Despair

Question:

What is the meaning of "Despair" and how does this theme manifest itself in both plays?

ANSWER
Oedipus is in despair when he finds out that he is the reason that all the people in Thebes is sick and the land is going to crap is because of him. He has sinned so the god's are punishing him for it.
Not only does the people of Thebes suffer, Oedipus, his father, mother, and children suffer a great deal.
The Thebes town people suffer by the sickness and the lousy land.
His father got killed by his son...
His mother suffered in the thought that she sent Oedipus away to get destroyed and then married him.. and had his children.
His children have to live with the fact that that they're father is their brother.
“O dark intolerable inescapable night that has no day! Cloud that no air can take away! O and again that piercing pain, torture in the flesh and in the soul’s dark memory.” –Oedipus (pg.62, Oedipus the King)

Antigone's life is filled with despair but mostly she has to deal with despair with creon he thinks that everything should be in his power because he is the king. This upsets her because she does what she feels is right burying her brother.O dark intolerable inescapable night that has no day! Cloud that no air can take away! O and again that piercing pain, torture in the flesh and in the soul’s dark memory.” –Oedipus (pg.62, Oedipus the King)

What is the meaning of "Despair" and how does this theme manifest itself in both plays?