The Tragedy of Thebes Essay

Submitted By eduardos93
Words: 773
Pages: 4
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Eduardo Solana
Literature and writing
Christine Donnelly-Instructor
10/23/2012
The punishment for a punishment After Antigone successfully buried her brother, she is captured by Guards and brought to king Creon. Then she is punishing for breaking the rules of Creon, yet, following the laws of the gods. Even though Antigone is thought to have done the right thing by most of the citizens of Thebes, Creon does not have any mercy and puts her in a cave with out enough food to survive. With this punishment, Creon gives Antigone two choices, either to keep herself alive and suffer, or to kill herself and join her brother in the after life. I do believe that Creon has been wrong all along and that he is blinded by his pride and stubbornness. With this punishment, Creon wants to show the citizens of Thebes that he is in control. Therefore, they should be disciplined and follow his rules. Haemon, as soon as he finds out about Antigone’s punishment, confronts his father in a very unexpected way. Haemon, very calmly and respectfully tries to change his father's mind to not be so hard on Antigone. “The way the city mourns for this young girls. 'No woman,' they say 'ever deserved death less, and such a brutal death for such a glorious action.'(95) This response from Haemon to his father shows that the citizens of Thebes believe that Antigone was doing the right thing. They also think that in the contrary she should be honored with a "Glowing crown of gold."(95) After hearing this from his son, Creon does not take it to well and responds with anger and insults.
" You, you soul of corruption, rotten through- woman's accomplice!"(98) After various insults back and forward from father and son, Creon threatens his own son.
"You will never marry her, not while she's alive."
Haemon, after hearing this from his father, also threatens his father by telling him that if he continues with this horrible punishment, Creon would never lay eyes on his own son again. Haemon furiously walks out, but before he disappears, he tells Creon a message that Creon is to Stubborn to listen to. “Then she will die... but her death will kill another."(99) Later that day, Creon is consulted by the Great seer of Thebes, Tiresias. However, Terisias does not have very good news. He tells Creon that evil is coming to Thebes. The gods have cursed the city and will no longer listen to their prayers. "And it is you-Your high resolves that sets this plague on Thebes. The gods are deaf to our prayers."(111) Terisias then advises Creon that the solution to this problem is to fix the wrong that he has done. "All man make mistakes, it is only human. But once the wrong is done, a man can turn his back on folly, misfortune too."(112) Terisias also tells
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