The story of Antigone is similar to the story of Oedipus in that tragic events in each begin with a prophecy. In Oedipus, decisions are made to avoid fulfilling the prophecy that predicted Oedipus would kill his father and marry his mother. In Antigone, a similar prophecy is faced, which says Antigone's brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, will battle for the throne and kill each other. Antigone returns to Thebes at the beginning of the story to help her brothers avoid the prophecy, but learns that the prophecy has been fulfilled and her brothers are dead when she arrives. In the stories of Oedipus and Antigone, the tragedy occurs when a prophecy is fulfilled. Decisions made in each story are influenced by these prophecies and result in tragic outcomes.
The story continues with Antigone defying the laws of Creon regarding the burial of her deceased brother. Creon has ordered that Antigone's brother Polyneices may not be buried because he believes he was a traitor. Antigone believes that her brother should be given a proper burial and secretly buries him herself, ultimately causing her own death after she is caught and imprisoned, and finally takes her own life.
Creon is warned by Tiresias that the gods will punish him if he leaves Poluneices unburied. Unaware that Antigone has already killed herself, he reconsiders his previous decision and chooses to bury Polyneices and set Antigone free. When he goes to release her, he discovers her dead in her jail cell, and Creon's wife and Antigone's fiance Haemon also take their own lives out of their devastation and despair.
I believe that it is the love that Antigone has for her brother that truly evokes the powerful emotions and feelings that come with tragedy in works of literature. If Antigone had not cared so deeply for her brother, she would not have gone against Creon, and the tragic deaths of Antigone, Creon's wife, and Haemon would not have occurred. This love also allows us to connect the tragic literature to our own lives. The feelings and emotions evoked by the compassion that Antigone shows are very engaging and relatable.
The story continues with Antigone defying the laws of Creon regarding the burial of her deceased brother. Creon has ordered that Antigone's brother Polyneices may not be buried because he believes he was a traitor. Antigone believes that her brother should be given a proper burial and secretly buries him herself, ultimately causing her own death after she is caught and imprisoned, and finally takes her own life.
Creon is warned by Tiresias that the gods will punish him if he leaves Poluneices unburied. Unaware that Antigone has already killed herself, he reconsiders his previous decision and chooses to bury Polyneices and set Antigone free. When he goes to release her, he discovers her dead in her jail cell, and Creon's wife and Antigone's fiance Haemon also take their own lives out of their devastation and despair.
I believe that it is the love that Antigone has for her brother that truly evokes the powerful emotions and feelings that come with tragedy in works of literature. If Antigone had not cared so deeply for her brother, she would not have gone against Creon, and the tragic deaths of Antigone, Creon's wife, and Haemon would not have occurred. This love also allows us to connect the tragic literature to our own lives. The feelings and emotions evoked by the compassion that Antigone shows are very engaging and relatable.