Sophocles’ Antigone is known for being a very politically charged play, staged and restaged during times of political unrest. However, Antigone is not only a play about the politics of the polis and a tyrannical government, but about a young woman who only wanted to do right by her dead brother and give him the rights that he deserved. As Antigone is being sentenced to death, she makes the statement of “I am a stranger!” (Sophocles, 956) because her uncle, the new king of Thebes, and a group of men meant to represent the citizen of Thebes tell her that she is as much an outsider as a slave, and that her behavior is not one that is accepted in Thebes. Moreover, her long family history alienates her from her fellow Thebans, who have not suffered like she had, though a woman born of the gods has experienced a …show more content…
She refers to her as “stranger queen from the east” (917) as she is Lydian born, but married Amphion, one of two brothers who, in mythology, usurped the throne of Thebes from Laius when he was younger, which would explain the reference. Moreover, Niobe and Antigone have more in common than their deaths, but also the cause of their deaths, which are both due to their hubris, and they’ve both found themselves the last or of the last of their families. While Antigone is a mortal while Niobe is of the gods, their commonalities make it so that this tragic plot occurs as a reflection of one another on two different levels: that of the gods and that of the mortal realm, and though the Chorus would claim that they are not the same because of their status, it is exactly because of it that this comparison is reinforced and why the exclamation of “I am a stranger!” (956) makes sense as both Niobe and Antigone do not have their places in both planes of the living and of the
Conner Johnson Mr. Milroy English 10b Hon. 17 January 2023 Ambiguous character Antigone is a morally ambiguous character who plays a pivotal role in the play Antigone by Sophocles. Being the play’s lead character, She is the starting cause of all the struggles in the drama. Violating the law is an action Antigone sees as necessary to fit what she believes is morally right, consequently creating contrast in her character of whether she is morally just or conversely purely evil.
History has shown that religious and personal beliefs frequently clash with societal norms and laws. An example of this is present in Antigone, a Ancient Greek play written by Sophocles in 441 BC. Antigone is a teenage girl(inferred) who was forced to decide whether to give her brother, Polynices, a proper burial or follow Creon’s edict which condemned Polynices’ body to be ravaged by nature. Eventually, Antigone chooses to uphold her beliefs and bury her brother even if it would lead to her death. Antigone’s immense dedication to her morals and her response to Creon’s edict help in understanding her views on moral authority and death.
Sophocles play “Antigone” introduces a lot of debatable topics such as Human law vs Divine laws, pride, but most importantly the topic of woman’s movement for empowerment. Long before 442 B.C.E, women were belittled because of their gender however, after the birth of “Antigone” it demonstrated a strong outreach towards women and their roles in society ”Antigone, a woman who defines King Creon’s edict without any fear, doubts, or regrets. This courageous woman, the fruit of incest, has fascinated philosophers in the nineteenth century, inspired playwrights in the twentieth century, and intrigued feminist thinkers and activists for decades” (Söderbäck). Birth from a respected bloodline, Antigone doesn’t feel respected at all within her town, especially from her uncle Creon who became entitled as the King after Antigone’s blood
Antigone is the daughter Of Oedipus Rex, the old king. There are ways in this story that antigone is determined and also stubborn. Basically Antigone had a brother name Polynices and a brother named Eurydice and and Polynices died while fight his brother and at that time there was a king named Creon, he did not like Polynices but he did like Eurydice, so then Creon had a burial for Eurydice but not for Polynices, therefore he could not go to Heaven, so now creon made a law that said that no one could bury Polynices. When Antigone heard this she was disgusted therefore she said that she must bury her brother.
Danyelle Caldwell Professor Coleman ENGL 1302 27 March 23 Antigone’s Other Choice By Sarah Iles Johnston The play “Antigone” written by playwright Sophocles is a Greek Mythology about a woman named Antigone who was immured into a cave after giving one of her brothers, Polyneices, who died at the battle for The Throne of Thebes, did not receive a proper burial. This was against a law that was created by Antigone’s uncle, Creon.
