How was your apprehension of cultural and contextual considerations of the work developed through the synergistic viva voce?
After taking portion in the synergistic unwritten presentation carried out by Sonia’s group. I now believe that I have gained a much greater apprehension of the drama Antigone. Themes commented on by the presentation were adult females. faith and calamity ; further analyzing their topographic point in society at the clip the drama was written by contrasting it to society today. Obstacles impeding my apprehension of the drama. including its clip and scene. have been removed. After comparing so vividly the society of Ancient Greece and that of the one I live in. I can now sympathize with Antigone and the remainder of the characters in the drama. accordingly broadening my apprehension of the difficult times that they had to digest. Many of the issues sing adult females. faith and political relations in the state during the period were observed in Sophocles’ Antigone. clearly exposing their importance. The modern-day issues that shaped the drama merit farther geographic expedition.
Women’s functions in ancient Grecian society were shockingly different in comparing to that of today. Before the presentation. I was aware of some differences between their society and ours but I was incognizant that they were so utmost. Although she seems highly negative and fickle. Ismene was shown to be a prima illustration of a adult female at the clip – the first difference between their society and ours. Although she is elevated in society she doesn’t hear about anything of import – “No 1 has told me anything. Antigone. I have heard nothing…” Before the presentation. the irrelevant places of adult females were unknown to me. Equally good as seen to be worthless. adult females were besides presented as being a negative influence on work forces – “Don’t allow any adult female ensnare you…” was Creon’s advice to Haemon. exposing the general consensus on adult females. We examined Creon’s motivations. prospecting that if Antigone weren’t a adult female. would the penalty be the same?
Another of import subject that was brought to my attending during the synergistic unwritten presentation was that of faith. The spiritual Torahs in this clip and state were improbably important. This society’s position on faith is a major influence in the drama Antigone. It would hold affected how the people in the state ( the characters in the drama ) acted and what they thought. a big contrast to today. The subjects examined by Antigone would hold been improbably flooring to the original audience as they were the societal norms. After being informed. I was so able to do connexions in the text. as to why certain things were said and insinuated about being rewarded in the hereafter and why specific Acts of the Apostless were committed – all under the influence of faith. Prior to the presentation. I was wholly uninformed as to the faith and many other cultural facets of Ancient Greece.
Antigone: An Appraisal of Antigone’s and Creon’s Deeply Held Beliefs and Views On Familial and State Duties
In his drama Antigone. Sophocles explores the ethical unity of familial and province ties through the opposing point of views and beliefs of the cardinal characters. Antigone and Creon. By fliping these two persons against each other. Sophocles besides successfully reveals the natural and multi-faceted nature of humanity. The tragic effects that conclude Antigone stress the deathly differences between each character’s positions on the unwritten responsibility towards household and the adhering Torahs of the city state. a struggle that would really probably be less of an issue in modern society. Sophocles promotes Antigone’s character. as she is the traditional supporter of the drama. By making so. Sophocles succeeds in constructing the audience’s compassion towards her.
The audience is influenced hence. through this empathy created towards Antigone. to see Creon’s ethical actions as being less moral than her ain. However. it must be added that Creon’s points of position and actions can nevertheless besides be justified. By analyzing the fate of each character. and how each of their destinies come to go through. one can acquire a clearer apprehension of how and why Sophocles influences the audience into prefering Antigone and her domestic function. instead than Creon and his cold inflexibleness. The contrasting positions and rules that drive each character deserve appraisal as the opposing passions driving each of them. lead to the play’s tragic. dramatic and affecting decision.
Sophocles brings to life the characters of Antigone and Creon. developing for each. a sense of duty and a set of ethical motives. which clash dramatically with the opposite character’s. By opposing these two characters against one another. Sophocles non merely successfully contrasts the ethical positions of each. but besides cleverly exposes the true face of humanity. Antigone is placed as both lead character and heroine of the drama. as she holds a domestic. reasoned and more acceptable stance ; any audience would call her as heroine. A. E. Haigh. writer of ‘An analysis of the drama by Sophocles – The Tragic Drama of the Greeks’ clearly states that Antigone lives a more familial motivated life style. stating. “Antigone. nevertheless. seems to hold been of a more domestic type. ”1 Antigone’s resilient. and slightly narcissistic. feeling of duty toward household is what drives her to publically go against Creon’s new edict and to oppugn his judgement on. and cognition of. Godhead jurisprudence.
