Analysis Of Antigone By Sophocles

Antigone is a play written by Sophocles and is about a young girl named Antigone who struggles with written laws of her city, Thebes. Her uncle is King Creon and sentences her to death because she decided to bury her brother, Polynices, after it was declared that he deserved no burial. Antigone's sister, Ismene, was too afraid to go along with her. Antigone's fiancé, (who is also

Antigone is a Greek tragedy by Sophocles. ONE OF THE three surviving tragedians of classical Athens, along with Aeschylus and Euripides, and one of the great dramatists of world literature, Sophocles spanned in his long life (497-406 B.C.) the cultural flowering of Athens in the fifth century(Segal 1). Antigone is named after the daughter of King Oedipus of Thebes, a young woman who stood against the king’s decision and believed in the gods’ law. There are many arguments regarding who is the real protagonist and antagonist in this play. The protagonist is generally regarded as the good guy and antagonist is the bad guy. Antigone is a protagonist as she is the title character in the

and the law is only here to benefit him and to control the people. It

Sophocles’ play “Antigone” illustrates the conflict between obeying human and divine law. The play opens after Oedipus’ two sons Eteocles and Polyneices have killed each other in a civil war for the throne of Thebes. Oedipus’ brother in law Creon then assumes the throne. He dictates that Eteocles shall receive a state funeral and honors, while Polyneices shall be left in the streets to rot away. Creon believes that Polyneices’ body shall be condemned to this because of his civil disobedience and treachery against the city. Polyneices’ sister, Antigone, upon hearing this exclaims that an improper burial for Polyneices would be an insult to the Gods. She vows that Polyneices’ body will be buried, and Creon declares that anyone who

This Sophocles tragedy seemed to touch many readers. This tragedy has made many people in present and antiquity rethink their purpose in life. This story also intended to raise many questions. One question that I will discus is what means more to you, social acceptance or staying true to your beliefs? This classic tragedy that I am referring to is called Antigone. This fascinating story touches many subject of social and religious matter. I will discuss the tragic turmoil of Antigone, her surrounding family, and the social and religious dilemma that Antigone faces that will ultimately decide her fate.

Out of the plays studied during this class, there is hardly a better example of the hero being so integral to the play’s plot and themes than Antigone. Antigone, whose name is the title of the play, strives to do what is right, despite being opposed by the law and her sister’s lack of initial support. Standing up to a seemingly invincible dictator with nothing but her convictions, the story of Antigone is empowering. Essentially, most of the lessons taught through Antigone are taught through the hero and the journey she goes through. By focusing on and analyzing Antigone’s role as the hero, it becomes obvious that Antigone is a true example of heroic archetypes, an idea that is strengthened by her motivations, as well as that Antigone’s values

The play, Antigone, has a moral lesson that having pride and defying the rights of other people attracts punishment and humiliation. In the play, Antigone, the daughter of King Oedipus, is the main protagonist. Her brothers, Eteocles and Polynieces are destined to share the throne. However, they end up in disagreement when one of them refuses to allow the other an opportunity to lead. In the long run, both of them are killed and Cleon becomes the king.

The dramatic question of this play is whether it is right to disobey the laws of man if it is right by the laws of the gods. Antigone decides that it is the gods’ laws that are to be obeyed rather than human laws and acts accordingly. As a result, Antigone is the protagonist of this play because her actions are the direct focus and defining factors that illustrate the playwrights meaning and purpose. She is also the character that directly and with zeal, acts in response to the inciting incident. In contrast, Creon, is the antagonist, that prevents Antigone from accomplishing her goal to bury her brother. He believes throughout the play that his laws dominate over the laws of the gods, and is punished as a result. This is seen in the resolution of the play, as due to Creon’s tyranny and Antigone’s death, Haemon and Creon’s wife decide to follow in Antigone’s footsteps in ending their own lives. This resolution appearing at the end of the play, and revealing the lesson for Creon that pride destroyed him.

