dialogue between Creon, the king, and the sentry

dialogue between Creon, the king, and the sentry

Overview

This reading begins with a dialogue between Creon, the king, and the sentry. Creon accuses the sentry of accepting a bribe so that a corpse could be buried against the king’s order. The sentry, however, declares before the king that he had nothing to do with this act. Creon, angrily, orders the sentry to find the person who buried the corpse of face a painful death. The sentry goes and sets a trap to catch the person who buried the body. Antigone is arrested and brought before the king. She is accused of burying a corpse against the king’s order not to do so. The king is not initially convinced that this small girl could commit such a crime. Antigone, however, pleads guilty to all the accusations and is ready to die. The sentry describes to the king how the events occurred until they captured the girl. Creon asks her if she was aware of the order that ha forbade it, and she agrees she knew that. The girl claims she wouldn’t have gone against the set traditions for the dead. The king is determined to punish her ruthlessly with her sister.

Biographical Context

Antigone represents one of the many plays written by Sophocles who lived at around 445 B.C. in ancient Greece. The play is based upon a doomed Thebes kingdom. Oedipus, the king, had accidentally killed his father and married his mother. Antigone, the main character in this play, is her daughter.

Apart from Antigone, they also gave birth to two sons, Eteocles and Polyneices, and a daughter, Ismene. The disagreement between the brothers for the throne after their father’s death led to their death. “However, after Eteocles had served his term as king, he refused to relinquish the throne to Polyneices, claiming that Polyneices was unfit to rule.” The leadership was then left for Creon, the uncle, who considered one of the brothers, a traitor. This forms the basis of the events in this play.

Most Important Passage

The most important part of this reading is, “Never! Sister’s child or closer in blood than all my family clustered at my alter worshipping Guardian Zeus-she’ll never escape, she and her blood sister, the most barbaric death.” Creon declares this to Antigone and those in attendance. Antigone is convicted of obeying the gods and disobeying the king. This section is essential since it displays the conflict in authority. On one side are the norms and traditions set to appease the gods. On the other, is the king who is giving orders that go against the traditions. Antigone chooses to perform libations for her brother’s corpse as traditions demand, and is found guilty for disobeying the king.

Most Interesting Passage

The most exciting part of this reading is, “Give me glory! What great glory could I win than to give my brother a decent burial?” Antigone is pleased to have buried her brother. She tells Creon that she deserves the glory for doing this. This section is outrageous since the person she speaks of this glory is the one going to execute her for the same. She, however, has no regrets for burying her brother.

Most Puzzling Passage

The most puzzling part of this reading is, “Then why delay? Your moralizing repels me, every word you say-pray god it always will.” These are the words spoken by Antigone to Creon. I am unable to understand what she meant by moralizing. Creon’s order was directly going against the set rules. I don’t, therefore, understand how such an act could be considered moral. He didn’t care about what was good for the community at large.

Discussion Question

Antigone went against the king’s order and buried her brother. Do you think it was the right thing to do at that time? What would you have done if you were found in such a situation? Antigone was brave to bury his brother, but this was earning her a death sentence. Burying the brother was right but not when there is an order forbidding it. I wouldn’t dare go against the king. This would plainly put me in more trouble.