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A review by lily_paivarinta
Sophocles The Theban Plays: King Oedipus, Oedipus At Colonus, Antigone by E.F. Watling, Sophocles
5.0
I love all three of these plays, but Antigone will always be my favorite (and possible my favorite play EVER) I have read it multiple times throughout school and adulthood, and every time I am struck by Antigone’s commitment to her beliefs in the face of a proud ruler who refuses wisdom from others. In the face of injustice, she stands firm. I will always love her monologue before her final exit, and the proud proclamation that she honored her god and will die knowing she was right. The tragedy of the play comes after Creon has realized his pride has led to the death of his wife and sons and he sees Antigone, dead on a noose in her cave. She never saw vindication in her life, but she died knowing she was in the right. After reading the first two plays, you understand how tragic Antigone’s life had been, making her final days of faith in the face of injustice so powerful.
As for Creon’s character arc, what a tragic but hopeful ending! In Oedipus the King we see him as a man with power but no desire for the throne. But, once he does take the throne, we see him grow colder to the well being of others. In Oedipus at Colonus we learn he is using and manipulating others to seek better fate from the gods. By the time we get to Antigone, he is making decisions without the counsel of others, and is using his power as an iron rod with which to rule his people. The chorus, his son, and the prophet all seek to persuade him of a better way of rule. They try to convince him that being a good king does not come from harsh laws and making all decisions by himself, as if he has ultimate, infallible wisdom. Being a good ruler means humbly seeking wisdom from others and making decisions to serve the people under him. Creon realizes this too late, and by the time he has a change of heart, everyone he loves is dead. But, it leaves me with hope that he would be a better king for the people of Thebes and rule with justice and humility rather than harshness, as a result of the events of the play.
As for Creon’s character arc, what a tragic but hopeful ending! In Oedipus the King we see him as a man with power but no desire for the throne. But, once he does take the throne, we see him grow colder to the well being of others. In Oedipus at Colonus we learn he is using and manipulating others to seek better fate from the gods. By the time we get to Antigone, he is making decisions without the counsel of others, and is using his power as an iron rod with which to rule his people. The chorus, his son, and the prophet all seek to persuade him of a better way of rule. They try to convince him that being a good king does not come from harsh laws and making all decisions by himself, as if he has ultimate, infallible wisdom. Being a good ruler means humbly seeking wisdom from others and making decisions to serve the people under him. Creon realizes this too late, and by the time he has a change of heart, everyone he loves is dead. But, it leaves me with hope that he would be a better king for the people of Thebes and rule with justice and humility rather than harshness, as a result of the events of the play.