Antigone Case

Jessica Dasilva

Eng. 102

Prof. Werner

Antigone

One of the most fascinating plays in greek history is "Antigone", a story full of drama and irony. The play deals with the interaction of different family members, their dynamics, and the consequences of their behavior.

Sophocles' "Antigone" is a tragedy of conflicts and misunderstandings. It exemplifies the human sufferings through the events that only a greek tragedy can embody. Not only do we get to read about the numerous ironies of life, but also, we get to experience an outlook on life that we may even relate to during lapses of our lifetime. In this play, the laws of the gods are set up against the laws of man, and the two appear to be irreconcilable as their values are upheld. We witness the morals that differ between the characters and the lengths in which the will go to preserve their views.

Sophocles tests the thoughts and beliefs of many with the twisted and captivating words he puts together to write this play Antigone. Antigone is written about the life of a princess named Antigone who contacts so much suffering and despair. It begins with the life of her father, being raised away from his blood family and meeting the literal motherly figure that all men search for in their lives. He marries his birth mother, Iocaste, after unknowingly killing his father Laios. These acts left a curse on Oedipus that continued onto his two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles. Oedipus discovers what he has done and gouges' his eyes from his head and exiles himself by leaving the palace. Polyneices and Etocles come to power but eventually quarrel over the seductive thought of having full control to themselves. But the curse doesn't end with the two first born males, but continues to affect the lives of Ismene and Antigone, the two daughters of Oedipus. They lose family member after family member, and eventually one even loses her own life.

Each character in the play portrays a unique and significant symbolic role. This allows for a complex and dynamic interaction among dysfunctional family members that takes us through several paths of deception, despair, suffering, and heroism. The inner conflicts of the perceived rule of law versus the religious beliefs are fundamental ingredients in the struggles of the characters.

In the play we learn that Antigone is a woman of strong convictions and character. She depicts the rebellious woman who would stand up against the establishment and for her principles, even though this will lead her to direct confrontation against her uncle. An example of this is when she argues with Creon and says, "This talking is a great weariness: your words are distasteful to me, and I am sure that mine seem to you" (95-97 Pg 117) Without concern of the type of power or mastery he has over her. She is still the heroic figure in a family that seemed to have been cursed. Furthermore, the fact that she is willing to die for her beliefs show us that Antigone has evolved into the heroine that we always look up to during times of despair. Haimon states that he hears the whispers of the people saying "No woman has ever, so unreasonably died so shameful a death for a generous act" (63-65 pg. 123) The underdogs, the outcasts, and the rejects have found their "hero" in her, and