Advantages: Timeless theme of resistance to political authority, continuation of Oedipus, great dramatic language Disadvantages: No real 'tragic hero', not much action
...pleased to discover the latter’s Antigone completed a trilogy of sorts, dealing with the same themes – the curse of Oedipus and his descendents. Of course, it isn’t a proper trilogy, it’s not even by the same playwright. What’s more, Antigone – although in the mythological chronology last – was written prior to Oedipus Rex. That’s the advantage with dealing with well-known mythological themes. It’s like writing about the death of Christ, and then ... ...by his mother – daughters Antigone and Ismene, and sons Polynices and Eteocles, who he curses to divide his kingdom by violence.
True to Oedipus’ prophecy, Polynices tries to seize Thebes from his brother by force [this is the part of the myth told in Aeschylus’ Seven against Thebes]. The brothers kill each other in the fighting, and Jocasta’s brother Creon takes charge of the state. He forbids Antigone to bury her brother Polynices as a traitor ...
a-true-ben 15.11.2004
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