The Tragedy Of Sophocles ' Antigone

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

Hero. Hero comes from the greek word heros meaning “A person who faces adversity, or demonstrates courage, in the face of danger.” Growing up we have always read stories about heroes coming to save the day; for instance, Captain America. Being that our whole lives we were mostly exposed to heroism, have you ever asked yourself what is the opposite of a hero? A villain is the opposite of a hero, but their is another opposite form of a hero; a tragic hero. A Tragic hero is “A literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction” (“Tragic hero as defined by Aristotle”). For instance, in the play written by Sophocles Antigone, the tragic hero is Creon. Creon who is Antigone’s

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.

The character of Antigone in Sophocles’ play, Antigone, is one of the most controversial tragic characters in classic literature. The war in her city has torn her family apart, caused the death of both her brothers, and created a reason for her to fight against the King, her uncle. Her uncle, Creon, makes a ruling that her brother, Polynices, is not to be buried because he is a traitor, but according to her religion, her brother’s soul will not go to the afterlife until he is buried. In defense of her brother, she buries his body illegally and is subsequently sentenced to death. With her complex patterns of thought, bold actions, and the end she encounters, the character of Antigone causes debate among critics as to

Aristotle once said, “A man does not become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” Aristotle believed that a tragic hero was one who was noble by nature yet endowed with a tragic flaw or hamartia. This hero is oftentimes more dignified than us average people, but his/her* personality and character traits make their stories relatable. Over the course of his life, different virtues are revealed, but they eventually exhibit an imperfection which leads to his inevitable downfall. In Sophocles 's tragic play of Antigone, Oedipus’s sons, Polynices and Eteocles have killed each other in combat. Although Eteocles was buried in honor as a hero, Creon denied Polynices a proper burial because he was considered a traitor. Antigone, Polynices’s sister, defies the king’s demands despite the deadly consequences. While Creon lived to emulate state peace by maintaining law and order, Antigone died in honor of her religion and familial obligations. However, both characters possessed the tragic flaw of stubbornness, or sticking firm to their virtues and beliefs despite the advice of others, with an added sense of pride, and that’s what led to their ultimate sorrowful tragic end.

have learned what not to be like as a citizen or human. In the classic

Throughout history people have fought for what they believed in, so much that they grow to be legends. These historical figures are not unlike figures found in mythology with such tales as Sophocles’ Antigone.They do what they believe is beneficial or right despite the adversity they will meet. Sometimes their fight results in their death. This is true not only of Antigone, but also of Abraham Lincoln. While Abraham Lincoln may not be considered a tragic hero he is similar to Antigone because both were fulfilling a divine order.

The play Antigone by Sophocles provides multiple themes to the reader. One of which is Individual vs State as Antigone goes against Creon 's rule. This act of defiance is due to the feeling by an individual that what they believe is correct over that of a states law. This theme when applied to modern times can be interpreted as government vs personal freedoms. A person will always act on the values that they have and on those values souly, even when that is against the laws set in place. This idea of personal freedom is not only something that was evident in the play but is an key element of human nature.

In Sophocles’ Antigone, the protagonist, Creon, serves as a great example of how recurring themes, such as the realization and recognition of a tragic flaw (hamartia), cause the downfall of the powerful in Greek literature. Sophocles is effective in portraying the concept of hamartia as an essential component in Creon’s downfall and, based on Aristotle’s characteristics of a tragic character, able to create a character that can be accurately and easily identified as the significant tragic character in the play. Despite the title of the tragedy, Creon undoubtedly provides greater moral significance and can capture the audience’s attention as the central character. Creon’s significance is clear as he is the successor to Oedipus’ throne in Thebes. His status as king makes him renowned and prosperous. Initially, Creon restrains his respect for his subjects, however, it is clear to them he is not perfect through his pride (hubris). His profound reversal of prosperity is displayed after he struggles to recognize his erroneous judgment (hamartia). Finally, his compassion and apprehension develops into an understanding of his arrogant and destructive nature leading to his redemption. Nevertheless, Creon is left with the burden of the deaths of his family, becoming a shell of misfortune and loneliness. Although Creon’s actions cannot be labeled as courageous, his character traits pertain greatly to that of a tragic hero.

Both characters at some point in the play experienced great suffering. Antigone suffered when she had to watch her brother rot without having a soldier’s funeral. Creon suffered a great deal when he had to watch all his loved ones die one after the other. Unfortunately, Creon had to live with the fact that he was the reason why everyone one was dying and now he had to live with all that pain.

Moderation is key to living a good life. We live in a gray world. Sophocles perfectly and beautifully was able to portray the ambiguity of our reality. Antigone and Kreon both have valid reasoning and are justified in their views in Sophocles’ tragedy Antigone. Neither is purely good or evil, but are simply two embodiments of contradicting beliefs, each based upon just reasoning. Antigone’s rebellion is based on her love for her brother, an act of emotion and passion. Kreon’s verdict is based upon logic and reason from his position of power.

In Sophocles’ play Antigone, two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices fight for the thrown of Thebes. The war comes to an end when both brothers die fighting for the honor, and their uncle Creon becomes the king of Thebes. Upon his coronation, Creon issues a decree that Eteocles, the former king of Thebes, will be honored with a traditional military burial, while his brother Polynices will be “left unwept, unburied, a lovely treasure for birds that scan the field and feast to their heart’s content” (Sophocles, 60). Antigone, one of the two sisters, outraged by this ruling, takes matters into her own hands and goes against this newly established law by properly burying her brother. Ultimately Antigone sets aside the political law and does what’s morally right by honoring her brother with a traditional burial. I will argue that Antigone’s decision to bury her brother was the right decision. While she may have disobeyed the law put in place by the newly appointed inexperienced king of Thebes, she was in turn honoring her brother and the long standing traditions and expectations of the g-ds, principles much more important than the arbitrary laws of the state.

There are no options for an individual who can no longer function in his or her given environment. The environment in which an individual is placed in is strategically molded by a set of rules that construct the society. Because it is impossible to define an ideal life, defining the society of the individual gives a clearer image of how that individual can expect to live. Defining society can be narrowed down into family, church, and state. These three institutions work together but often conflict. Once an individual is not of use to the three institutions or has been rejected by them, there is no way for the individual to live in the society, yet the three institutions make it impossible for them to escape. Kafka’s The Metamorphosis and Sophocles’ Antigone prove that the individual becomes trapped with little to no options after either being rejected by society or no longer having a functioning role within one of the three institutions that constitute society.

Karl Marx, the German philosopher, once said “History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.” For me, this quote clearly describes the overarching relationship between Blackfish and Antigone. This analogy starts with Antigone, written about an oppressed woman against the fists of tyranny. That early in history woman’s rights was often taboo at places, and democracy was only recently established. Yet, Antigone went against the norm by focusing on a heroine that challenged male authority and nobility, thus making it revolutionary. Now, an unbelievably eye-opening documentary, Blackfish has been produced about a “company-despot” that values money over life and recognition over morals. In this story, the life of a killer-whale

It is plain to see what about the character of Antigone it is that makes this a tragedy. Tragedy is defined as a dramatic composition dealing with a serious or somber theme, and this story fits all these criteria. First of all, it involves a tragic course of events that involved both of her brothers dying and then being completely disrespected even in death. She felt she had to rectify this mistake, even though it was against the law, and the opposition was too great. Because of her attempt to rectify the injustice, even more tragic things happened to her and her family. This is why she is a tragic heroine.