Antigone Tragic HERO Divine LAW VS Human LAW PDF

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Antigone...

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DRAMA EXAM KREON [to Antigone] You there! You, bowing down your head towards the ground! Do you admit it or deny you did the deed? ANTIGONE I don’t deny it; I admit the deed was mine. KREON [to the guard] You may now take yourself away, wherever you may wish, free and unburdened of this heavy charge. [He turns back to Antigone.] But as for you, tell me succinctly, not at length: you knew a proclamation had forbidden this? ANTIGONE I knew. How could I not? It was a public fact. KREON And yet you had the daring to transgress these laws? ANTIGONE It was not Zeus who made this proclamation; nor was it Justice dwelling with the gods below who set in place such laws as these for humankind; nor did I think your proclamations had such strength that, mortal as you are, you could outrun those laws that are the gods’, unwritten and unshakable. Their laws are not for now or yesterday, but live forever; no one knows when first they came to light. I was not going to pay the gods’ just penalty for breaking these, dreading the purposes of a mere man. I knew that I must die—how could I not?—regardless of the proclamation that you made. But if I die before my time, I count that as a profit. How can death not profit one who lives surrounded by as many evils as myself? For me, therefore, to meet this doom is equal to no grief at all. But if I had endured the son of my own mother to lie dead without a grave, that would have brought me grief; but I’m not grieved by this And if you think my present deeds are foolishness, perhaps the one who calls me foolish is the fool. CHORUS

The child shows clearly her fierce father’s fierceness; but she does not understand the way to yield to evils. KREON […] when she first transgressed against the published laws; and here’s a second outrage: after doing it to boast of it and laugh, exulting in her deed. she won’t escape from a most evil doom, nor will her sister, her blood-kin, the other whom I hold equally guilty in the planning of this tomb. […] ANTIGONE Take me away and kill me. Do you want more than this? KREON No more. If I have that, then I have everything.

QUESTIONS 1. Who is the tragic Hero Antigone or Creon? Justify your answer. 2.

In analyzing a quote like this one, you will want to comment on its face value meaning by providing a paraphrase or literal explanation; comment on any interesting use of words, literary devices, or syntax; and discuss the connotation, or deeper meaning, especially focusing on its relation to any themes in the story or to how it reflects the development of the character who speaks the line. In this passage, Antigone is telling her sister, Ismene, that she plans to bury their brother with or without Ismene's help. She knows such an action will bring upon her Creon's death sentence, and she is willing to accept that for two reasons: first, because she loves her brother, and second, because she believes her action would be "innocent" despite

being a "crime." Since she will be dead longer than she will be alive, she believes her duty to the dead is greater than to the living. The most notable thing about the wording of this quote is the apparent contradiction of being innocent despite having committed a crime. In addition, her comment about being dead longer than she will be alive is ironic. It applies to everyone, obviously, but very few people choose to live their lives based on that obvious truth. The deeper meaning of this passage is that it clearly introduces the major conflict of the play from Antigone's point of view. It pits man's law (Creon's) against the law of the gods (the gods of the afterlife who require proper burial customs). It also clearly establishes Antigone's character as a person who, unlike Ismene, is willing to fight for what she believes is right despite great personal risk. Having analyzed a quote for its literal meaning, its literary value, and its deeper meaning, especially in terms of the larger themes of the work, you will arrive at a better understanding not just of the particular passage you are evaluating but also of the author's skill and of the work as a whole. Ant i gonepr oudl ypr ocl ai mshergui l tt oCr eon,butal sodecl ar est hatt heki nghadno aut hor i t yt of or bi dbur i al .I ndi sobey i ngCr eon,Ant i gonec l ai msobedi encet oahi gherl aw.

