Truth in the Eyes of Justice
Greek theater encompassed many aspects that reflected the moral values and ideals of society. Their customs were tightly woven into the scripts of plays. Antigone and Oedipus the King, two renowned works of the Greek playwright Sophocles, explore these values through a plot thick with corruption, virtue, and determination. These plays reveal the burdens two Theban kings, Oedipus and Creon, as their lies and poor judgment corrode the integrity of their city, their families and themselves. Possessing a strong faith in their respective gods, the characters of these Greek plays are often led astray as they try to escape the twisted hand of fate, further warping their perception of reality. As their vain
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When the blind prophet tells him that his decision will destroy him, he agrees to diverge from his original decree. However, he finds it too late for…“dreadful is the mysterious power of fate, there is no deliverance from it by wealth or by war, by fenced city, or dark, sea-beaten ships” (Sophocles 138). Creon’s defiance leaves his family in ruins. His own son, Haemon, tries to kill him for taking the life of his bride. Unable to kill Creon, Haemon turns his sword upon himself. Creon’s wife, Eurydice, then kills herself unable to bear the loss of her son. Creon’s refusal to be a just leader destroys him completely, showing man’s inability to escape from their atrocious acts. There is little difference between roles of fate and karma. Fate dooms from the beginning and karma acts as the hand of justice delivering a fate fit for their crimes. In desperation, the people of Greece turned to the gods for salvation.
The gods offer strict rules and morals to which the characters of Oedipus the King and Antigone adhere. The people of ancient Greece allow the gods to govern many aspects of their lives. Their fate, destiny, and the right to rule fall into the hands of their gods. All problems or questions are presented to the gods in prayer and answered through an oracle or prophet. Their wisdom is nearly absolute and their decrees are the unwritten law. Sophocles develops his characters to
In the first paragraph of the play it reads, "My darling sister Ismene, we have had a fine inheritance from Oedipus. God has gone through the whole range of sufferings and piled them all on us, -grief upon grief, humiliation upon humiliation"(1042). This just shows how terrible fate has treated the family of Oedipus. Creon has a different fate, one that he brought upon himself but it is much more dour than anyone else's. Creon's fate was to lose all of all of his family and the rest of his life knowing it was his entire fault because of his selfish actions and his stubborn ways. In the end of the play Creon says, "Nobody else to share the blame. Just me . . . I killed you. I killed you my dear"(1078-1079).
Standing for what you believe in and know what's right and wrong is important . In the play, Antigone, Sophocles demonstrates that through the conflict of the character. The play is a well-known tragic drama about the conflict between Antigone and her uncle Creon who is king of Thebes.Both character have different believes, idea and opinions regarding divine law and civil law. In Antigone the author Sophocles demonstrates the how important one's moral beliefs is, through the actions of the characters and how the beliefs impact the outcome of the play.The conflict between civil and divine law through Antigone and Creon, shows the important one's beliefs and how it impacts the outcome of the play. A reader can Identifying which law is more important in the play by looking at how the laws impact the characters and the outcome of the play. Both Antigone and Creon go at it expressing each others believes and whether one is right or wrong.Throughout the play civil law is more significant and powerful.
His only will to compromise is when the outcome may be detrimental to his reign in Thebes. Creon does not waiver in his decision to kill Antigone after a long conversation with Haemon. Also when Tiresias warns Creon of his ruinous future, if he doesn't do what's right by the Gods and Antigone, Creon accuses the noble prophet of only wanting money and does not give in. Creon’s error of judgment causes him to be disliked and quietly scrutinized, but also makes him a fair and stern ruler.
Considered one of the greatest dramas of all time, Sophocles’ play Oedipus the King follows the tragic life of Oedipus, king of Thebes. Considered a Satyr play, the Oedipus trilogy is perhaps the most famous of Sophocles’ plays. Oedipus the King, is an Athenian tragedy that was first performed somewhere around 429 BC in Athens, Greece. Originally, the Greeks referred to the play as simply “Oedipus,” as that was what Aristotle referred to it as in the Poetics. Perhaps what makes this play so memorable, is Sophocles’ uses of the tragic hero as the main theme. Sophocles uses characterization and conflict to portray Oedipus as an Aristotelian tragic hero.
Daniel Nierenberg Comparative Essay 11-20-01 "Oedipus Rex" & "Antigone" It is only natural that an author use similar vessels of literature, such as figurative language, literary devices, and elements in his/her work. It is even more apparent between works that are connected by character, time, and theme. Sophocles did this when he wrote "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone". When comparing the two pieces, it becomes evident that very similar vessels connected these very different plays.
