What was a main theme of Oedipus and Antigone?

Antigone and Oedipus, written by Sophocles, are dramatic plays with a tragic ending. The main theme for Antigone is that people sometimes have to learn the hard way from their mistakes. This theme is expressed in the final four lines of the play.

What major themes does the exodus illustrate Antigone?

Expert Answers The Exodus or closing lines of Antigoneemphasize the play’s overall theme and stress the cause of Creon’s tragic downfall. The Choragos (in some translations also called “Leader” or simply “Chorus”) observes: “Knowledge truly is by far the most important part of happiness, but one must neglect…

What is the deep theme about in Antigone?

The main theme of Antigone is that the gods’ laws are more important than the laws of man. Creon, who takes over the rule of Thebes after the civil war, decrees that Polynices should not be buried. He wants him to rot in the open air as a punishment for his treason and to set an example for others.

Why does Antigone appeal to a different set of guidelines?

But in defying Creon’s command that no one bury Polynices, Antigone appeals to a different set of guidelines—what is often called “natural law.” Whether its source is in nature or in divine order, natural law states that there are standards for right and wrong that are more fundamental and universal than the laws of any particular society.

Who is the current king of Thebes in Antigone?

Tiresias gives the current king, Creon, a warning, and the king is unable to see the wisdom of… Creon, as head of state and lawgiver in Thebes, believes in obedience to man-made laws. But in defying Creon’s command that no one bury Polynices, Antigone appeals to a different set of guidelines—what is often called “natural law.”

What does Antigone say to her sister Ismene?

Ismene is well aware, as is Antigone, that Creon has stated that anyone who dares to bury Polynices will be put to death, yet Antigone vows to perform this service to her brother in defiance of the law and its proposed consequences. Ismene urges her sister not to do this, or if she does, then to do it quietly.

What are the themes of Oedipus Rex Antigone?

Antigone Themes. 1 Blindness vs. Sight. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus mocks the blindness of the seer Tiresias, who responds by telling Oedipus that he (Oedipus) is blind to 2 Natural Law. 3 Citizenship vs. Family Loyalty. 4 Fate vs. Free Will.