ENGL 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Polynices, Eteocles, Sophocles
6 Feb 2018
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Oedipus"s sons: he establishes that, eteocles, the defender of thebes, must be honored, the body of polyneices, who attacked thebes, must remain unburied, anyone who de es him will be given death. = polyneices is condemned to live eternally between life and death. = burying the dead pertains to religion, not to state authority. Conclusion of the play: antigone, haemon, and eurydice (creon"s wife) all commit suicide and creon is left alone. Conflicts: laws of family (unwritten) vs laws of the state (written) They also both belong to family and to state at the same time. He is not just a tyrant, he is the legitimate king of thebes and is duty is to protect the city. Polyneices deserves punishment because he has caused a civil war for personal interests and creon feels like he needs to discourage further actions like polyneices"s attack.
