(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

antigone


             Pride is part of what makes Antigone heroic. Pride is a complex and multifaceted concept in Greek tragedy. Sophocles made this tragedy a complete entity in itself, which made it dramatic. Sophocles illustrated the rival claims of the state and the individual conscience. Antigone has the burning desire to honor her brother Polyneices and sacrifices her life out of devotion to principles higher than human law. Antigone's rebellion is especially threatening because it upsets gender roles and hierarchy. She walks into her fate with her eyes open all along the way.
             Aristotle's poetics applied to "Antigone" through moving the audience's emotions by having painful circumstances strike those that are either friends or related to each other, blood relations. This is between Antigone and Polyneices. Now any speech or action that manifests moral purpose of any kind will be expressive of character: the character will be good if the purpose is good. This rule is relative to each class. Even a woman may be good, and also a slave, though the woman may be said to be an inferior being, and the slave quite worthless (Aristotle.Poetics 15). .
             Antigone has learned her brothers" Polyneices and Eteocles have killed each other in battle and King Creon has decided to bury Eteocles with military honor. Her brother Polyneices, "who fought as bravely and died as miserably" (Prologue.16) will not be buried, "but his body must lie in the fields, a sweet treasure for carrion birds to find as they search for food" (Prologue.21-22). .
             Antigone will not stand for such disgrace made upon her brother Polyneices, she will bury him with love and passion, "Creon is not strong enough to stand in my way"(Prologue.35). .
             Antigone is loyal to her beliefs and puts the laws of the gods ahead of laws of the states. .
             "But I will bury him; and if I must die, I say that this crime is holy: I shall lie down with him in death, and I shall be as dear to him as he to me" (Prologue.


Essays Related to antigone


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question