Oedipus Rex And Antigone Analysis

Introduction Inequality and adherence to outdated cultural traditions are two of the main sources behind the tragedies that were seen in the case of Oedipus Rex and Antigone. For instance, in the case of Oedipus Rex, the origin behind the tragedy can be traced to the belief of King Laius in the words of an oracle. The mere fact that he was willing to believe in something that "might" come true on the basis that an oracle stated it shows that the problem is a mistaken belief in a cultural tradition that is far from what can be stated as being logical. The same can be seen in the case of Antigone wherein the female protagonist (i.e. Antigone) places religious belief over the laws established by the state. On the other end of the spectrum, the

Antigone suffers by virtue of being a woman while the Shepard suffers by virtue of being part of the common working class. Their right are not considered as being equal to the orders of their rulers resulting in absolute orders being meted out into unjust acts (Kovacs 56). This shows that Greek society is basically hierarchical wherein women and ordinary workers are not thought of as having the same social rights or even having the capacity to have proper justice be given to them. In fact, it is implied throughout the stories that the concept of justice is one that is based on the intercession and will of the Gods rather than it being in the hands of humans. This creates the notion that for ordinary people, justice is something they have to pray for and not something that is given to them by virtue of their inalienable human rights (Nassaar 148). The same themes occur today as seen in the case or rampant inequality and laws that favor the rich. Just as the leaders in both Oedipus and Antigone show themselves as having absolute power and having to worry very little about the consequences of their actions, the same can be said about those in power today (Miller 245). Wealth, prestige and popularity are the vestiges of power in societies around the world at the present and they are increasingly isolated to a small percentage of the

Simply put, we all seem to have been placed in a similar position as the Shepard where we apparently have no choice but to follow what is being dictated to us. The rich today can be described as having the same type of absolute power that Oedipus depicted in the story due to the fact that it is the rich who create laws, who dictate the progress of the current system and who are apparently immune from the same application of justice as the common man. Evidence of this can be seen in multiple cases where a rich person has been arrested for a crime yet they are subject to what can be considered as the equivalent of a "slap on the wrist" as compared to an ordinary person who committed the same kind of crime yet is sentenced harshly (ex: illegal drug