Polynices

occurring. Imagine if the President of the United States’s brother raised an army, fought a gruesome war with the United States, and is declared a traitor, as what similarly happened with Polynices. If this play was set in a democracy where the people vote by majority rule to ban the burial of this traitor Polynices, would Antigone’s actions, still conflicting with the laws of the state, be just or would the majority decision be just? Antigone confesses her actions, admitting that she…

tragedies Antigone, touches on several timeless ideals in society, and how the lack of one and excess of another can result in dire ramifications. It follows the story of Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, a rebellious young woman who decides to give Polynices, her brother, proper burial rites after a battle, in defiance of the law decreed by Creon, the King. One of the topics that the Greek dramatist touches on is powerlessness and the resulting lack of choice. A quotation in the book that portrays…

Antigone has prompted the view that the play is extremely enigmatic. It is a passage that has been read with astonishment and demands detailed explanation. In her speech, Antigone provides what appears to be a reason for her burying her brother Polynices against the orders of her uncle and King, Creon. Antigone claims, however, that she would not have deliberately violated Creon’s command had this order prohibited her from burying her own child or husband. Her claim, therefore, is a mater of…

downfall and suffering from the death of his loved ones. Pride is seen even before the play starts with Oedipus' sons, who were too prideful because they did not agree on the next ruler of the city of Thebes; Eteocles wanted to rule, as well as Polynices. Instead, Eteocles and…

reward” for “[honoring] [Polynices]...well and wisely too” (963, 968-969, 993-995). In one sense of honor, Antigone didn’t receive recognition from the elders of the community, Tiresias, nor the gods, but instead received only condemnation from Creon and discouragement from Ismene. However, in the other sense of honor, Sophocles uses the fact that Antigone didn’t get public honor to emphasize the personal honor that Antigone must have…

were to act for her own benefit. This error in judgement is what causes her to disrespect others for no logical reason, which causes her downfall. Antigone is then sent to serve her punishment and she says, “It was by this service to your body, Polynices, I earned the punishment which I now suffer…”…

of the play and forfeited to illustrate many of these issues. The synopsis of the story begins after two brothers (Eteocles and Polynices) died while fighting each other over the throne of Thebes. According to King Creon, Polynices was to be punished for illegally assuming power over the Throne that rightfully belonged to Eteocles. Therefore, the King ordered for Polynices not to be buried; rather his body was to be left and rot in the battlefield. However, Antigone defied the order and buried…

play begins in the royale house of Thebes where Antigone is going through the loss and coming to accept the deaths of her two brothers Eteocles and Polynices, who have killed each other in battle. In the advent of the battle, their uncle Creon became the new king of Thebes and to Antigone’s disheartenment, learns that her very own brother, Polynices, will not be allowed a proper burial of any…

illustrates the ancient Greek ideal of theatre, specifically concerning plays of the tragic genre. The play opens with Antigone and Ismene discussing the death of their two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. Because Eteocles fought for Thebes and Polynices fought against it, Creon made a decree stating that Polynices…

Underworld together. Immediately upon Ismene’s refusal to help her, Antigone states that she will bury Polynices, but stops to tell Ismene, “Go on insulting what the gods hold dear.” (Sophocles and Woodruff, p4) She remarks to Ismene that because she will live longer in the Underworld than among men, she’d do better to obey the laws of the gods rather than the mandate of Creon. Her decision to give Polynices his last rites, though driven by the fear of the gods’ anger, portrayed Antigone as a…