Personal Dilemmas: The Tales Of Oedipus And Antigone

Antigone is the sister of Eteocles and Polyneices. Both Eteocles and Polyneices agree to jointly rule Thebes as mutual kings. After one year, Polynices distrusts his brother, resulting in Polyneices fleeing from Thebes, only to later return with an army. In the battle, both sides are massacred. Eteocles and Polyneices kill one another, consequently giving their power up as king to in Creon, Antigone’s uncle. As acting king, Creon orders that, “Eteocles who died as a man should die, fighting for his country, is to be buried with full military honors, with all the ceremony that is usual when the greatest heros die” (Sophocles, line 160). As for Polyneices, Creon passes a law for Polyneices to be left unburied, to rot for every citizen to witness. Antigone viewed this law as immoral and unjust, for one brother to be buried with military honor and not the other. Antigone, expressing her love for Polynices, rises against Creon's higher authority command

Throughout the second half of the play, king Creon and Antigone argue about whether to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial. According to king Creon, Polyneices was a traitor who attempted to burn their city to flames. King Creon even states “He died trying to sack this land, the other in defense (Antigone 518).” Creon thought Polyneices was not worthy and did not deserve to receive a proper burial because he had destroyed his reputation by betraying his own homeland. Additionally, when people are buried, their souls drift on and pass into the afterlife.

She takes it on her own hands to bury her brother, after being caught her and Creon argue. Creon’s physis beliefs further the conflict. Creon has very physis beliefs are the complete opposite to Antigone’s beliefs, he believes that Polyneices is a traitor and does not deserve a proper burial. This clashes with Antigone’s

Antigone and Creon are two characters that may be considered too similar in personalities, which causes some commotion. Both are confident and persistent in their beliefs and will do what they believe is best in their mind. Antigone is guilty in the eyes of the law because she buried her brother, Polynices, a traitor to Thebes, against Creon’s ruling. Creon has banned Polynices’ burial because he fought for power against Thebes and his own brother, Eteocles, who also died in the battle. Eteocles was granted a proper burial for dying in the name of Thebes, but Polynices was not. Antigone is worried about his burial rights because it is her job as a woman in the family to make sure that her brother is buried so he can get to the afterlife

Creon declares that Etocles should be buried with full military honors. However, because he is filled with wrath towards Polyneices for being a traitor, he maliciously decided that Polyneices should not be buried. Antigone was filled with piety and wanted to give her brother a proper burial. Therefore, she transgressed Creon's decree and buried her brother despite the fact that Ismene was against it also. A messenger had then told Creon that someone buried the body and he ordered the messenger to find out who it was, and to bring them to him. The guards unburied the body and hid in a vigil state until they caught Antigone burying the body. She was not afraid when she was presented to Creon for trying to reconcile herself for the calamity by

Creon not allowing Polynecies to have a proper burial is when the real tragedy of the play takes place. As a result of Creon’s orders, Antigone defies him and buries her brother. When Creon discovers what Antigone did, he sentenced her to death.

Antigone is talking to Ismene and telling her all she has heard about the injustice that she has heard that Creon has created. She is very frustrated and wants only to bury her brother so he may have a peaceful afterlife and not go to the underworld or be stuck in purgatory. Creon’s edict stating Polynices cannot be buried under any circumstances is harsh because Creon most likely would have revolted against his brother if he was banish from Thebes just so he wouldn’t have to share the throne. After Antigone gathers up

At the beginning of the play Antigone decides that her morals are more important than civil law. When the play starts off, Antigone’s brothers have just died in battle against each other. One of her brother’s Eteocles has been given full military honors in his burial. While on the other hand, her brother Polyneices has been decreed a traitor. Creon declares that no one is to bury Polyneices or they will be sentenced to death.

In Antigone, Antigone and her sister Ismene return to Thebes in an attempt to reconcile their brothers—Eteocles, who was defending the city and his crown, and Polyneices, who was attacking Thebes. However, both brothers were killed, and their uncle Creon became the king. He forbade burial is the corpse of Polyneices, declaring him a traitor. Antigone, moved by love for her brother and convinced that the command went against the law of the gods, she buried Polyneices secretly. Antigone lines 72-74 “And if I have to die for this pure crime,/ I am content, for I shall rest beside him;/ His love will answer mine”. It was Antigone’s fate to die after burying her brother. It also was her fate to be Oedipus’ daughter/sister.