Sophocles’ Antigone, like other great Greek tragedies, draws emotional responses from the audience through the development of relatable and realistically flawed characters who act in ways which invoke praise, criticism, or sympathy. Throughout this play, the established protagonist and antagonist each make a series of rash decisions that set in motion a tragedy that impacts not only themselves, but the lives of the people around them. Antigone, as the central protagonist, is characterized by her strong sense of moral duty, with a brave and stubborn mindset of selflessness and determination to carry out the wishes of her gods despite the consequences she faces. Kreon, on the other hand, is tasked with ruling a kingdom in the aftermath of

The play is written so that the main character is a strong powerful heroine. The first character is a shy but brave women named Antigone. “…Antigone is scrawny, sallow, withdrawn, and recalcitrant brat” (Sparknotes). One she has a goal and she plans on following through with it regardless of what her sister or anyone has to say about it. She finds out that her brother, Polyneices, was killed and insists on burying him. But due to the law that Creon set into place she was told not to. Not listening she goes behind their back and buries him but sadly she is found while doing so.

“I love no woman, for love is a serious business, not a jest.” (Marie de France). The poet Marie de France speaks of how love is a serious business, and in a sense she is right. In most ancient times, the husbands of women do not usually love their wives so much that they would treat them equally. The play, Antigone, by the playwright Sophocles is about a young lady named Antigone who attempts to bury her brother, because the king, Creon, doesn’t want to allow a traitor to be buried. When she manages to bury her brother, she is locked away in her family’s tomb, so she decides to kills herself. In the poem “Nightingale”, by Marie de France is about a married lady who falls in love with a younger knight. The land and the younger knight talk

When the story starts there is a talk between Ismene and the main character Antigone the sisters in the play of Oedipus. While the two talk the audience learns the two have lost their Dad in war and both of their brothers Polyneices and Eteocles to the hands of each other. The audience then finds out one of the brothers, Polyneices, has been left out dead on a field without a respectful burial. When you hear this the audience begins to feel compassion for the sisters Antigone and Ismene, Both have lost their brothers and father really at the same time.

The gratifying qualities of Sophocles tragedians plays, establishes him as one of the most infamous playwrights in Greek history. His refreshingly realistic themes and contradictory characters remain the topic of conversations today. Sophocles’ unorthodox approach of a female character also set him aside from other renowned playwrights. In his play Antigone, audiences are still indecisive on who is the tragic hero; Antigone or Creon. City law versus natural law is the primary issue in Antigone, characters are conflicted with the choice of breaking the law in order to do what is right. The events that occur display Sophocles’s view on human behavior and teaches the audience an important lesson on decision making and the effects of unbridled pride. Creon who is too blinded by his power and pride to look past the surface and seek different solutions, blatantly disregards the needs of his city and family. His impulsive decisions are the elements that contribute to his fall from grace. Antigone’s headstrong personality is admirable, because she breaks Creon’s decree in order to follow her beliefs. Creon deemed Polyneices, Antigone 's brother an unhonorable fighter and retracts his natural right to be buried. Antigone did not fear the consequences when she buried her brother, she stood by her decision because she knows the God’s are the ultimate power. Sophocles play Antigone shows the truth of

In “Antigone” by Sophocles, a famous ancient Greek tragedian, the main character, Antigone, demonstrates a prohibited action in a strict, male-dominated society. Greek civilization upheld strong values and rules that were designed to enforce orderly behavior among its people. There were state laws created by the King, Creon, and divine laws created by the Gods. Divine law was superior to the king laws, and if that rule was disrupted, eternal consequences could ruin an individual. In this society, men were mighty, powerful, and in control of the kingdom. Women were traditionally treated as an underclass with no voice or power. Women were restricted from performing any masculine jobs, holding high civilization positions, and disobeying men. Although Greek civilization had strict standards for women, Antigone challenges the law through her actions in order to satisfy the Gods because it is what she thought was the right decision.

Sophocles’ Antigone is the third of the three Theban plays written, but has been considered the first; the play was written in or before 441 B.C. In Antigone, Sophocles uses women as a strong and independent figure of the society. This play is the first to display women differently in a male dominated society. He also uses this play to describe women as able to make their own decisions and capable of living without the attention of males. The play Antigone shows the personalities of three women in society: Antigone, the strong, independent one, Ismene, the weak, traditional one, and Eurydice, Creon’s wife and an older traditional woman. Each character represents a woman’s way of living and what is expected and expected of women. Each of these women display many differences, some being the fine line between good and evil and life and death. Going into depth with each female character, the reader could tell that the differences in each character is not displayed in the others. For example, Ismene’s weakness and Antigone’s strong will. Although strength can be important in the play, there is the bravery and the passion