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Character analysis of antigone by sophocles
Theme and issue of antigone drama
Character analysis of antigone by sophocles
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Antigone Essay
In any story or piece of literature, there will always be the main
characters to fill the pages with incessant adventure. The characters
whose names appear on almost every page and the characters whose
actions the story revolves around. However, a story will also always
have its minor characters. These are the characters that contribute
heavily to the plot, yet aren't mentioned quite as often and are
underestimated regarding their importance in the story. In the Greek
masterpiece, Antigone, the author Sophocles construed a myriad of
minor characters that contributed to the story in numerous ways.
Ismene, one of Oedipus' daughters, was created to foil the main
character, Antigone. Haemon, the son of Creon, took the role of adding
controversy and showing his father revenge for all the trouble he
caused Thebes. And finally, Tiresias, an elderly blind prophet, was
constructed to diminish Creon's hubris.
Firstly, Ismene's character was created primarily to foil that of
Antigone's. When Antigone initially discussed her plans to contest the
King's orders, Ismene was against it and tried to argue with her
sister, hoping to dispel the plan from her mind. In lines 71-74,
Ismene states during her argument, "think what a death we'll die, the
worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of
the throne, it's power- we must be sensible." During the entire story
the two characters have obvious opposing views and personalities.
Ismene is discerned as rational, cautious, and dutiful, while Antigone
is conveyed as intractable, brave, and disobedient.
Another example of the discrepancy between the characters is the way
that they are physically represented. Sophocles generated Ismene w...
... middle of paper ...
...ty fits together like a puzzle. For example, without those
blank sky pieces that fit at the top of a puzzle, it can never be
completed. Same rule applies to any story, without the minor
characters to reveal hidden information or to simple add drama, then a
story can never be completed. In the Greek tragedy, Antigone, the
author, Sophocles, presents the minor characters in his story with
important functions and responsibilities. Ismene, Antigone's sister,
had the purpose of foiling Antigone in order to create undeclared
confliction between the characters. Haemon, Antigone's fiancée, was
meant to bring justification to the string of deaths at the end of the
story. And lastly, Tiresias, the respected prophet, was carefully
produced as the character who pushed Creon's conscious over the edge
and influenced him the most to withdraw his punishment for Antigone.
In Sophocles play, Antigone, the reader explores many aspects of a Greek tragedy. In this play, a complex family follows a series of mishaps after hearing from a “seer.” After the family thinks they have overcome the worst, they then endure two brothers fighting over both of their rightful places on the throne. In the end, both of them die, but one, Eteocles, was buried a king, and the other, Polynices was left to be untouched a “traitor.” Their sister, Antigone, feels it is her rightful to disobey her uncle, Creon, who sets a decree that declares Policies was to be left unburied. She called this “the doom reserved for enemies marches on the ones we love the most” (Fagles 1984, 59).
Antigone has defied the king's edict. However, the edict says that her brother, Polynices, cannot be given a proper burial. The reason given for this is that Polynices is a traitor. Antigone's uncle, Creon, the king, makes this edict after many events happen. Antigone says herself that she has experienced "no private shame, no public disgrace, nothing" that cannot be experienced (Antigone, p. 658).
Ismene believes that women are “underlings” (76) and not “contend[ing] with men” (76) because she knows that men will always control society. This viewpoint of men’s domination of women depicts Ismene to be submissive to males while being fearful of men’s authority. Ismene is unable to have control over her destiny and decisions because she is fearful of men’s power over women, which leads to her refusing to bury Polynices. Later in the play, Ismene questions Creon’s judgment by saying “you’d kill your own son’s bride?” (641) which indicates that she is now aware that woman should have a voice and power in society. Her new understanding of Antigone’s message gives her the strength to query Creon, while additionally highlighting his cruelty. Ismene’s original belief of “submit[ing] to this” (77) and being a proper Greek girl, eventually transforms into becoming an advocate for Antigone. Her transformation defies men’s authority, the opposite of what she used to believe in.
What makes a hero? In our society, a hero is thought of as a tall man who wears a cape and has super powers, but to the Greeks, it was very different. In every Greek tragedy, there is the tragic hero, defined by Aristotle as a character who is an extraordinary person, with both good and bad qualities. Although the character reaches a level of insight, a tragic flaw, such as hamartia, leads to their failure in the end. A perfect example of this can be found in Sophocles’ trilogy, The Theban Plays which follows the struggling city of Thebes and the efforts of its rulers to escape their misfortune. Antigone, the third play is an excellent example of this. As the title is Antigone, one would assume that she is the tragic hero, or heroine, but this is not the case. In the tragedy Antigone, Creon fills the role of tragic hero.
Thebes was invaded by Oedipus’ son, Polynices, and his followers. As Oedipus predicted in the previous play, Polynices and his brother, Eteocles, killed each other during battle. Creon, the king of Thebes, ruled that Eteocles should have a proper burial with honors and Polynices, the invader, be left unburied to rot.
