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Oedipus and Antigone

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Truth in the Eyes of Justice
Greek theater encompassed many aspects that reflected the moral values and ideals of society. Their customs were tightly woven into the scripts of plays. Antigone and Oedipus the King, two renowned works of the Greek playwright Sophocles, explore these values through a plot thick with corruption, virtue, and determination. These plays reveal the burdens two Theban kings, Oedipus and Creon, as their lies and poor judgment corrode the integrity of their city, their families and themselves. Possessing a strong faith in their respective gods, the characters of these Greek plays are often led astray as they try to escape the twisted hand of fate, further warping their perception of reality. As their vain …show more content…

When the blind prophet tells him that his decision will destroy him, he agrees to diverge from his original decree. However, he finds it too late for…“dreadful is the mysterious power of fate, there is no deliverance from it by wealth or by war, by fenced city, or dark, sea-beaten ships” (Sophocles 138). Creon’s defiance leaves his family in ruins. His own son, Haemon, tries to kill him for taking the life of his bride. Unable to kill Creon, Haemon turns his sword upon himself. Creon’s wife, Eurydice, then kills herself unable to bear the loss of her son. Creon’s refusal to be a just leader destroys him completely, showing man’s inability to escape from their atrocious acts. There is little difference between roles of fate and karma. Fate dooms from the beginning and karma acts as the hand of justice delivering a fate fit for their crimes. In desperation, the people of Greece turned to the gods for salvation.
The gods offer strict rules and morals to which the characters of Oedipus the King and Antigone adhere. The people of ancient Greece allow the gods to govern many aspects of their lives. Their fate, destiny, and the right to rule fall into the hands of their gods. All problems or questions are presented to the gods in prayer and answered through an oracle or prophet. Their wisdom is nearly absolute and their decrees are the unwritten law. Sophocles develops his characters to

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