Antigone

One of my favorite plays!!...for all those people who will never read the whole version... :)

Being a human, we all have notions of right and wrong. However, what happens when the line of distinction gets blurred and ‘right’ no longer feels right anymore? Such is the dilemma faced by the characters of Sophocle’s three Theban plays. The three plays are titled, Oedipus the king, Oedipus at Colonus and finally Antigone.
Based on Thebes, during and after the rule of Oedipus, the three plays are isolated stories which question the notion of right and wrong. Antigone is the most well known and is used as reference even today. Below is a synopsis of the earlier plays without which the true value and character of Antigone is lost.

Oedipus the King

King Laius is married to Queen Jacosta of Thebes. Jacosta gives birth to a son. However, an oracle tells Laius that the baby will be the cause of his death. Hence, Laius tells Jacosta to kill their child. Being a mother, Jacosta is unable to carry out the king’s orders and hands the child to a shepherd to complete the act. The shepherd too falls weak and decides to abandon the baby in the fields. Here another shepherd finds the child. The Sheppard looks at the child’s feet and names him ‘Oedipus’ which means ‘Swollen feet’.

Oedipus is then taken to Corinth where he is raised by the childless King Polybus and his wife. When Oedipus grows up , an oracle tells him that he will kill his father and bed his mother. The thought scares Oedipus who decides to run away from his parents even though he gets to know that Polybus is not his real father.

On the road to Thebes, he meets Laius. Unaware of each other’s identities they have a quarrel. Oedipus ends up killing Laius as the oracle had predicted.
It is declared that the widow Jacosta shall remarry whoever solves the riddle of the Sphinx. Oedipus solves the riddle and marries Jacosta. Thus, becoming the king of Thebes. They have four children. Later when an Oracle discloses Jacosta and Oedipus’s true relation, Jacosta hangs herself. A distraught Oedipus then takes a dress pin from Jacosta’s dead body and pricks himself blind. He renounces his thrown handing over the duty to his brother in law, Creon.

Oedipus at Colonus

The god Apollo had told Oedipus that the land where he would die would be blessed. Oedipus goes to Colonus in Athens where, he meets the King of Colonus, Theseus. Oedipus requests Theseus to allow him to take salvation at Athens.
During this time, his two sons, Polynices and Eteocles have a fight. Polynices comes and complains to Oedipus. However, Oedipus who is irritated with both of his sons curses them that, they shall die at the hands of each other. His curse comes true and both brothers die killing each other. Oedipus too ends his life at Colonus. Antigone and her sister (Ismene) are left alone when the news of their brothers’ death reaches them.

 

Antigone

This brings us to the last play credited to Antigone and her strong will. The play explores the idea of questioning the given and having faith in ones own decisions. The king Creon announces that while one brother (Eteocles) may be given a respectable burial, the other (Polynices) must pay for going against the state by not being buried. In Greece, burial is an important feature and it is believed that those who are not buried according to ritual do not get salvation. Antigone, thus ends up feeling torn between being a good citizen and obeying the king and being a good sister who must help her brother after his death. In the end she decides that the honor of her family and the customs advocated by the gods for the dead are more important than manmade laws. She decides to go against Creon who is not only the king but also, her uncle and future father –in – law. Antigone asks Ismene to help her. However, she is disappointed when Ismene shows fear against Creon and does not demonstrate the same conviction as she does. She then decides to keep Ismene out of the act.

Antigone is caught while performing the burial right and she and Ismene are brought before the king. Creon orders both sisters to be punished. Seeing Antigone’s bravery, Ismene begins to feel guilty and is ready to die in the name of her family. However, Antigone does not feel Ismene is worthy to be associated with the noble cause of helping the dead Polynices. Thus, she declares Ismene as innocent and herself as the only culprit. A furious Creon releases Ismene and orders that Antigone should be buried alive.
However, a blind prophet announces that Creon’s actions have angered the gods and the future of Thebes is at stake. He also declares that Creon must repent by losing a son. The elders in the palace advise Creon to forgive Antigone and bury Polynices. Creon, realizing his mistake and fearing the prophet’s prediction gives orders for Antigone to be released. However, the palace men are too late and Antigone hangs herself. Antigone’s death results in a series of tragedies.

Creon’s son, Haimon who was madly in love with Antigone bids the world farewell so that he may meet his beloved after death. Haimon’s mother then unable to stand the grief of her son’s death commits suicide cursing her husband for his acts. In the end, Creon is left alone to repent. He realizes his mistake and is left with nothing but the title of a king.

Antigone leaves a deep impact which lasts beyond the play. It makes a person question the universal perception of ‘right’ for every character in Sophocle’s play did what they believed was correct. Yet still, we perceive some as good and others as bad. Antigone’s determination and strength which she probably got from Oedipus, is used as a reference even today. The fact, that she was a woman and yet able to defy the law for what she believed in is praise worthy. Her attempt to save the honor of her family whom, she felt destiny had been unfair too is full of conviction and determination.

However, one can’t but wonder, was Creon really wrong? He thought he was punishing an outlaw and setting an example to prevent others from becoming one. As a king he thought he was doing what he should.
Was Oedipus right to marry his own mother? He too was doing what he thought was right but destiny had something else in mind. Antigone knew her brother was an outlaw and that he had betrayed his own people yet she felt obliged as a sister to help him.

Ego, greed and love can all hinder our notions of right and wrong. Every person has their own values, priorities and convictions and it is the mix of these perspectives which makes Sophocle’s play dramatic and yet thought provoking!