Sophocles’ Creon and the illusion of polis
By Julia Ongchoco

One of the most salient binaries in Sophocles’ Antigone is the distinction between polis (or state) and oikos (or family).  In this tragedy, Antigone, the main character, goes against Creon, the king and her uncle, out of the desire to properly bury her brother. Her persistence in the name of family cascades into all sorts of problems for Creon, who continued until the end to resist her plea…