Antigone does this without inquiry. so deep is her regard of the Gods over the province. She clearly feels more obligated towards her spiritual duties and ties than anything else. This slightly noncompliant character believes that the Gods entirely determine her destiny ; she will make whatever is necessary to pacify them. “I shall decease in the cognition that I have acted rightly. What greater satisfaction than that … We have excessively small clip to blow it on work forces. and the Torahs they make. The blessing of the dead is everlasting. and I shall enjoy in it as I lie among them. ”2. Here Antigone’s usage of linguistic communication shocks the audience as she has clearly prioritized her being in accepting decease and rejecting mortal life.
This strong and profoundly held belief thrusts Antigone to stand by her familial duties with steely finding and to execute the burial rights for her asleep brother that were unfeelingly denied him by Creon. Her credence of decease dazes the audience as it about seems as if she desires it. She remains certain throughout the drama that the Gods will honor her devotedness and her epic actions in the hereafter. Although she says otherwise. it appears that Antigone besides strives for public acclamation in Thebes. When Ismene references that she won’t inform anyone of Antigone’s programs. Antigone responds strongly. “Don’t you dare! You must state everybody. shout it in the streets. ” This rebellious response from Antigone seems to bespeak that her actions are non merely divinely. but besides slightly selfishly motivated.
The 2nd cardinal character. Creon. portions Antigone’s determinism in staying by rules and beliefs. However. contrary to Antigone. Creon remains certain that worlds can in fact dictate the moral Torahs of society and that the province should and can manage its ain affairs by inquiring. “Is it probably. remotely likely that the Gods will believe twice over that stinking heap of meat? ” Rather than fearing the immortal Gods and their unwritten Torahs. Creon strives to continue those of adult male and of province. His obstinate penalty of Antigone. a adult female whose lone desire is to bury her brother. shows a deficiency of regard and disdain for all household values and ties. Although Creon could warrant his actions as being those required of a male monarch. it is apparent that they are excessively utmost. G. H. Gellie in ‘Sophocles: A Reading’ provinces. “He reminds us repeatedly of the physical filth of the [ body’s ] exposure …
We are made to experience in our tummy that this is no manner to handle the organic structure of a human being. ”3 Any empathy that the audience may hold felt towards Creon rapidly vanishes at this point in the drama. However. this is slightly redressed subsequently when. ironically he loses his household members: his married woman and boy. Throughout Antigone. Creon appears to be unable to hold on the cardinal traits of opinion and life in an ethical society. This is apparent when he states. “I’ve merely seen her interior in rage. non like person in full control of her senses. The bosom of one who weaves evil in darkness is normally convicted beforehand. I. for my portion. detest anyone caught in the act who tries to fancify his offenses thereupon. ”2 Statements of this nature show Creon’s cold and indurate appraisals of the morally unsloped Antigone – the consequence on the audience is unambiguous: One can experience nil but contempt for such a harsh and hardhearted character.
It is Creon’s ain regulations and ordinances that publically expose his evident deficiency of regard for household values and responsibilities. This is apparent when he introduces his new edict. saying that Polynices can non be buried. Creon’s secondary defect is that he continually acts on his ain ego involvement. His motives are driven by his selfishness and non by the sentiments or involvement of his people. Egotistic traits such as these are neither honest nor wise for a successful swayer. Creon’s boy. Haemon. challenges his male parent. informing him that he neglects to function the people of Thebes and fails to pay attending to their calls. He argues. “How the metropolis weeps for this miss. says she’s the least worthy of all adult females to decease so severely for such baronial workss. ”2 Creon responds. with an hideous effusion. exposing his haughtiness through his strong positions. He asks. “The metropolis will state me how I ought to govern it? … Isn’t the metropolis thought to be her ruler’s? ”2 His blatantly conceited claims. coupled with his unconcealed neglect for just judgement. construct tenseness towards a apparently inevitable clang with Antigone. who is filled with equal doggedness but whose positions are diametrically opposed to his.