Anal y s i s Thi ss c enedr amat i z est hepower f ul confli ctbet weendi vi nel awandc i v i l l awt hathas beenbui l di ngf r om t heopeni ngoft hepl ay .WhenCr eonandAnt i gonef aceeach ot her ,t hei rs epar at ebel i ef sbr i ngt hem qui ckl yandpas si onat el yt omat t er sofl i f eand deat h. Ant i gone' sar gumentc al l sf orobedi encet odi vi nel awatal l cos t s .Cr eoni snotZeus, s hedecl ar es ,andhecannotov er t ur ndi v i nel awbyci vi l pr ocl amat i on.Hert hi nki ngi s unas sai l abl e— ofcour set hedeadhav ebur i al r i ght s ,abasi cdec enc yuphel dby l ongt r adi t i on. I nwar dl y ,Cr eonadmi t st hi swhenhemut t er st hathemustdi sci pl i neAnt i goneorr i sk l os i nghi saut hor i t yand— hef ear s— ev enhi smanhood.Hecannotans werher ar gumentr at i onal l y ,s ohemustc r ushher ." Shei st heman/I ft hi sv i ct or ygoest oher andshegoesf r ee"( 541542) ,heseet hes ,andhi sr agepr opel shi mi nt oact i ont hat wi l l ul t i mat el ydoom hi swhol ef ami l y .

Thi ss ceneonceagai nemphas i z esAnt i gone' sl ov ef ordeat h.Unmov edbyCr eon' s di st i nct i onbet weenEt eoc l esandPol y ni ces— t hepat r i otandt het r ai t or ,i nhi sv i ew — Ant i gonesay ssi mpl yt hatshechoosest ol ov er at hert hant ohat e.Ex as per at ed, Cr eonmocksAnt i gone' sr esol v et of aceex ec ut i onwi t habi t t ercur s e:" l ov et he dead! "( 593) . I nt hi sl esson,we' l ldi s cusswhot het r agi cher oi si n' Ant i gone. ' Bot hCr eonandAnt i gonec anbe s eenast het r agi cher o,sowewi l ldi scusswhatmak eseachoft hesec har ac t er st het r agi cher o.

Greek Tragedies At r agi cher oi sac har act erhavi ngher oi cc har act er i st i cs ,suc hasl eader s hi p,c our age,or det er mi nat i on,c oupl edwi t hat r agi cendi ng,t ypi cal l ydeat h.Thesear en' ts t or i eswi t h' happi l yev er af t er ' endi ngst hatwear ef ami l i arwi t ht oday .Gr eekt r agedi esar es omeoft hemostwel l known s t or i eswi t ht r agi cher oes .TheOedi pusRexpl ay sar es omeoft hemos tst udi edoft heGr eek t r agedi es ,par t i c ul ar l yAnt i gone.Ant i goneendsi nacompl et et r agedywher eCr eoni sl ef tal one s i nceev er y oneel s ei nhi sf ami l yhasc ommi t t eds ui ci de.I nAnt i gonet her ear et wot r agi cher oes : Cr eonandAnt i gone.

Antigone as a Tragic Hero Ant i gonei st hepr ot agoni s ti nAnt i gone.Bef or et hes t ar toft hi spl ay ,shest ay edbyherf at her ' s s i decar i ngf orhi m unt i l hedi ed.Shehasseenherbr ot her sfi ghtov ert het hr oneandki l l each ot heri nt hatfi ght .Fami l yhasal way sbeenv er yi mpor t antt oAnt i gone,andshepr ov est hi st i me andagai nt hr oughheract i ons . I nAnt i gone,Cr eoni snowki ngandhasor der edt hatEt eocl esshoul dbebur i edi nhonor sf or fi ght i ngt opr ot ectThebes,whi l ePol ynei ceswi l l bel ef tunbur i edf orfight i ngagai nstThebes .I n or dert ohonort hei rdeadandt hegodHades ,t hei rdeadmustbebur i ed.Yeti nor derf orCr eont o est abl i s hor deri nt hi sr ecent l ydi vi dedki ngdom,hemusti nsi s tt hatPol ynei cesnotbehonor ed.

Antigone's Tragedy Ant i gonegoesagai ns tt hecommandsofCr eonandt r i est obur yherbr ot her .Shest andsupf or bot ht hegodsandherf ami l y .Sheex pl ai nst oI smenet hatshemustbur yPol ynei cesorshewi l l ' begui l t yofdi s honour i ngl awswhi cht hegodshav es t abl i shedi nhonor . ' Lat er ,whent al ki ngwi t h Cr eon,sheexpl ai nsherr easonsf ordi sobeyi nghi m bys ayi ng' f ori twasnotZeust hathad publ i shedmet hatedi c t ;nots uchar et hel awss etamongmenbyt hej ust i cewhodwel l swi t h t hegodsbel ow;nordeemedIt hatt hydecr eeswer eofsuchf or ce,t hatamor t alcoul dov er r i de t heunwr i t t enandunf ai l i ngst at ut esofheav en. ' Ant i gones t andsupf ort hehonorofherbr ot hers ev er alt i mes .WhenCr eonask si fs he' s ashamedf ordi sobeyi nghi ms her es ponds :' No;t her ei snot hi ngshamef uli npi et yt oabr ot her . ' Ear l i er ,whent al ki ngwi t hI smene,s hei nsi s t s' Iwi l l domypar t …t oabr ot her .Fal set ohi m wi l l I nev erbef ound. ' Ant i gonei saher obecausesher emai nst r uebot ht ot heGodsandherbr ot her .Ev enwhenf aced wi t hdeat h,sher ef usest ogoagai ns tei t herone,c hoos i ngt oendherownl i f e.Thus ,shes eal s hert es t i monywi t hherownbl oodanddi esat r agi cher o.

