Antigone

Andrea Berkova

Dr. Maureen Goldstein

DSSGE 200

11 February 2012

Antigone by Sophocles: True Tragedy

The tragic story where Creon is the ruler of Thebes. Oedipus's sons, Eteocles and Polynices, had shared the rule jointly until they quarreled, and Eteocles merged with Creon and Polynices expelled. Polynices found allies abroad and went to a foreign army against his native city. Both brothers died in mutual combat and Creon became the king of Thebes. Polynices`s corpse left Thebans unburied because he has committed treason. If anyone is caught burying him, they will be killed. Antigone, daughter of Oedipus fight to bury her brother Polyneices against the edict of her uncle, Creon, the new king of Thebes. It is a story that pits the law of the gods—"unwritten law"—against the laws of humankind, family ties against civic duty, and man against woman (Antigone).

One day in the morning when Antigone was walking with her sister Ismene through the palace, and Antigone was trying to persuade her sister to bury their dead brother; Polynices. Ismene refused it because she did not want to resist her uncle Creon who Polynices`s funeral banned on pain of death. Her beliefs in The laws that the gods hold in honor are far more important than those set by the king. (Antigone 91-92). Creon appeared and told to people that after a mutual fratricide between the last two Oedipus`s sons he was becoming their king. So, the main conflict in the play is portrayed through the unsettled argument between Antigone and Creon. Both of Creon and Antigone have a fatal flaw in their character that leads to this conflict. Antigone is in despaired need to a noble death so she insists on burying the corpse of her brother despite her knowledge of the penalty of death for such act. On the other hand Creon also insists on punishing Antigone even she is his niece and also his son future wife which brings us his hamartia which is excessive pride and rashness.

Creon published ban on Polynices`s...