Play (Sophocles Antigone) - Essay Example

Task Sophocles Antigone Introduction Sophocles is the who presents heroism where Antigone, a female character is considered the hero in throughout this play. She serves as the first painstaking protester within the play. The performance of this play offers criticism to the government that was reigning at that period in an attempt to illustrate the unlawful dealings with the reigning government. The play is full of tragedy straight from the beginning where the father to the two sons learns that he has committed incest, by unknowingly getting married his own mother.

The two sons then start fighting over kingship with the younger son, attaining kingship through force (Brian 1). This never comes too well for the elder son a factor that draws them into war. As a result of the war, the two sons die meaning that none wins the battle (Brian 1). Kingship is taken by their uncle who is biased over, the two sons substantiated, by his refusal, to bury the body of one son. This neglect leads to numerous consequences with the death his son, wife and the daughter in law.

In my opinion, Creon appears to have been in support of the younger king, Eteocles. This is because he shows no intentions of burying the older son. He seems in support of the younger son being the king even though in the real sense, it is wrong for the young son to obtain kingship in the presence of the elder son. Creon talks about honoring the younger son even though in the real sense, he is the cause of the war between him and his older brother. Providing with such recognition has no basis provided these two sons did something wrong in engaging in the war.

Creon has personal reasons for not burying Polyneices, and this is the same reason he prevents Antigone, and Ismene from burying Polyneices. Bearing these personal matters makes Creon show more concern to the Eteocles than to Polyneices. Creon wants to make the populaces believe that the elder son is on the wrong although this is not true in the real sense. Creon feels offended, by Antigone and Ismene offering, to bury their brother contrary to his directions. Creon feels insulted since the two go in front of Thebes, and try to bury their brother even after he has provided a final judgment concerning, the burial of Polyneices.

Further to that, Ismene disobeys her and she is a woman a thing that makes Creon so angry that he decides to execute the two.In my view, the younger son would have surrendered kingship to the elder son as traditions assume instead of using force and influence to lead the populace in which one is not chosen by the gods. The younger son would have allowed the traditional rites concerning kingship to take place instead of neglecting these practices. Neglecting of these traditions contributes to the numerous tragedies that occur with the play.

The two brothers would have tried to deal with the subject diplomatically instead of engaging in the wars that led to their demise. The relatives such as Creon are required to offer solutions to such problems instead of showing prejudices between the two conflicting sides. In doing this, the tragedies that occurred would have been prohibited prior to its occurrence. The relatives would have attempted to thwart the occurrence of the conflict that occurred within the play suppose t took prerequisite actions.

However, it seems that people like Creon who are considered relatives had their own ambitions, and reservations. Work CitedBrian. A Summary of Sophocles’ Antigone. 2008. Web. Feb 14, 2012.Available at < http://www.sccs.swarthmore.edu/users/09/btomasi1/antigone-summary.pdf >