Themes of Antigone - 2022 Words

The Themes of Antigone Antigone is credited as one of the best works of Sophocles, ranked by most modern critics above Oedipus the King. There are many aspects of Antigone that make it the play critics love to decipher and rave about. Antigone must be received as the canon of ancient tragedy: no tragedy of antiquity that we possess approaches it in pure idealism, or in harmony of artistic development hails critic Berhardy (Theatre History). He goes on to rave It is the first poem produced by the union of the whole strength of the resources of which tragedy was capable: of all the extant works of Sophocles it is the most perfect: no other exhibits such a striking combination of subject, language and technique. There are a variety†¦show more content†¦Her relentless in pursuit of what she, a woman, thought was right. Another theme contained in the play is the threat of Tyranny or absolute power. Athenians were sensitive to the idea of tyranny and the fine line between a strong leader and a brutal ty rant. Creon was a sympathetic character but abused his power. His fault does not necessarily lie in his lust for power as he had noble intentions and was loyal to the state. His weakness was that he was human and susceptible to poor judgment (Classic Notes: Themes). He didn t consider public opinion until it was too late. One of the purposes of the Chorus is to illustrate the sway of public opinion. At first sight the chorus in the Antigone may seem weak, accommodating itself, as it does, without contradiction, to the tyrannous commands of Creon, and not once attempting a favorable representation in behalf of the young heroine. But it is necessary that she should stand alone in her resolution and its accomplishment, that she may appear in all her dignity: she must find no stay, no hold. The submissiveness of the chorus also increases the impression of the irresistible nature of the king s commands. So even in their last address to Antigone, there must be a mixture of painful recollections, that she may drain the full cup of earthly sorrows (Theatre History). In the end of the play, Creon is ruler over an orderly city,Show MoreRelatedTheme Of Antigone 964 Words   |  4 PagesProfessor: Kennedy ENC 1102 April 12, 2016 Theme In Antigone Sweeping dramas of rival families and of rival family members seeking control of a kingdom are very popular now. One obvious example is Game of Thrones, which continues to break viewership records and also engender controversy. Such sagas, however, are nothing new. Antigone, a play by Sophocles and the sequel to Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes, provides an ancient Greek perspective on the themes of power, duty, and law while providingRead MoreMain Theme Of Antigone942 Words   |  4 PagesThemes are important to any story; they give the reader a sense of background and understanding when it comes to the events unfolding in the story. Many literary works include multiple themes, all of which convey  important ideas about humanity and the way that society functions. In  Antigone  by Sophocles, themes exist such as determination, the conflict between conscience and law, the conflict between divine and human law, and familial loyalty.  One key and central theme of Ant igone is the importanceRead MoreTheme Of Conflict In Antigone973 Words   |  4 PagesElizabeth Heeb Doctor Pratt Intellectual Heritage I (IH 851) 28 September 2017 Moral Conflict and Internal Change in Antigone Beliefs are not always based on facts that you would find in a textbook-they are something that one believes is true. When I first read Sophocles’ play Antigone, my initial impression of Creon was that his beliefs of the law and the state were rational because of his role as a ruler. But as the play progressed, I began to disagree with his behavior and his values becauseRead MoreAntigone Theme Essay941 Words   |  4 PagesIn the story Antigone by Sophocles, the theme guilt and innocence, as wells as morals play a huge role between characters, specifically the female character Antigone, the ruler of the city, Creon, Antigone’s sister, Ismene, and Antigone’s husband, Haimon. Antigone and Haimon represent innocence for many reasons. Their morals lead the two in a direction to honor Antigone’s brother, Antigone protects her sister from certain death, and the lovers commits suicide for the sake of innocence itself. CreonRead MoreAntigone- Theme of Family Loy alty1484 Words   |  6 PagesBetrayal of Family Loyalty In the play Antigone, written by Greek playwright Sophocles, loyalty to family seems to be a recurring theme. We first see it when Antigone defies King Creons order to keep her brother, Polynices, unburied as a punishment for his betrayal of their country Thebes. We also see how Antigones sister, Ismene, accepts partial blame for the burial (even though she refused to actually do it) in an affectionate, loyal act. Creon is also family (their fathers brother), butRead MoreAntigone : The Theme Of Violence In Literature707 Words   |  3 Pagesliterature, violence was used for a purpose. Antigone is filled with many violent imagery, countless arguments causing conflict between characters, and the violence of many murders and suicides. Pride, myth, and gender inequality are also major themes throughout the play. In the book, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster helps the reader get a better understanding on how to thoroughly analyze its context. It can help reading tough writing, like Antigone, a little bit easier by breaking the textRead MoreThe Theme of Fatalism in Antigone1032 Words   |  4 Pagesrole in doing so as one is not a free agent because future(in tragedies, reversal of fortune) is predetermined - even if one knows and attempts to avoid it. Antigone is the daughter of the Oedipus and the sister of Polyneices and Eteocles. King Creon passed a royal edict banning anyone from burying disgraced Polyneices dead body. Antigone is portrayed as a heroine rebel who does not fear forces from governments, has a different mindset to that of Ismene, her submissive sister. She made the choiceRead MoreTheme Of Conflict In Antigone983 Words   |  4 PagesThe Greek tragedy, Antigone, explores a dramatic conflict between the individual and the state. The epicenter of this tragedy revolves around the juxtaposition of Antigone and Creon—symbols of the moral law and the human law. They embody moral arguments that converge in opposition to one another, but since both parties failed to accept each other’s opinion, both were defeated at the end. This ensures no explicit answer on which side should take precedence over the other, making the play ambiguousRead MoreTheme Of Love In Antigone1033 Words   |  5 Pages In Antigone there are many examples of love and war throughout the play. The chorus plays a big role in explaining how love and war both take place. Love and war can not only be seen by th e plot of the story, but can also be observed within many of the characters. Love is shown for the dead and other family members, war is shown by suicide, and people standing up for themselves and what they believe in. The are many examples of the characters showing the love that they have for one another, butRead MoreThe Themes And Summary Of Antigone By Sophocles1318 Words   |  6 PagesSummary of Antigone â€Å"Antigone† is a tragedy made by the author Sophocles. Antigone starts out in Thebes in a post-war atmosphere. There was a war between two brothers for the crown of Thebes. The two brothers kill each other on the battle field resulting in one of the brothers receiving the people’s love and the other being labeled as a traitor to Thebes â€Å"Both brothers were killed in Battle.† Creon, the new king of Thebes, has decided because of Polyneices betrayal he shall not receive a soldier’s