The point of views of each character can be interpreted as rather dry and at odds: Although Antigone strives to support household values by go againsting the state’s Torahs. she remains a outstanding and functioning member of Theban society. Likewise. even though Creon remains a loving hubby and male parent. his ability to wholly ignore familial ties in support of province Torahs is flooring. As the two are straight opposed. it is interesting to see how the characters cope in the same civilization. Antigone and Creon are of such determined characters. that the sarcasm sing each of their peculiar devotednesss to household and province becomes even more alarming.
Antigone appears the most ethical of the two as she is willing to put on the line her life over her determination to continue household rights ; Creon can besides look morally merely. because. as male monarch. he is motivated entirely by his responsibility to function Thebes. It could besides be argued that neither Creon nor Antigone are incorrect in their strong beliefs: they are two sides that are merely conflicting. As the two supporters pig-headedly remain true to their deeply held beliefs and duties. they are driven to do determinations that finally lead to their common devastation. This devastation in itself demonstrates the ethical proofs of both Antigone’s and Creon’s opposing characters.
Equally good as foregrounding the jobs with society at that clip. Sophocles through the characters of Antigone and Creon. reveals the true face of humanity. in all its ugliness. Sophocles smartly manipulates the emotions of his audience in order to expose humanity’s true nature. G. H. Gellie identifies the deepness of the audience’s feelings when he says that we feel this response “in our stomachs”3 Our response is about natural: we can non assist but respond profoundly in this manner. Sophocles successfully plays with our emotions and makes us experience outraged. Although Creon’s defects reflect the defects of humanity. Antigone herself is non without defects. Like her male monarch. Antigone demonstrates strong sentiments and. at times. Acts of the Apostless in her ain involvement. She passionately defies the state’s laterality over domestic values.
These stubborn rules are what lead Antigone down the way of devastation. canonized however. Sophocles portrays Antigone’s grounds. as being nobler than Creon’s who is deeply selfish and possesses a awful continuity to transport out his barbarous title. Tiresias. another character. provides an portent when he severely warns male monarch to be more understanding and to see the impact of what he is making. “You don’t protect it when you trample the awards of the Gods! ”2 Haemon and the chorus besides warn the male monarch. impartially informing him that his actions may non be every bit ethical as he imagines they are.
Each character’s warnings are disregarded. amid wild accusals of graft and disgusting drama. Consequently. the audience is encouraged to experience less sympathy for Creon than they do for Antigone. a adult female whose lone desire is to bury her slain brother. Antigone is prepared to lose her life seeking to continue household values and feels she has no pick but to accept her destiny. On the other manus. after supplications from legion characters. Creon repeatedly fails to see sense and strives to avoid his dark destiny.
To reason. in the drama Antigone. the ruinous struggle of beliefs that occurred between household and province in antediluvian Thebes is carefully demonstrated in the black events that take topographic point. Questions of morality and responsibility are challenged throughout the drama as the two cardinal characters. Antigone and Creon. clang violently in their conflict to continue the positions they so diligently and resolutely stand behind. The positions and profoundly held beliefs of Antigone and Creon are of cardinal significance in the drama ; they are what drive the secret plan to its tragic decision. However. they are non merely the driving force of the drama. but the vehicle through which Sophocles exposes the many aspects of humanity: its beauty and its ugliness. Through the tragic events that conclude the narrative. Sophocles was likely indicating that an merger of the two characters’ contrasting attacks would be the best manner to run in ancient Grecian society.
Bibliography
1. An analysis of the drama by Sophocles – The Tragic Drama of the Greeks – A. E. Haigh -Oxford: Clarendon Press 1896
2. Sophocles – Antigone
3. Sophocles: A Reading – G. H. Gellie – Melbourne University Press 1972
