SOPHOCLES, ANTIGONE

• What do you make of Creon’s “Ship of State” speech?

I think one of the reasons that Creon did his speech is his two family members Eteocles and Polynices is dead. first, Creon mentioned about that he is the family of the two princes. And then he praise all of the governor about their loyalty. Eteocles and Polynices one of them supposed to be a king of Thebes, but now they killed each other. Therefore, now he think he is the best and only candidates of Thebes’s king. Also, when he first mentioned about the “Ship of State”, I would like to understand these phase as he is grasping people attention and agreement. Creon promise to his people about how he will be a well the strong ruler for Thebes, and as loyal as them to the royal power of King Laius.

• Why does Antigone believe that she not only must bury Polynices, despite Creon’s order, but also “shout it out”? What does this tell us about Antigone’s worldview and values?

In the play, Antigone mentioned about the tradition of the god. because a person who did not have the burial is a kind of disgrace thing. they believe when people die and they deserve to have burial. this is a unshakable belief which could not be change even by King’s order. Antigone disobey Creon’s order to bury her brother, and she believe this is the only way could make her comfortable. Therefore, she has to stand tall for the belief and show everyone this is not only her, but one day there must be another situation like she have met. So, in my point of view, “shout it out” is seem very important action to protect and stick to what she think is right.

• Though Antigone and Creon and the values each represents are obviously in conflict in the play, are the two alike in any way?

I think they are really has a different characteristics in the play. first, we know that Antigone is a person who really care about the family, love, and she has mercy to bury her bother. she standing for what she think is right. no matter Creon think that Polynices didn’t deserve to be buried. And Creon is a very stubborn man who think the law is the law, and a betrayer has no honor to be buried, then he refused to do this. So, we can see Antigone and Creon has different values in their life. I believe Creon has stick to the law firmly, and then he was losing some humanity. Antigone was always love and loyal to her family on matter what was happen to them.