Oedipus and Antigone Essay

Journal 3

Antigone goes against Creon because she does not want to see her brother rot in the desert. She believes that he should be buried, and considering he is family, how could she bare to know that he is going through such “pain?” She happens to not even care about whether Creon will execute her or not, because she believes that if she dies, she will be dying in honor. That she will be proud of her actions, because she decided to do the right thing. She figures that, she’d rather die now, instead of waiting for her death. She knows exactly what she got herself into. Although, her sister, Ismene, decides to not to follow her sister’s steps. Why? Well, only because Creon stated that, if anyone went out to prevent her brother being rotted in the desert, they would be put to death. She didn’t want to risk her life. She didn’t really care about being honored at death, or doing the moral thing for her brother. Most people are scared of death, and want to live life as long as they can.

Journal 4

In Antigone, dramatic irony is used when the sentry comes to tell Creon that the body of Polyneices has been given a light burial. Creon has ordered that the body be watched by the guards so that no one would be able to bury the body. However, the audience knows that Antigone has planned to give her brother's body a burial based on the conversation that she has with her sister Ismene at the beginning of the play. When the sentry reports the burial, the audience knows that Antigone is responsible for the burial, but Creon does not know who has buried the body. He assumes that the sentries are behind the burial and he threatens them with punishment if they do not find out who is responsible. Because the audience is knowledgeable about something that the characters are not, this is an example of dramatic irony.

Journal 5

In his first quote of Antigone, his precepts are patriotic, but they are not relevant to the immediate situation of Thebes. The city is no longer in danger, and Creon is not willing to make friends with any of him enemies. Creon explains his principles by stating how much he hates people who behave differently, not by presenting a general rule about how a ruler or citizen should act. Then he reiterates how he himself will behave. The emphasis is on what Creon believes. Creon's speech, and his decision is based on his thought that a man's character cannot really be judged until he has had political power. Because Polynices was Creon's nephew, Creon has chosen to expose his body in order to demonstrate what kind of ruler Creon will be- One who will not defer to kinship ties. So Creon's decision is not so much explained by the principles as it is a further emphatic declaration of them, and both the principles and the following proclamation flow from his statement that a man can only be known from how he handles power. Creon's edict is primarily intended as self-presentation.

Journal 6 The verbal irony in Antigone, is in the prologue, when Antigone refers to Creon as "the worthy Creon" when she tells Ismene about his order to leave Polyneices unburied. Clearly she means that Creon is anything but worthy if he would issue such an order. Then in the second episode (act), after Antigone is arrested and Ismene tries to share her guilt and die with her, Antigone rejects the attempt, saying that her death will suffice. Ismene then asks, "What is my life without you?" and Antigone replies, "Ask Creon, since you're concerned so much for him." After that, Creon gets into the conversation, Ismene turns to him to plead for Antigone, and she and Antigone don't speak to each other again.

Journal 7

I believe that Antigone’s motivator is all 3- pride, principle and love. All she is wanting from the people and her fellow citizens is

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