Art has the power to reach people across space and time. Although artists primarily use creative media to spread their ideas and emotions to contemporary audiences, great art has the ability to reach anyone who appreciates it, regardless of its origin. In Antigone, Sophocles does this by creating a fictionalized Thebes in which he reflects on the politics, religion, and social norms of his world. He creates a ruler, Creon, whose tyrannical actions serve to promote the merits of democracy and criticize contemporary government. It also creates a protagonist, Antigone, who challenges the validity of social structure while upholding ancient traditions. This social commentary allows Sophocles to connect both with the physical audiences present at his productions and with all future patrons of his work. Creon's leadership failures represent the limits of autocratic rule and therefore serve to promote democracy. At the opening of the play, Creon is portrayed sympathetically. He presents his decree preventing Polyneices' burial as just punishment for his crimes against Thebes and as an effective way to prevent pollution (Sophocles 62). He feels further vindicated because the choir, made up of the elderly representatives of the people, supports the decree. Even Antigone's passionate defense, which invokes the "unwritten and indefectible" laws (73) of the gods, does not seem to have any impact on the chorus, who claims to "not know how to bend in the midst of her misfortunes" (74). This perception of Creon begins to change after Antigone's death sentence. Although the punishment seems cruel and excessive, Creon firmly believes that it is a necessary act. He is “eager to show his full control of a barely averted crisis… mid-sheet… and of the contemporary political situation in the familiar mythological saga of Oedipus. He does this not in the form of a manifesto or a public speech, but in a theatrical performance, widely seen and appreciated by the citizens of Athens. These underlying themes allow audience members to connect deeply to what initially seems like an alien world and allow for a more enjoyable experience for those who have perceived and understood these themes. He adapted the work to age and audience and successfully created a popular text that is still studied today for its literary merit and historical importance. Works Cited Sophocles. Antigone. Trans. Reginald Gibbons and Charles Segal. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.Segal, Charles. Introduction. Antigone. By Sophocles. Trans. Reginald Gibbons and Charles Segal. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. Print.