Free Essays: Comparing the Themes of Antigone and Oedipus the King :: comparison compare contrast essays

The Themes of Antigone and Oedipus Antigone and Oedipus, written by Sophocles, are dramatic plays with a tragic ending. The main theme for Antigone is that people sometimes welcome to find the hard way from their mistakes. This theme is explicit in the final quaternary lines of the play. They read, There is no happiness where there is no wisdom No wisdom but in submission to the gods. vast words are always punished, And proud men in old age break to be wise. These lines are an important part of the play. They symbolize Creons bad decisions he made, his defiance to the gods, the punishment he went through because of his edict, and the wisdom he gained because of completely his mistakes. There is no happiness where there is no wisdom demonstrates how Creon non using wisdom in his decision affected him. By declaring that Polyneices could not have a proper burial, he went against the gods and the other citizens of Thebess beliefs. This was not a wise decision on his part, and b ecause of it he lost his wife, his son, and his happiness. Creon also defied the laws of the gods. This is what is expressed in the line, No wisdom but in submission to the gods. In Antigone, the edict and decisions that Creon made demonstrated that his law was more important so the gods laws. His defiance of the laws eventually made him believe, by talking to Teirisias, that something bad would recover to him, so he gave in to his decision. When he gave into the gods he gained wisdom and knowledgeable that his actions would be punished. Creons edict is considered his big words. In the third line it says, Big words are always punished. Creons edict was punished by his termination of happiness. He proclaimed to his city that Polyneices may not be buried, when he did this he was very proud and demanding about his decision. He was determined not to change his mind for anything. These big words that he proclaimed would beat his downfall. Because Creon locked Antigone up, for buryin g Polyneices, she killed herself. Creons son Haimon, who was engaged to Antigone, also committed suicide upon eyesight his beloved Antigone dead. Also Creons wife took her own life. If Creon hadnt gone against what was right, by do his laws more important then the gods laws, and issuing his edict, he would not have suffered the way he did.