Did you ever consider that in the past stories had applicable morals to modern life. In Antigone written in or before 441 BC by Sophocles, there are many applicable moral that go from love to death situations. The story begins with Tiresias, a man that was cursed to kill his father and marry his mother and eventually have kids with his own mother. Tiresias was rejected, later on coming back to kill his biological father and leading him to marry his biological mother. Tiresias eventually found out and was ashamed, he cut his eyes out and left to die. Even though he was caught by the cursed and was punished the curse seemed to never go away and punished his own kids. He had two sons and two daughters. His two sons wanted his throne leading them to battle each other and kill each other. Leaving the throne empty and their sister alone. The closest male in the family was left to take over the throne. Creon made a law declaring that no one was to bury Polyneices, since he killed some people of the kingdom. On the other hand Antigone, Polyneices sister believes that everyone should have a proper burial and that it was unfair, later on deciding to bury him. Which lead to the stories cliffhanger, making it continue.
The main reason Antigone lead to greater events is because she was a rebel and the first to speak up.
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Antigone was going to marry Haemon, Creon’s son until she was actually sentenced to death by Creon. Creon’s wife Eurydice was upset with what Creon did with there niece. Eurydice and Haemon later on commited suicide. Haemon by a sword and his mother by stabbing herself in the stomach. All this death made Creon suffer and lead Creon to take his own life as well. Antigone’s death lead to all of this, because Creon wasn’t wise enough to realize the injustice he made. All this because he wanted everything for himself and not the
Oedipus accidentally killed his father and married his mother. Because of that act, Oedipus ended up cursing his family and died a horrible death. After his death, his sons inherited his kingdom and in a power struggle ended up killing each other. One of the sons, Polynices attacked the city to try and claim power from his brother. But since both of the brothers died and the city was not taken Polynices was labeled as a traitor whereas the other brother who died defending the city was celebrated as a hero. Creon decreed at the beginning of the play Antigone that no one was to bury the body of traitorous Polynices. Antigone felt that it was here responsibility to bury the body because he was still a member of her family. This led to a huge argument with Creon who felt he shouldn’t be crossed because he was the leader of the state. Eventually both Creon and Antigone are destroyed by the gods (and by each other) through their own actions.
The hubris resonating throughout the play, ‘Antigone’ is seen in the characters of Creon and Antigone. Their pride causes them to act impulsively, resulting in their individual downfalls. In his opening speech, Creon makes his motives clear, that “no man who is his country’s enemy shall call himself my friend.” This part of his declaration was kept to the letter, as he refused burial for his nephew, Polynices. However, when the situation arises where it is crucial that Creon takes advice, he neglects the part of the speech where he says “a king... unwilling to seek advice is damned.” This results in Creon’s tragic undoing.
The play Antigone can be summarized by the following: King Creon lets it be known that Polyneices the traitor is not to be buried, but his sister Antigone defies the order because of the values she holds. She is caught, and sentenced by Creon to be buried alive - even though she is to be married to his son Haemon. After the blind prophet Tiresias proves that the gods are on Antigone's side, Creon changes his mind - but too late. He goes first to bury Polyneices, but Antigone has already hanged herself. When Creon arrives at the tomb, Haemon attacks him and then kills himself. When the news of their death is reported, Creon's wife Eurydice takes her own life. Creon ends up being all alone due to the fact that his family members took their own lives. Creon blames himself for all of these tragedies occurring, mainly because it was his wrong doings that caused them.
Each human being is born different, therefore they will have different opinions, ideals, and beliefs. They represent who they are as an individual. Some say a person believing in something and sticking to it will probably destroy them in the end. In certain situations, not giving up on one’s principles can cost them their life or can ruin them emotionally and mentally. In Sophocles story of Antigone, one witnesses characters having different beliefs on one situation that leads to their downfall. Antigone, Creon, and Haemon come from a royal family where chaos and tragedy are released from the folds of their beliefs.
The main source of conflict between Antigone and Creon is the issue of the burial of Antigone’s dead brother. Both of her brothers were killed in battle, however one brother fought against their home city and was considered a traitor. Creon issued a law that whoever tries to bury this man will be put to death. Antigone is very upset because her one brother is graced with all the rites of a hero while the other is disgraced.
To begin, in Antigone, Eteocles is given an appropriate burial, however Creon, who has inherited the throne, has released a new law banning a burial of Polyneices, who he believes was a traitor. Antigone does not listen and follows the laws of the Gods instead, deciding to bury her brother anyway, and unfortunately she ends up getting caught. When Creon locks her away, she hangs herself, triggering Haemon, Creon’s son who is in love with Antigone, to stab himself. Which in effect causes Creon’s wife, also Haemon’s mother, to kill herself. Creon then finds himself alone resulting in his downfall.