Creon as a Tragic Hero

Cr eoni st y pi cal l yseenast heant agoni s ti nt hi spl ay .Hei st oopr oudands t ubbor nt ol etAnt i gone bur yherbr ot her .Het ur nsagai ns tt heGodsandi ns t eadr el i esonhi sownr eas oni ng.Cr eon becamek i ngatat i mewhenThebeshadbeent ur nedagai ns ti t sel f .Hef el tt hatt heonl ywayt o ensur eor derwast ohar shl ypuni s ht hosewhowentagai nstThebes . ' Ant i gone' i sacl as si cGr eekt r agedyi nmanyway s ,i ncl udi ngt hef actt hati t smai nher ohasa t r agi cflaw.ForAnt i gone,t heflawbr i ngsaboutherdemi seandser v esasamor al l ess onf ort he audi ence.

Antigone the Tragic Hero Ast het i t l ec har act er ,Ant i gonei st heobvi ouschoi ceast het r agi cher ooft hi spl ay .Li k emany ot hert r agi cfi gur esf r om Gr eekdr ama,shehashamar t i a,whi c hi sat r agi candpr omi nentflaw t hatbr i ngsaboutherdownf al l .Ther ei s ,howev er ,anal t er nat et heor yaboutt heher oofAnt i gone. Somes chol ar shav ear guedt hatCr eon,t heKi ngofThebes ,i st het r agi cher o.I nt hi sl essonwe wi l l expl or eAnt i gone' st r agi cfl awandt heposs i bi l i t yofas econdt r agi cher o.

Antigone's Tragic Flaw Thewor d' hamar t i a' i sder i v edf r om t heGr eekwor dhamar t ánei n,whi c hmeanst oer r .Asa l i t er ar yt er m,i twasfir s ti dent i fiedbyAr i st ot l ei nhi ssemi nalwor k ,ThePoet i c s.Ar i s t ot l eout l i ned s ev er al cr i t i cal qual i t i esoft r agedy ,andchi efamongt hem i st het r agi cher o' sflaw.Thi sflawi s of t enunknownorunder est i mat edbyot her s ,andi ti st heonequal i t yt hatmak est heher o v ul ner abl e. I t ' si mpor t anti nt het r agi cdefini t i onoft hehamar t i at hatt heher odoesnotacknowl edgehi sorher ownfl aw.I nAnt i gone,t hec ent r al char act erbel i ev est hatherflawi shers t r engt h,t houghi ti s ac t ual l yhers t ubbor nl oy al t y . Ant i gone' sov er ar c hi ngflawgi v esherst r engt ht of ol l owherconvi c t i ons.Shei sl oy al t oherf ami l y andhermor al convi ct i ons .WhenCr eondecl ar est hatPol ynei ces ,Ant i gone' sbr ot her ,i sat r ai t or t ot hec i t yandt hathi sbodywi l l r emai nunbur i ed,Ant i gonef eel shonor boundt obur yhi m ev en t houghshek nowst hatt hi sact i oni spuni shabl ebydeat h.Herl oy al t yt oherf ami l yi sal so boundedi nherl oy al t yt oherr el i gi ousconvi c t i ons . Af t erCr eondi s cov er st hatAnt i gonehasdefiedhi scommand,hequest i onsher .Ant i gone r esponds : ' Idi dnotbel i ev ey ourpr ocl amat i onhadsuc hpowert oenabl eonewhowi l ls omedaydi et o ov er r i deGod' sor di nanc esunwr i t t enandsecur e' ( l i nes496499) . Ant i gonebel i ev est hatser v i cet ot hegodsandt hedeadi smor ei mpor t antt hanobeyi ngman' s l aws : ' Thet i mei nwhi c hImustpl easet hoset hatar edeadi sl ongert hanImustpl easet hoseoft hi s wor l d' ( l i nes8687) . Ant i gone' sl oy al t yr ev eal sherpr of oundst ubbor nness .Fr om t hebegi nni ngoft hepl ay ,she' s awar eoft hepr i cef orbur y i ngherbr ot her .Al t houghhersi s t erI smenepl eadswi t hhert o r econs i derandacc usesherofbei ng' heads t r ong' ,sheat t empt st obur yhi m anyway( l i ne53) .

