Sibling rivalry has been taken to a whole new level. Brothers have been brutally murdered by one another; whose side to take? Is there a way to stay true to both of them? It is hard to grieve without the additional stress of choosing a side when there is a death in the family. Two of the closest members of a family are ripped out at an instant. At the funeral, the family notices that only one brother is there to be buried. Everyone questions this, “Where is Polynices”? Answers are not found, but then word gets through that because of his exile, Polynices, will not be formally buried, but will suffer even in his after-life. The government is not sparing anyone with the laws that are set forth. Will his lifeless body be left out to rot in the sun and be eaten by scavengers? Will anyone one stand up in respect for him; being honest to themselves and to their family as an entirety? In the Harvard Classic’s Edition of Sophocles’, Antigone, archaic grammar calls for the reader to further translate which results in different, often negative connotations and fail to provide the reader with the importance of being true to oneself and others.
The archaic grammar of Antigone mostly consists of the words: thy, thee, thou, thine, aught, and other words; including those ending in the suffixes –lst and -th. In order to get a more accurate perception of these and how they affect connotation of the text analysis of the text must be done. The reason most students do this incorrectly is because they do a sloppy job of searching for words in the dictionary or thesaurus and scribes of the old- English time period were less focused on consistency. In order to understand that being true to oneself and others is the most important factor of Antigone,...
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...ng honest to yourself and others. These are values that are often expressed in today’s society but are not upheld in the time of adversity. Antigone is a universal symbol of truth; and the only way to fully recognize this is through informed connotation. Connotation is a key factor in understanding this purpose. If the connotation is incorrect then the piece will be disfigured and opinions will not be based on the story causing purpose to be lost.
Works Cited
Sophocles. Antigone, translated by E. H. Plumptre. Vol. VIII, Part 6. The Harvard Classics. New York: P.F. Collier & Son, 1909–14; Bartleby.com, 2001.www.bartleby.com/8/6/.
Baker, Peter. "The Electronic Introduction to Old English." The Electronic Introduction to Old English. Version 3rd Edition. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwel, n.d. Web. 28 May 2014. .
Antigone remains a static character at stage five throughout the story. Faced with people who do not agree with her decision, Antigone stands tall with what is morally right to her. Kohlberg’s Theory is not only universal but also helps readers understand a character morally. Choosing whether or not to bury her brother, Polyneices, or to follow the law given by Creon, does not derail her moral
Sophocles. Antigone. Taken from Abcarian and Koltz, "Literature: Reading and Writing the Human Experience." St. Martins Press. 1998.
In the awe-inspiring play of Antigone, Sophocles introduces two remarkable characters, Antigone and Creon. A conflict between these two obstinate characters leads to fatal consequences for themselves and their kindred. The firm stances of Creon and Antigone stem from two great imperatives: his loyalty to the state and her dedication to her family, her religion but most of all her conscience. The identity of the tragic hero of this play is still heavily debated. This tragedy could have been prevented if it had not been for Creon's pitiful mistakes.
Segal, Charles Paul. "Sophocles' Praise of Man and the Conflicts of the Antigone." In Sophocles: A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by Thomas Woodard. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.
The opening events of the play Antigone, written by Sophocles, quickly establish the central conflict between Antigone and Creon. Creon has decreed that the traitor Polynices, who tried to burn down the temple of gods in Thebes, must not be given proper burial. Antigone is the only one who will speak against this decree and insists on the sacredness of family and a symbolic burial for her brother. Whereas Antigone sees no validity in a law that disregards the duty family members owe one another, Creon's point of view is exactly opposite. He has no use for anyone who places private ties above the common good, as he proclaims firmly to the Chorus and the audience as he revels in his victory over Polynices.
Although Antigone has a bad reputation with Creon, and possibly Ismene, for being insubordinate, she stays true to her values throughout the entire play by following the law of gods, not so that she could appease them, but because she admired its value of honor and respect to loved ones that have passed away. This devotion and determination to give her brother a proper burial shows the true essence of her being: that loyalty to family is in fact hold above all else.
Antigone’s two purposes for giving this speech are centered on her two main audiences, Creon and the citizens of Thebes. In reference to Creon, Antigone’s purpose is to convey that even after being caught, she does not fear his power, or her punishment. She desires to show him that she stands by the justness of her actions and the injustice of her conviction. To display this, she refers to her ...
Sophocles. Antigone, Oedipus the King, Electra. Trans. H. D. F. Kitto. New York: Oxford University Press, 1962.
In the following paper, I plan to discuss the source of conflict between the title characters of Antigone and Creon in Sophocles’ “Antigone”. I also plan to discuss how each character justifies his or her actions and what arguments they give for their justifications. I will also write about the strengths and weaknesses of these arguments. The final points I try to make are about who Sophocles thinks is right and who I think is right.
Antigone believes that a woman should be intrepid and strong, even at the risk of challenging men’s authority. When she proposes to bury Polynices, Ismene answers, “we’re not born to contend with men”. (75) Antigone’s response, “that death will be a glory” (86), does not directly address gender issues, but it expresses her fury at Ismene’s passivity. After the burial of Polynices, Antigone defiantly states, “I did it. I don’t deny a thing,” while being interrogated by Creon (492) and later comments that she was “not ashamed for a moment, not to honor my brother”. (572-3) Antigone’s gallant speech and defiance toward traditional gender identities audaciously shows her revolutionary desire for gender equality.
The play “Antigone” is a tragedy by Sophocles. One main theme of the play is Religion vs. the state. This theme is seen throughout the play. Antigone is the supporter of religion and following the laws of the gods and the king of Thebes, Creon, is the state. In the play Creon has made it against the law to bury Antigone’s brother, something that goes against the laws of the gods, this is the cause of most conflict in the story. This struggle helps to develop the tragic form by giving the reader parts of the form through different characters.
Mitchell, Bruce and Robinson, Michael A Guide To Old English, fifth edition 1992 , Blackwell Publishers , Oxford .
Sophocles. "Antigone." Pike, Ana M. Acosta and David L. Antigone. Ed. Joseph Terry. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. 2nd Edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education, Inc, 2014. 474-488.
Antigone’s action of burying Polyneices is justified because she was trying to honor her deceased brother. This action of honoring a past family member is an action that many perform and is widely accepted. When discussing the issue with her sister Ismene,
Brad Moore, a famous athlete once said, “Pride would be a lot easier to swallow if it didn’t taste so bad.” In Sophocles’ well known Greek tragedy, Antigone, the main character undergoes immense character development. Antigone transforms from being stubborn and underestimated to courageous and open-minded. In reality, it is Antigone’s insular persistence that leads to her ultimate decline in the play as well as others around her. After the death of her two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices, Creon becomes the new ruler of Thebes. With this, he grants Eteocles an honorable funeral service for his brave fighting. Claiming that Polynices was a traitor, he shows complete refusal to grant Polynices a respectable and worthy service. Clearly disagreeing with Creon’s inexcusable demands, Antigone declares she will bury Polynices herself so that his soul can be at peace. Entirely aware of the consequences and dangers of this action, which include death, she goes forward vowing her love for her family. Antigone shows strength and determination towards her brother. However, her growing sense of pride leads to her downfall as she sacrifices everything for her family. Antigone develops into an admirable character in which she portrays her defiance and courage, pride and open mindedness, and sense of moral righteousness to show vital character growth as the play progresses.