitor, caught red-handed, / tries to glorify his crimes (Creon 552-554).”

The main conflict occurs between Antigone, the main protagonist and Creon the antagobrnist. Creons declares that Polynices should not be given a proper burial. Antigone believes that Polynices should be given a proper burial despite his, mischief. There are multiple themes that occur during this story, like free will or corrupt law and order. Antigone believes that authority can blind a person, causing bias and discriminatory ruling because he/she is in a prominent class. Due to Creon's arrogent charcteristic, he didn't take heed to Antigone's opinion which led to theme of tyrant and strict ruleing blinding the person with authority. During the story, he belevied that Polynices needed a improper burial due to his rebellious acts. Antigone

The Burial at Thebes, by Seamus Heaney, depicts a greek play entitled, Antigone. Within the play we find our protagonist, Antigone, and our antagonist, King Creon. In the commencement of the play we are told from Antigone’s sister Ismene their brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, have perished from battle, one a hero and another a traitor. Creon catches wind that Polyneices was a traitor of Thebes and ordered his body not to be buried. Antigone will not stand for him not to be buried because it’s disgraceful, so she takes it upon herself to give him an honorable ceremony by situating sand over his deceased body. A guard catches her in the act and immediately sends her to the king, when they arrive to the king he is furious, and her explanation