The objective for the feminist movement is to find equality between the sexes. Since the start of this movement, women have acquired the right to vote and have become big competition for males throughout the workplaces. Even though the feminist movement has been big throughout the past 200 years, there are lots of examples in history that show characteristics of feminism. One of those examples is that show characteristics of feminism. One of those examples is the book Antigone by Sophocles.
The Importance of Family in Antigone Following one’s heart does not always mean following the law. Civil disobedience is justifiable when dealing with family. Devotion to family is significant, especially in Greek culture. The play Antigone by Sophocles, stresses the importance of family and how the disturbance of traditions may lead to conflict.
In the classic play by Sophocles, Antigone is a tragic story of the bold Antigone who defied her uncle, King Creonʻs, edict by burying her brother, Polyneices, who died attacking the city of Thebes, trying to take the power away from their brother, Eteocles, who refused to share the throne with Polyneices. Even though Antigone knew that going against Creon and burying her brother would not end well for her, she still choose to risk her life to do what is right. After being caught breaking the law, Antigone is appointed to be locked away, isolated in a cave until she dies, but she hangs herself at the end. At the same time, things for Creon are not looking good, as everyone around him seems to be against him in his decision for punishing Antigone. Everyone Creon cares about kills themselves from a curse that is put on Creon for not following the Godsʻ laws.
The play, Antigone, is a tragedy written by the Greek poet Sophocles. A common theme among tragedies is that they have a tragic hero, and Antigone is no different. The tragic hero of this poem is Creon, the King of Thebes. Creon is faced with the difficult task of punishing his niece, Antigone. She has broken one of his laws stating that no one is to give proper burial rites to Polyneices, Antigone’s brother, because he tried to overthrow Creon.
Antigone is the play by Sophocles. It opens with the deaths of Antigone’s two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles. Creon, the new ruler of Thebes, doesn’t allow Polynices to be buried on the ground because Polynices attacks his own city. Antigone thinks burying her brother is her duty, so she violates Creon’s decree and throws some dusts on her brother’s corpse. Creon is offended by her behavior and gives an order that is locking Antigone into a cave with a little food.
Gender roles play a significant part through ought the play Antigone due to the fact that men are treated on a higher scale than women. Sophocles portrays women as people with no rights nor freedom. Antigone is on a destiny for burial rights of her brother Polyneicis. Gender roles are expressed throughout the play Antigone by disrespecting women and men having power and freedom.
Sophocles’ Antigone, is a classic Athenian Greek play that discusses questions about the importance of following the law when one does not agree with it, and whether divine laws or man-made laws have more importance in society. While these themes are worth exploring, another interesting aspect of the play is the cruel treatment and punishment of the title character, Antigone, by her uncle and future father-in-law Creon, the king of Thebes. Creon’s harsh punishment, a parallel to the treatment of women in Greek society, can be seen in many of the dialogues of the play. Antigone is determined to provide proper burial for dead brother, Polynices, against the orders of the king, and goes to her sister Ismene for help. However, Ismene is distraught at the idea of defying the king (104).
In ancient Greece, a common saying that all citizens had in their very core, a traditional Greek principle, was this: love your friends, and hate your enemies. This rule seems pretty straightforward and would appear easy to apply in real life. However, in the timeless play Antigone, Sophocles shows his audience a situation where this maxim does not apply. Sophocles concentrates on a complex story where the values and principles of the ancient Greek culture come into conflict. Religious or moral versus secular, family versus community, and living versus dead: all of these conflicting aspects are explored in Antigone.
The play Antigone, by Sophocles, presents the power of love, which the sword cannot defeat. Nevertheless, the play itself provides the idea in which it might be argued whether love is one of the superior forces in society that drives people to pursue their ideals. The story itself, places Antigone determined to carry out the burying of her brother Polyneices with the purpose of honouring him and giving him the importance she thinks he deserves. Considering this an act of love, Antigone is willing to overcome the laws of the state and Creon’s orders by sacrificing her own life in order to distinguish the reputation of her family.
what Antigone puts forward is we should stand up for justice and not get supressed by an external force. This is precisely what she does, which ultimately claims her