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8/14/2019 Antigone Article 06

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2,010 Plot Stories &. Essay Reviewsfrom the World's Fine Literature

Revised EditionIncluding the Four Series

and Further Critical Evaluations1dUfLt

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Edited byFRANK N. MAGILLStory EditorDAYTON KOHLER

Volume OneA- BOS


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ANTIGONETYl'e of WOTk: DramaAu,h",: Sophocles (49;)4{)6 B c ,)TYl'e of plot: Classical tragedyTime of plot: Remote antiquityLocale: The citv of Thebes 'Firs1 presented:" 441 B, C

Principal characters:CR.EON, tyrant of ThebesANTICON'E, daughter of OedipusISMENE, her sisterHAEMOS, son of CreonTnu:.SIAS, a prophet

Critique:Although the main problem of thisplay would be unimportant today, thediscussions of the responsibilities of aruler are as per tinent now as in anc ient

Greece, The characters of the play moveto their tragic ends with highly dramaticspeeches, while the motal and philosophi.cal problems of the plot are displayedthrough the chorus and sohloguies.\Vhen first presented, the play was sosuccessful with Athenian audiences thatSophocles was made a general in thewar against Samos. Recent presentationsof the play have been well received byboth audience and critic.Polynices and Eteocles, sons of thecursed family of King Oedipus , led twoarmies against each other before the


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Anngone / SOPHOCLE.SGreek ideas about dea th . An unbur ied body meant a soul condemned to torment. It was the p ro found obl iganon of the family, t he re fo re , to see that abody was p rope rl y i nhumed . ThIS was more than a matter of family loyalty, rIt was an act of piety demanded by the gods.(Antlgone undertakes that "obl igat ion even though it means t reason to the Sta te , the rejec tion of her only ( 's ist er I smene, the renunc ia ti on of her fiance, and her own death)She IS (absolutely uncornprornrsmg about It, knowing all the consequences beforehand. As It t urns out , she IS jus ti fied . But we do not know this unt il T ires iasappears and then It IS too l at e to mat te r, for she has hanged he rself.

Creon also has a val id s tand . The t ra itor Polynices should he punished m. ----eath. A consc ient ious ruler , he IS concerned about toyal ty to the Sta te . But

/n hIS position as king he confuses his own will with the good of Thebes.?\. In pursu ing his edict , which says that anyone who buries Polynices will be

put to death, he changes from a good king into a tyran9His vanity is In -volved: he will not be put in the wrong by a young woman or his son infront of the chorus of Theban elders. His flaw lies m hIS stubborn, selfnghteous mflexibil ity when the tIde of evidence turns against him. He angrilymaint ai ns his s tand m the face of Ant igone' s mar ty rdom, his son's pleading,the sympathy of the townspeople WIth Antigone, and Tiresias' warmngs'

antigone article 06

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