Cr eon:At r agi cHer o

Creon was the tragic hero.

A tragic hero, by Aristotle's definition, is usually of noble birth. Creon is the king, and is also the uncle of the king (Eteocles). He has a tragic flaw; hubris, in this case. (I suppose you could argue that Antigone's civil disobedience was a flaw, but I'd have to disagree.) There was a reversal of fortune brought about by Creon's hubris--in this case, leading to the deaths of not just Antigone, but Haemon and Eurydices as well. He had a revelation after it was too late, another mark of a tragic hero. Contrast this with Antigone, who was firm in her resolve even unto death. In addition, with the notable exception of Cleopatra, virtually all tragic heroes in classic literature are male. Finally, tragic heroes typically have a fall from greatness. This would apply more to a king than it would to a woman whose brothers had already died, although she was destined to be married. One could argue that Antigone made an error of judgement which led to her downfall, and is the tragic hero in a contemporary sense--but not by Aristotle's definition.

CHORUS

Role of the Chorus I nAnci entGr eekdr ama,t hechor uswasagr oupofac t or st hatcomment edont heact i on happeni ngi nt hepl ay ,offer i ngt hei ropi ni onsandwi s dom t oai dt hec har act er sons t ageandt he member soft heaudi ence.Thechor ushasbeenk nownt odance,si ng,andspeakt hei rmi ndst o gui det heaudi ence' semot i onalr eact i onst ot heev ent soc cur r i ngonst age.I nGr eekt r agedi es , t hec hor usr epr esent edt heav er agec i t i z en' sf ear s ,hopes ,andj udgment s . I nt hepl ayAnt i gonebySophocl es ,t hechor usandchor usl eaderr epr esentt hepeopl eofThebes whoat t emptt ot al kr at i onal i t yi nt ot hemai nchar act er ,Ant i gone,andt heki ng,Cr eon. Unf or t unat el y ,wi s dom i sf oundt ool at e,andt he' It ol dyous o' c omesf r om t hi sgr oupatt heendof t heper f or mance.

Function of the Chorus Now,l et ' sex ami net hedi ffer entf unct i onsoft hechor us .Thefir s ti sf or eshadowi ng.Thechor us t el l st heaudi encehi nt sandcl uesast owhatwi l l occurl at eri nt hepl ay .I nAnt i gone,t hechor us f or es hadowsAnt i goneandCr eon' sdownf al l bysi ngi ngaboutt he' mas t er yofman' andhi sl i mi t s . Thechor uss ay smanhasconquer ed' al l butdeat h, ' whi chf or eshadowswhati si ns t or ef or Ant i gone.Theyal sosi ngof' uns avor yambi t i on, ' orex ces si v epr i de,whi c hf or eshadows Cr eon' shamar t i a,ort r agi cflaw. Thesecondi sbackgr oundI nf or mat i on.Thechor uspr ovi dest heaudi encewi t hback gr ound i nf or mat i ont hati snotact ual i z edi nt hepl ay .Af t ert hePr ol ogue,t hechor uss i ngsabout Ant i gone' sbr ot her swhower eki l l eddur i ngabat t l ef ort het hr oneandt hej oy sofvi ct or y .Thi s i nf or mat i ongi v est heaudi enc et heback gr oundt heyneedt ounder s t andAnt i goneandCr eon' s confli ctandal sos howshowt hepeopl eofThebesar enowr el i ev edf r om pai n,ast hi swarcaused t er r ori nt hei rhomel and.