Similarly to Rosa Parks, Antigone also advocates for fair treatment for her brother, Polyneices. Even though it is not for a large group of people, she is still standing up to the unequal treatment between her two brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices. After having a quarrel, both of Antigone's’ brothers died in battle; however, Creon (the ruler during this time) insisted that only Eteocles will receive a proper burial with many honors, but Polyneices will not because he is a traitor (Antigone.1.15-19). This is unfair because Polyneices fought just as hard and bravely as Eteocles. He also sacrificed his life because of the fight. Antigone, who believes in justice, did not appreciate the fact that Polyneices was not buried because he was in the same circumstances as Eteocles; therefore, they should both receive the same treatment. As a result, Antigone buries Polyneices herself because she is aware of how much both of her brothers sacrificed. Because she wants the her brothers to receive the identical amount of recognition, she stands up for Polyneices and buries him when everyone else was against that idea.

Antigone tells her sister that King Creon has decided that only one of their brothers are getting a proper burial. Outraged, Antigone starts talking about how she was going to get her brothers both a traditional burial because that is what she believes is right. In doing so, Antigone and her sister will be honoring her father by doing this. Her sister is afraid of the repercussions and refuses to have any part of this decision. If you were not to abide by King Creon’s law, you will be stoned to death. The scene continues and Antigone is still trying to convince her sister to help move their brother’s body because he is too heavy

With the strong values Antigone held and her loyalty to her brother, they lead her to behave in an untraditional way by going against the law and orders given by a man.“As long as I live, I will not be ruled by a woman.” (line 525). Creon and Antigone were discussing the burial of Polyneices; Creon did not agree with Antigone that both of her brothers deserved a proper burial. Creon expresses himself with misogynistic language and tried to belittle Antigone to engender her to feel weak, like women were expected to. Refusing to accept that Antigone was right, Creon evaded to show weakness to a woman, in fear of being scrutinized and perceived as less than a man

Upon discovering that it was Antigone who tried to bury Polyneices, Creon sentences her to death. He ultimately decides to seal her alive in a tomb, and just after she is led away to her death, blind seer Teiresias arrives with a message for Creon. He advises that Creon give up his grudge against Polyneices and to no longer keep “from the gods below the child that is theirs” (Sophocles 538). He tells Creon that soon the time would come for him to pay back. Even after all Teiresias counsels, Creon is self-absorbed in his words and is insistent that what he is doing is right. However, after Teiresias has said all he came to say, Creon considers changing his mind. It is then suggested by Choragos that Creon free Antigone and bury Polyneices. In this conversation with Choragos, Creon at last experiences an anagnorisis. Sophocles describes, “It is hard to deny the heart! But I Will do it: I will not fight with destiny….I will go. Bring axes, servants: Come with me to the tomb. I buried her, I Will set her free. Oh quickly! My mind misgives -- The laws of the gods are mighty, and a man must serve them To the last days of his life!” (Sophocles 539). Here, Creon finally realizes that he has no place to prohibit Polyneices’ burial, nor to punish Antigone for attempting to put her brother to rest. Despite all of this, Creon is too late when he arrives at Antigone’s vault, and as a

Creon: The King of Thebes with his Queen Eurydice and father to Haemon. Creon decrees only the one brother, Eteocles, should be buried traditionally and the other one Polyneices should be left for the birds and animals to finish off. However, Antigone wants to bury her brother deemed a traitor, he imprisoned her only to anger the gods and the people. He is constantly influenced by the Chorus on what he should do, but when he decided to let her go he found out that Antigone killed herself. Some characters fear him, other hate his beliefs and some, the chorus, praise him. Near the end of the play Creon tries to do right by his son and others by releasing Antigone after giving Polyneices a proper burial.

Antigone went against Creon’s law to stand up and carry out her beliefs by giving Polyneices the burial he deserved. Creon decided to bury Eteocles and not Polynices, since he put the town of Thebes is danger. Antigone, despite her lack of ability to create a change due to her gender, did not like this decision, and wanted to give her brother the burial he deserved. She had the thought to bury him from the start when she asked Ismene, “Is he not my brother, and yours, whether you like it or not? I shall never desert him, never” (39-40). Antigone is brave enough to fight against Creon’s laws even though she does not have equal rights, because she is determined for her brother to be lifted to the gods. Her spirit forces her actions despite the consequences she will have to face if she got caught. She does not care if she has to face death, if that is what it takes for her brother to get his rights, she will not stop until it occurs. When she gets caught, she does not cave in and apologize for her actions. She spoke her mind and said, “This punishment will not be any pain. Only if I let my mother’s son lie their unburied, then I couldn’t have borne it” (391-393). She believes her brother deserves to be buried and she will do anything in her ability to help him. No matter what