Why did polyneices die

Outside the city gates, Antigone tells Ismene that Creon has ordered that Eteocles, who died defending the city, is to be buried with full honors, while the body of Polynices, the invader, is left to rot. Furthermore, Creon has declared that anyone attempting to bury Polynices shall be publicly stoned to death.

Creon exiled Oedipus from Thebes after Oedipus killed his father and married his mother. Creon also declared that Polyneices would not receive a proper burial because he committed treason against his own city. Unfortunately, Eteocles, after a year as king, did not want to give up the kingship.

The reason Creon wanted Eteocles to have a proper burial was because he died defending his country. Because Polynices had fought against the Thebans, Creon declared that Polynices should not be buried. Antigone, despairing of her fate, commits suicide by hanging just before Creon changes his mind and orders her to be released. John Newell, J. In the play, Antigone is sentenced to death by her uncle, King Creon, for the crime of burying her brother, Polynices.

Leaving someone unburied was considered as the ultimate disgrace. When Creon came to power, he decreed that since Polyneices was technically a traitor for fighting against Thebes, his body should rot in the street without a proper burial. If anyone was to bury the body, the punishment would be death. How does Creon justify his order not to bury Polynices?

Polynices, unburied, will serve as an example to others not to attack their homeland. She is to be entombed and left to starve, and she utters these words on the way to the tomb. Creon survives at the end of the play, retaining rulership of Thebes, gaining in wisdom as he mourns the death of his wife and son.

In the end, her stubbornness led her to her death. Oedipus left Thebes a blind and broken man. As time passed, and the two sons aged, Eteocles claimed the throne for himself, exiling his older brother Polyneices. Polyneices then gathered a giant army and attacked Eteocles for the throne. Neither of the two sons won because they both ended up killing each other in battle.

Her sister, Ismene, warns her against the dangers and consequences and states that she will not have any part in helping her sister with her scheme. As guards brush the dirt off the body, she reveals herself willingly. Creon is enraged and imprisons both Antigone and Ismene, who he believes to be an accomplice. Creon ridicules Haemon for his ridiculous thoughts of freeing Antigone.

Haemon then runs off, crushed that his father would treat his so badly. Creon mocks Teiresias, but the chorus reminds Creon that the prophet has never been wrong. Creon then rushes to free Antigone, but it is too late, she is dead, and Haemon has killed himself for her. Creon is then lead away by the chorus, lamenting in his own self misery. BookRags, Antigone.

Structure of Antigone. They claim that the gods rightfully punished such arrogant boasts and hatred between the two men, and that they really got what was genuinely coming to them. Pages , Lines He then states that any person who tries to give the body a burial will be punished by death. He assigns men to guard the body to make sure no one touches it. However, a sandstorm blows dust around and Antigone performs the proper burial rights for her brother.

A watchman then goes and tells Creon, who is enraged. They sing about how man is cunning and deceitful, and how justice will prevail among those who do wrong. Ismene then shows up and states that she helped Antigone, but Antigone states that her sister did not help at all and that it was all her fault. Creon tells his men to lock the girls up and make sure they do not get away. How did Polynices die? Category: fine art opera. The brothers killed each other in a duel, making Creon king.

Creon ordered Eteocles buried in honor and left Polynices to rot on the pain of death. Is Polyneices buried? Should Polyneices be buried? Who attempts to bury Polyneices honorably? Why did Antigone kill herself? Who caught Antigone burying her brother? Answer and Explanation:.

Is Creon Oedipus brother? Who is older Polynices or eteocles? Are Antigone and Ismene twins? What is the argive army? In what year did Sophocles first exhibit Antigone? He ends up killing his brother, and being killed by his brother in battle. The rule passed to his sons Eteocles and Polynices. However, because of a curse from their father, the two brothers did not share the rule peacefully and died as a result, ultimately killing each other in battle for control of the city.

Upon his death, Eteocles was succeeded by his uncle, Creon. Antigone defies the law, buries her brother, and is caught. As is the nature of tragedy, the tragic hero Creon blames himself for causing the deaths of his son, wife, and niece.