Antigone Life Lessons

In the play Antigone, there are several life lessons learned throughout. Of course, it being a Greek tragedy, the play is very dramatic. Even in today’s society, these lessons are very truthful and relevant. In this particular play, some of the lessons learned are that with power comes responsibility. Each character have their own way of life that brings out the best and worst of them. For example, Creon had power and did not use it responsibly. Therefore, it caused some of his very own family members to be killed. Antigone on the other hand, had her priorities first and it seemed to work for her. She fights until her opinions influence others and she has made a change. Many of the lessons learned in Antigone seem to have a great impact on each of the characters’ lives. Antigone learns to have faith and follows her own beliefs. She is a confident woman with strong morals. She learns not to follow in other’s footsteps, ignores the society’s rules, and becomes more of a leader. Antigone did not have an easy life but it was very similar to life today on Earth. Even today, people make stupid decisions that could mean life or death for others. King Creon even learns some very important life lessons. Creon is very determined and hungry for power. However, Creon abuses his power instead of putting it to good use. With his power, he attacks the citizens with his fierce demands as if no one is able to provide Polynices with a proper burial. Creon says “This is my command… As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man” (Sophocles I.i. 37-38). In the end, it finally comes back to haunt him. His son dies by his own hand. Not long after receiving news of his son’s death, Creon’s very own wife kills herself also. Th...

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...woman can say whatever she would like and the man will always believe her lies. Gallimard asks Song if he is his Butterfly and Song replies to him “Yes, I am. I am your Butterfly” (Hwang 841). He then expresses his love for Song which goes to show he is like any other man that will believe anything a woman says. Gallimard, being Asian, was quick to accept Song as a woman. He viewed Song’s different behavior and his differences in anatomy as if it was because he was Asian. He would never see Song as a true man that is powerful, masculine and strong because that goes against the Asian stereotype. Gallimard rejected the truth of Song being a man and looked at it as if he were just an Asian woman with differences than other women. He made himself believe that Song was still his Butterfly and rejected everything else, knowing deep down inside Song was very much a man.