class40mar4 - Friday 3/4 Antigone and the Theban Cycle The myth of the sons of Oedipus o The Phonecian Women o Already discussed in the Iliad o Myth of

Friday 3/4 Antigone and the Theban Cycle • The myth of the sons of Oedipus o The Phonecian Women o Already discussed in the Iliad o Myth of the “7 against Thebes” very old o No mention of Oedipus having any daughters before 467 BC, when at the end of Aesculus “7 against Thebes” they show up to lament the loss of their brothers  Antigone possibly a new myth, added on to ancient story  Potentially made up by Sophocles himself, 440 BC • Antigone and the Theban Cycle o Summary in Apolodorous: Antigone stole body of Polyneices and buried it. Caught by Creon, she was buried alive in his tomb. Hangs herself instead of starving to death. o In Euripides version: Antigone is rescued in time and she marries him and has a son. Happily ever after  Romanticized version, “the power of true love” o Conflict: Question of burial rites  Already encountered in Ajax  should he be buried or not?  Decision only concerned former Conrad turned enemy  In Antigone, Polyneices is an enemy of the city but also part of Creon’s family  Creon is within his rights as king of Thebes is forbidding the burial of traitor who came to set the city, common practice  However as role as oldest surviving member to rule in family, responsible to make sure deceased members of family get proper burial rites  Conflict between role as king and role as family  Echoes conflict of Phonecian Women (family vs. city)