Sophocles was a greek poet known for his greek tragedies, stories and plays popular all across Greece, and even have a strong influence on today’s culture. Tragedies, which was such a large form of amusement that men who were actors could get out of military service at the time. Sophocles is prominent for his plays: Ajax, Antigone, The Women of Trachis, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes and Oedipus at Colonus. Despite the many plays he has made, the ones being distinguish here are Antigone and Oedipus the King. Antigone and Oedipus were tragic heroes. It is beneficial to know that Oedipus is Antigone’s father and sibling due to him unknowingly marrying his mother, Jocasta, and killing his own father Laius, committing
Sophocles Playwright, The Three Plebian Plays: Antigone, Oedipus the King, Oedipus at Colonus written by Sophocles, is one of the many plays that shows the audience heroic figures and the outcome of being exposed to fate. Creon and Anitgone both show nobility throughout the play showing that they are both admirable and human. Antigone copes with the situation she has fallen in. She rebels the governments decree so she could have a proper burial for her deceased brother. Doing this Antigone did not only prove that she is brave and showed great fortitude, but in the process Antigone also defends her faithfulness for her family. This makes Antigone the
Throughout history, scholars, poets, and socialites cite and argue multiple aspects within Sophocles’ plays, which all contain a deluge of sentiments that permeate global society and culture. Riddled with disparate interpretations and theories, Antigone sparks acrimonious debate regarding a plethora of its details, such as characterization, theme, and undertone. Antigone, written by the Ancient Greek playwright Sophocles, recounts the events of Oedipus’ daughter, Antigone, following her brothers’ deaths. Sophocles manipulates Antigone’s character to model the loyal, dutiful individual the Greeks idolized in their religion and culture rather than formulating a realistic character who serves herself.
Sophocles, a famous and renowned Greek dramatist, is the playwright to both the play Oedipus the King and Antigone. Along with Antigone and Oedipus Sophocles had also wrote Electra and Fete. Sophocles wrote many Greek tragedies which are plays in which the main character in the play suffers a tragedy due to some flaw of theirs. An example would be how Oedipus (thinking he is defying a prophecy) murders his father and weds his mother. His flaw was him trying to defy fate if he had not just stayed where he was he would’ve been fine. His works are referred to and taught all over the world in many schools along with colleges; this should give light to how will written his plays are and how
A tragic flaw is one of the most important qualities of a tragic hero. The change in most of the characters was a result of Creon’s tragic flaws. Creon may think he is infallible, but really he has many flaws that lead to his downfall. The first is anger, which causes Creon to make poor choices. After a heated debate with his son Haemon, Creon becomes angry and says, “ I’ll take her to a deserted spot / And bury her alive in a trench” (Sophocles 20). Through Creon’s anger he influences Antigone’s death and by doing so, she commits suicide. Aside from having anger, Creon is also a stubborn person. By his stubbornness he does not want to be proven wrong so he says, “ You’ll never persuade me to bury that corpse” (Sophocles 24). He shows his stubbornness by saying that he will never change his mind about Antigone. When Teiresias, the fortuneteller, hears this he explains to Creon that if he does not change his mind he will cause another death. After hearing this Creon must bury the body of Polyneices and free Antigone, because fate never lies. Little does he know that he is too late and the prophecy comes true. The last tragic flaw of Creon is that he is filled with temerity. Creon is
He, however, has the chance to learn from the series of events and change his view of the world. After his son and wife die as a result of Antigone’s death, he finally acknowledges “the doom he brought on himself” (Sophocles 236.1260). Prior to his kin’s deaths, he learns that what he has done is wrong and goes to release Antigone, only to find her dead with his son dead also next to her, “I can fight necessity no more” (Sophocles 231.1106). Creon’s learning and changing because of this statement is a reason why he is the tragic hero of the play; his stubbornness caused the fall, and he subsequently was forced to learn a lesson.
Society has always idolized the rebel, the outcast, the person with the moral compass directed away from the norm, who, despite direct opposition from those in power, is ultimately proven to be right. Heroes aren’t strictly aligned with authority, they veer off in a direction more suited to what they believe is right. Not all in that position, however, have shown utter selflessness and true leadership, as demonstrated by the title character and ‘heroine’ of one of Sophocles’ most famous plays: the daughter of Oedipus, Antigone. Though her life had been a pathetic one due to her convoluted family history, her attempt at realizing her own beliefs resulted not in reform, but the deaths of two innocents, along with the loss of her own life.
Sophocles ' play “Oedipus Tyrannus” is an enigma. His play includes incest, murder and self-enlightenment all leading into the main theme of fate. Athenians believed that fate is not left up to man, but that is provided solely on the whims of the gods. Because of his dramatic approach to his plays Sophocles was considered one of the most brilliant and creative writers of his time.
The Greek used plays to talk about moral and social issues. For example comedies were humorous and mocked or made fun of social issues, people, and custom. The plays were also shown outside. In document 6, there is an excerpt from the play Antigone by Sophocles. The play is considered to be a tragedy, which is a type of drama. Tragedies tell a story about suffering and usually end badly or in disaster. In the play Antigone overstepped Creon’s laws and buried her brother. In the excerpt from document 6 Antigone states, “Nor do I think your orders were so strong that you, a mortal man, could overrun the gods’ unwritten and unfailing laws..” This shows us how the gods’ were very important in Greek life. Antigone believed that Creon’s laws are his and not the gods’. Antigone also believed that Creon was just a mortal man and that she should obey her conscience. Today, we still incorporate our own values and what is important to us into plays. Therefore, this proves how the ancient Greeks have made many contributions in the areas of architecture,art and performing arts to the Western civilization.
Sophocles Influenced then and influencing as well as today. Many great classics and tragedies in literature are associated to ancient Greek philosophers, Sophocles. Not only did he provided the world with endless intriguing ideas, he also was the mastermind behind everlasting tragedies such as Oedipus the King. His ideology, artistry, and perception have served to impact genius minds of the past and both future playwrights. The writing of the play Oedipus the King, the action, the plot, the atmosphere, the characters everything get along so well with the whole play. In Aristoteles “Guide to Playwriting” book he mentioned “Oedipus the King” as a classic tragedy, and pointed out so many things for the young playwrights to follow. Although written