Oedipus and his daughter, Antigone, are the portrait of people without power. Oedipus used to be the king of Thebes, but he lost all of his power once the tragic sham of his life was revealed. Now he’s the opposite of powerful, and that contrast between what his life used to be and what it is now makes the play a tragedy. Not to mention the fact that there are all these other characters (Creon, Polyneices, and Eteocles) fighting over the empty throne that Oedipus left when he fell.
Questions About Power
- Who is currently ruling Thebes?
- What is the conflict between Oedipus’ sons about?
- Why isn’t Theseus allowed to tell anyone where Oedipus’ grave is?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Polyneices’ obsession with power leads to his downfall.
Creon wants to decide where Oedipus will be buried because he is obsessed with control.