Nex t ,t hechor uspr ovi desodesandpr ayer s.Thec hor usbegi nst ochantt oDi ony s usanddance af t erAnt i gonei sl oc k edawayi nt hevaul tpr epar i ngt ohangher sel f .Thesepr ay er sr emi ndt he audi encet or ecogni z eDi ony sus ' spr esenc e,ast hegodhi ms el fi sconnec t edt ot heconceptof t r ansgr es si on,whi chAnt i goneandCr eonhav ecommi t t edatt heout setoft hepl ay .Af t erScene 5,t hechor uschant st ot hegod,beggi nghi mt or i ghtt hewr ongoft heci t yofThebesandl i f tt he c ur secausedbyAnt i gone' sf ami l ynameandCr eon' spr i de.

But she is also fierce. The chorus will say she is fierce with her father's fierceness (471).

PLOT

Initial Situation Antigone arrives in Thebes and finds that her brothers are dead, Polyneices’s dead body is unburied, and there is a royal edict against burying him. This is what’s up at the beginning of the book. We even have a little bit of conflict right off the bat.

Conflict Antigone wants to bury Polyneices even though it is against the law and asks Ismene for help. Ismene refuses. Antigone discovers that if she’s going to bury her brother, she’s going to have to go it alone.

Complication Antigone buries Polyneices, but is caught and brought to Creon. Antigone challenges Creon’s decision and moral authority to prohibit the burial. Antigone’s situation gets worse. (You weren’t supposed to disagree with the King. Ever.)

Climax

Creon sentences Antigone to death and locks her away. We told you you’re not supposed to argue with the King. Antigone’s fate is sealed.

Suspense Haemon, Teiresias, and the Chorus all plead with Creon to let Antigone go. Although Antigone seems destined to die, there is hope again that she will be released.

Denouement Creon decides, grudgingly, to release Antigone. Creon’s reversal of his decision offers final hope to Antigone.

Conclusion When Creon arrives to release Antigone, he finds that she, Haemon, and his wife have all killed themselves. Creon’s decision came too late. The play ends. 

BACK

Pride There is no question that pride, in the context of Antigone (and most of Sophocles' works), is a trait despised by the gods and punished without mercy. In Antigone, Sophocles describes the type of pride that allows men to create laws that substitute for divine principles. In other words, when Creon creates a law because he believes it is divine will, that is the ultimate display of punishable pride, for no man can ever create a law that is equal to or above divine right. As a result, when Tiresias comes with the news that Creon will suffer, Creon realizes that he has made a terrible mistake, and yet still refuses to admit it, bending to the prophet's message only because he wants to preserve his life, not because he knows he's gone too far. As a result, he must suffer the loss of his family.

Individual versus State; Conscience versus Law; Moral or Divine Law versus Human Law These three conflicts are very closely related, but this crude set of pairings helps to untangle some of the central issues of the play. Antigone and her values line up with the first entity in each pair, while Creon and his values line up with the second. Antigone continues to be a subversive and powerful play, and the inspiration for generations of rebels and dissidents. In the 20th century, a version of Antigone rewritten during the Second World War became one of the most powerful texts of resistance against the Nazis. The conflict between the individual and the power of the state was as pressing for Greek audiences as it is to modern ones. Antigone is a threat to the status quo; she invokes divine law as defense of her actions, but implicit in her position is faith in the discerning power of her individual conscience. She sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. Creon makes a mistake in sentencing her-and his mistake is condemned, in turn, by the gods-but his position is an understandable one. In the wake of war, and with his reign so new, Creon has to establish his authority as supreme. On the other hand, Creon's need to defeat Antigone seems at times to be extremely personal. At stake is not only the order of the state, but his pride and sense of himself as a king and, more fundamentally, a man.

PASSAGE ANALYSIS

Creon asks Antigone if she did the deed, and Antigone says she will never deny her guilt. Creon dismisses the watchman and then asks Antigone, in a move that would likely spare her life, if she even knew that burying the body was forbidden. Antigone says that she did know, but she didn't believe it was a viable law. She says that she answers to Zeus, not to Creon. She further states that the gods didn't lay down these laws for human use and manipulation, and that she will endure the god's judgment of the burial, not Creon's, no matter now dire his punishment may be. Antigone adds that people who live in misery like her are better off dead. The Chorus declares that Antigone is as unhinged as her father, but Creon says she is merely stubborn, arrogant,

and boastful. If he does not punish her, then he is not a man - and indeed, Antigone would come across as the more "manly." He says that he doesn't care if Antigone is his sister's child - she and Ismene must pay for the burial. The Ch...