Antigone Essay The play Antigone tells the story of one of Oedipus’ daughters standing up to the law in order to honor her brother. The story begins after Polyneices and Eteocles have killed each other and King Creon issues an edict forbidding the burial of Polyneices. In the prologue Antigone’s sister Ismene is introduced. Ismene while a minor character serves a great purpose in the play. In the opening lines of the play a dialogue is occurring between Ismene and Antigone. In lines
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Antigone and the Contemporary Feminist The feminism movement is a moderately new advance‚ which has grown increasingly popular over the past two hundred years. Even though the venture of women gaining equality with men is relatively fresh‚ women who have stood alone as feminists have been around for a surprisingly long amount of time. Antigone is only one example of a classic role model to contemporary feminists. Antigone is comparable to modern-day feminists for three reasons: she confronts
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In the play Antigone‚ written by Sophocles‚ the tragic protagonist is Antigone because she possesses a fatal flaw‚ or hamartia‚ that leads to her catastrophe‚ “the tragic protagonist’s ruin or downfall” (class handout). Antigone’s flaw is her hubris‚ “some kind of overweening pride or arrogant reliance on oneself” (class handout). Antigone believes that burying the body of her brother‚ Polynices‚ she is doing the will of the gods. When talking to Ismene about burying the body of Polynices‚ after
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Was Antigone`s decision to bury her brother just? In the Antigone by Sophocles‚ king Creon issues a decree that whoever tries to bury the body of Polyneices (Antigone`s brother)‚ shall suffer a penalty of death by stoning in the presence of the assembled citizens. Antigone refuses to follow this law because she believes that it`s more important to follow the god’s principles than to obey a man. In the book‚ she tells her sister‚ Ismene : "I will bury him myself. If I die for doing that‚ good: I
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Sympathizing with Antigone Very few things in life are entirely one-sided‚ with the clear and unbiased result being obvious. Life in general is much more complex‚ with multiple viewpoints and intricacies being required in order to have a grasp on the reality of a situation. In Sophocles’s Antigone this fact still holds true. Antigone and Kreon are locked in an argument over the burial of her brother‚ Polyneices‚ with Antigone going against the law set up by Kreon and burying her brother. Both
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In Antigone by Sophocles (406-496 B.C.) there were many instances where gender inequality was present. I have decided to write my paper on the second option‚ which asks us to analyze Antigone’s defiance and to also explain gender representation in Antigone. First I will discuss whether or not I felt that Antigone’s defiance was political or just an act of love for her brother. I will discuss how women were treated and viewed during this time especially Antigone. If there were any instances where
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Creon has decided to sentence Antigone to death by execution for the crime of burying her dead brother‚ Polynices‚ against his own decree. Creon first heard of this from the Sentry‚ who at the time‚ did not know who did it. The Sentry later informs Creon that it was indeed Antigone who committed the crime. After confronting Antigone‚ and ignoring Ismene’s desperate pleas for mercy‚ Creon ends the scene by having the guards escorting Antigone and Ismene into the palace. Since the plot scene
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Being the third‚ yet first written‚ of Sophocles’ Theban tragic myths‚ Antigone was written in or around 441 B.C. The setting of Antigone occurs in the palace of Thebes. Thebes is ruled by Creon‚ whose sister‚ Jocasta‚ was the wife and mother of infamous Oedipus Rex. Oedipus was King of Thebes until he expelled himself from the kingdom‚ leaving his children Polynices‚ Ismene‚ Eteocles‚ and Antigone‚ along with the throne‚ in Creon’s care. The two brothers Polynices and Eteocles die as opposing
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play Antigone‚ by the Greek playwright Sophocles‚ there is a perfect example of this shown through the character Kreon. The brother of the late queen of Thebes‚ Jocasta‚ and brother-in-law of the late king‚ Oedipus‚ Kreon assumes the throne of the city of Thebes. He regards his nephew Polynices‚ the attacker of Thebes‚ as a traitor. Consequently‚ in his first act as King of Thebes‚ he forbids the burial of Polynices under pain of death‚ a ruling that appears to violate an ancient moral law and sacred
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In this quote‚ Antigone provides an insight into her reasoning and defiance of Creon’s law. The recurring comparison of man’s versus the god’s law is addressed. Man’s law is only temporary and varies from leader to leader‚ however‚ the god’s laws have been unwavering throughout the ages. Antigone recognizes that she may suffer death as the consequence of defying men‚ but innumerably worse punishments and suffering if she fails to obey the gods. Eventually every human is going to die‚ however
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