It is this rebellious act and Antigone's determined loyalty to the memory of her brother that forms the spine of the play. Her stubborn loyalty becomes her hamartia , her tragic error, and ultimately causes her downfall.
Antigone is a great example of how a hamartia doesn't necessarily have to be a character "flaw" as it is often described. Most people would call loyalty an admirable trait. Antigone's devotion is so extreme, however, that it brings tragedy once more to Thebes.
You probably noticed that "loyalty" is a big word when it comes to Antigone. Family devotion especially is a big thing. She sacrifices her own life in the name of it. Her determination is so strong that her character becomes symbolic of family loyalty or blood ties.
When we see her clash with King Creon, it's almost as if Sophocles is asking: "Who do we owe more loyalty to? The government or our families? Imagine if you will: a top American general has allied himself with terrorists and attacked the U. The general died in the battle and the U. What would you do if this general was one of your family members? Risk life and limb just because you were related?
Even if you were really close to the person, would you go against the government's wishes? Antigone's other big thing is her fierce loyalty to the gods. Their divine laws are what she holds most sacred:. Go thine own way; myself will bury him. How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,-- Sister and brother linked in love's embrace-- A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth, But by the dead commended; and with them I shall abide for ever.
As for thee, Scorn, if thou wilt, the eternal laws of Heaven. She couldn't give a flip about laws of man, as represented by Creon. When these two willful characters collide, the clash isn't just symbolic of government vs.
Throughout the play there are signs in the natural world that the gods are on the side of Antigone. As a result, it led to both of their self-destructions, as they killed each other in a battle for power. As a result, she goes against the very strict law that Creon placed within Thebes. By the time Creon finally realized that it was the gods who held the highest power, it was too late. Creon also states that his son is like a slave to Antigone and mocks his son for not respecting his power.
This causes Haemon to rush off, dejected, and later causes him to commit suicide. It is only after Creon is humbled, that he realizes the grave mistakes he has made. By this time, however, it is too late to fix anything and he has lost everything. Works Cited. Antigone Plot Summary Oedipus was banished from Thebes, when the prophecy of patricide and incest was proven true.
Pages 60, Lines Sophocles, Antigone Themes in Antigone A major theme evident within this tragedy is pride. Works Cited "Antigone. This article was actually quite helpful. It gave background of each character, including some of their etymologies.
This site also gave certain pages numbers, where particular phrases or portions of the tragedy were pointed out as being important. The site also gave details about the plot summary and the setting of where the tragedy took place. Wikimedia Foundation Inc.
This article gave information regarding specific characters in the tragedy Antigone. Theban Plays. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company Inc. Antigone, was one of three Theban plays that were included within this novel.
The other two were Oedipus Tyrannus , and Oedipus at Colonus. Antigone told the story of two brothers that lusted for power, and ended up killing each other in battle because of it.
Antigone, their oldest sister performed a proper burial for one of her brothers and got caught and sentenced to death for it. The playwright Sophocles is a prime example of this. In his tragedy Antigone, Sophocles tackles issues such as the role of the gods, the proper behavior of women, and the power of a leader. These motifs not only add value to the narrative, but offer. Although separated by culture and time, their rationales share commonalities and, of course, differences that show humans in the context of their times.
However, Martin Luther acts against a community for a community, while Antigone challenges a person for a person, a difference in scale. Antigone justifies. It is an issue of which law is the "right" law, and if Creon 's and Antigone 's acts were justifiable. It is also a question of what motivates them both to act as they do and if they were predestined to their fates due to their ties to a doomed family.
Martin Luther king demonstrate that breaking laws that are unjust can be a good thing by bringing reform. Their nonviolent approach of civil disobedience till this day leave an impact on how we go about social injustice.
Through their actions and words, both Antigone, and Dr. Although Antigone is taking a stand against Creon and Ismene, who are both her relatives, she does not want them any harm. Needless to say, he follows the rules he put up and wants the best for Thebes. However, when it comes to his nieces Antigone and Ismene, he even thinks about putting both of them to death. By choosing the state and his power over his relatives, Creon seems emotionless and less likable. However, the similarities between Creon and Antigone did not seem obvious to me in the beginning.
In comparison to my initial impressions of the characters, I now know that both of them are strong characters, who are stubborn and have a certain goal in their mind. Nevertheless, the matching characteristics did not change my sympathy for Antigone. No matter how similar he is to Antigone, he seems rather cold as he prefers the state and his ruling to his family, which Antigone, Ismene, and Polynices are a part of. Both Antigone and Creon make mistakes, and both are very much alike.
Nevertheless, Antigone wins my favor over Creon, as her actions are admirable and are not meant to hurt anyone. Antigone might be stubborn and self-centered, but the loyalty to her brother drives her to her actions.
That she wants to bury him, even if it means her death, is applaudable. His actions are so selfish, that he does not understand the disaster coming from it. A behavior which results in the death of three people cannot be seen as more admirable as someone who is only breaking a rule.
Through the Renaissance.
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