Minor characters play a very crucial role in Shakespear's Hamlet. They serve as narrators for events that occurred outside the immediate play: the Dane's ghost. Distinct contrasts are created through the usage of the play's minor characters. The reader gains new perspective on Hamlet's character when he is compared with Laertes. The presence of these minor characters can also have a direct effect on the action of the play. The actors in the play within the play are used to expose the guilt of Claudius; Hamlet then has proof of the King's crimes. The expertise use of these characters - either to exemplify good and purity, or to spread the vile corruption which permeates Elsinore - is one of the main reasons for Hamlet's success as one of the greatest plays ever written.
Today the United States is controlled by three branches, but the executive branch is the branch that is commonly referred to when mentioning the United States; the President. Who was once just a loyal friend of Oedipus, now the ruler of Thebes, Creon can be considered Thebes’s president. A ruler who believes and insists that his word is final when it deals with anything under his jurisdiction, meets a match in Antigone, the daughter of the former ruler of Thebes before he parted unto the other side. “When the unstoppable object collides with an unmovable object,” can be used to describe the two opposing views of Antigone and Creon.
The Tragic Play Antigone by Sophocles has a Conflict between religious morals and loyalty to the state and its laws. This struggle is displayed through the characters Antigone and Creon. Antigone’s life meets a tragic end in the play, but her death makes her a martyr leading to the citizens to follow her view of religion.
In our society today, movies and television shows are being broadcast all over the world to many genders, races, and ages. Some of these shows involve many violent topics and situations. For example, the news qualifies as a violent shows because three fourths of every broadcast involves a violent situation. The next generation of adults is exposed to this violence everyday, thinking it’s cool or acceptable. I think that if teenagers witness the violent actions in person they would react differently than seeing them on TV.
During the ancient years of Greece, new ideas came up that complicated life. These new beliefs came with the strong development of science, where individuals began to obtain new aspects of Gods. These new ideals often conflicted with one another creating complex moral dilemmas. In Antigone, Creon and Antigone battle a philosophical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ethics. “Do what you believe is right.” This is a idiom universal to all, brought to our attention by parents, reinforced by teachers, and preached by leaders. But how does one define what is right? It is the impression that one should make decisions based upon what they deem morally appropriate within themselves. On one aspect there is Antigone, who pursues her self-righteous beliefs whole-heartedly and without reservation. On the other aspect you have Creon, who acts in response to what he believes is best for his city-state. Both characters are validated in their actions. Antigone’s support of her approach is evident in her refusal to abide by Creon’s edict no to bury her brother Polynice’s. Antigone’s aspect of the conflict held a much more heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that Creon chose to follow.
Thebian play of Antigone has excited many debates over the years. The most prevalent being who exactly could be characterized as the tragic hero in the story. The argument that Antigone is the hero is deffinatly a strong one. There are many critics who believe that Creon, however, is the true protagonist of the play. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero one must first examine what a tragic hero is. Aristotle states that a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely malevolent. A hero is usually born into high rank of society, and this person must possess a tragic flaw. This flaw normally stems from either poor judgment or extreme arrogance. This flaw will inevitably contribute to the character's downfall.
When reading anything it is usually to the benefit of the reader if the author leaves the ending of the story at the end. So when I started to read Antigone and figured out right away that she would die I wondered what purpose it served to read the rest of the play. Had I not finished the play, however, I would not have ever known how Antigone was to die. Nor would I have know if Ismene would also die or if Polyneices would ever get a proper burial. Needless to say I finished the play.
In meeting Ismene, the reader is introduced to a wiser and obedient woman in terms of her understanding where she stands socially and realizing the consequences of rebellious actions. Ismene, throughout the play, serves as a tool by helping Antigone to become more resolute in her actions. Ismene has suffered just as much as Antigone, "no joy or pain has come my way" (16) Ismene says. Yet although she concedes that the sisters "were robbed of our two brothers" (17), she still accepts the will of the King "I must obey the ones who stand in power"(18).
Antigone is a play about a woman who disobeyed the King's order to not bury her brother. The play was written by the famous Greek tragedian, Sophocles, in 441 B.C. The story took place in the city of Thebes and the time period is not mentioned. The main characters introduced in the play are of Antigone, Ismene, Creon, and Haemon. The primary focus was centered on Antigone and the consequences she faces after breaking the King's orders.
In Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone saw her action of burying her brother as a just one. It may not have been just in the eyes of Creon and the people of Thebes, but she was not concerned with the laws that mortals had made. Antigone saw the divine laws of the gods to be much more important than those of mortals. She felt that if she died while upholding the laws of the gods, that her afterlife would be better than if she had not. Our lives on this earth are so short, that to see a good afterlife over the horizon will make people go against the laws of humans.