Because of the sheer power of death and the impact it has on the lives of loved ones, people’s actions can potentially change, and suddenly be filled with passion for their late loved one. This is most definitely the case with Antigone after one of her brother’s deaths in Thebes. The idea of Polyneices not getting a proper burial was unfathomable to Antigone, as he was her brother, and she felt as if he should be treated in the same manner as other deceased individuals. Thus, since Antigone abides by principal, her primary motivation to bury Polyneices is to provide him with a traditional commemoration of life, like Antigone believes everyone deserves and like religious obligation dictates. Likewise, the fact that one of her brothers, Eteocles,
By Antigone killing herself, she disobeys Creon not only in the burial of her brother but by killing herself instead of him executing her. She shows him that he cannot control her and will have her own path to Hades (Johnston 183). Even though Antigone, Ismene, and Creon all feel like they have made the right decision, their choices were catastrophic. Antigone dies, Ismene is left alone forever knowing she did not do anything to help her family, and Creon loses his family and complete power of everything (Galens and Spampinato). The conflict between Antigone and Creon is important because it shows how significant responsibilities are to your family and to the public (Johnston 184).
In the awe-inspiring play of Antigone, Sophocles introduces two remarkable characters, Antigone and Creon. A conflict between these two obstinate characters leads to fatal consequences for themselves and their kindred. The firm stances of Creon and Antigone stem from two great imperatives: his loyalty to the state and her dedication to her family, her religion but most of all her conscience. The identity of the tragic hero of this play is still heavily debated. This tragedy could have been prevented if it had not been for Creon's pitiful mistakes.
At the beginning of the play, Antigone is upset about a decree Creon, the king, made (190). The decree states that her brother, Polyneices, was not allowed to be buried, because Creon believes that Polyneices was a “traitor who made war on his country” (211). Antigone has a very strong love for her brother and the gods, therefore she believes Polyneices deserves a proper burial according to the laws of the gods (192). Antigone says to Ismene that she [Antigone] will go against Creon’s decree-which states that if anyone buries Polyneices they will be killed (190). Antigone is extremely angry with Creon for creating the decree, to the point where she decides to make a big deal about the burial, instead of lying low and doing it in secret (192). Antigone even tells Ismene to “Tell everyone!” that she [Antigone] buried Polyneices when everyone finds out, and not keep it a secret-although Ismene doesn’t listen (193). Antigone’s decision not to do the bur...
In “Antigone” by Sophocles it can be argued that family morals overpower the law on mankind. This is exhibited through three main factors. The first factor takes place when Antigone tries to give her brother a proper burial even though this has been made illegal and the punishment is death. The next factor are the gods. The law of the gods is that different of mankind and believe that Polyneices needs a proper burial.
Antigone was a brave woman and knew she was going to be punished if she buried Polyneices, but regardless of the consequences, she did it anyways. "But if I am to die before my time, I count that a gain: for when any one lives, as I do, compassed about with evils, can such an one find aught but gain in death?" Said Antigone. Shortly, after Antigone is sealed in a cave, she commits suicide. The tragic events continue and her fiance, Haemon tries to kill his father, Creon but stabs himself instead. Which leaves Creon, who then is no more than a dead man. His wife, Eurydice also commits suicide after she hears about her son. In the end, Creon is left in distress and sorrow because of his cruel behavior with his loved
In Kierkegaard’s existentialism, there is personal, aesthetic, duty, ethical duty, and religious duty to god. Within this existentialism, two important categories of people emerge, the knight of faith and the tragic hero. The knight of faith will relinquish his ethical duty for his religious duty, a course of action that demands blind faith. The tragic hero will surrender his personal duty for his ethical duty, an undertaking that we can all truly understand. Antigone, by Jean Anouilh, is a tragedy in which each of the main characters, Antigone and Creon, take actions similar to those of a knight of faith or tragic hero. Antigone is a member of the royal family, who ends being sentenced to death because she believes that her brother’s body
The main source of conflict between Antigone and Creon is the issue of the burial of Antigone's dead brother, Polyneices. Both of her brothers were killed in battle; however one brother fought against their home city and was considered a traitor. Creon issued a law that whoever tried to bury Polyneices would be put to death. Antigone is very upset because her one brother is graced with all the rites of a hero, while the other is disgraced. Antigone is determined to bury her brother because of her loyalty to her family and to the gods. She believes that no mortal, such as Creon, has the right to keep her from her own. Even if Antigone must die during the burial, she will not disgrace the laws of the gods. She believes that she has to please to dead before she pleases the living.
At first, Creon reacts to the prophet’s cautions by accusing Tiresias of taking bribes and only doing this for money. Creon at the end understood his mistakes and decided that he will change and will unshackle Antigone himself, and he says, “I and my better judgment/ have come round to this- I shackled her,/I’ll set her free myself.” (1234-236). Creon realized the divine law which Tiresias represented is most important that civil law. Even though Creon changed, he was to late. Eurydice, Creon’s wife stabbed herself in the heart when she learned the terrible outcome of her son, Haemon. He committed suicide after seeing his fiancé, Antigone’s, dead body hang in the tomb. Creon understood that it was his actions that caused the death of three of his family member’s as he says, “ Ai, dead lost to the world, not through your stupidity, no, my own.”