Sunday, February 23rd, 2014
Antigone
The play Antigone, is a famous play by Sophocles and it reveals many themes that are relatable to modern day. It emphasizes the themes of war, suicide, the loss of young love, civil disobedience and also capital punishment. Antigone focuses on many elements but; the theme of an absolute power is most interesting.
Creon is the King of Thebes and is the most powerful person in the city. As a King of Thebes, he has failed to do his job of leading the city. Creon announces that no one should bury Polyneices, Antigone’s brother. The reason that being is because Polyneices it was his turn at the throne and he betrayed the city and he should be left to rot above ground. Antigone, as a female, decides to bury her brother. Creon, and his absolutist ways threatens to kill Antigone, who also happens to be engaged to be married to his son, Haemon. Haemon also tries to convince Creon not to threaten his love. Creon does not listen to his son and he ends up losing everything he had.
Cowell-Meyers, Kimberly. “Teaching Politics Using Antigone.” JSTOR. American Political Science Association, Apr. 2006. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
<http://www.jstor.org/stable/20451745>.
Ledbetter, Grace M. “Sophocles, Antigone 1226-30.” JSTOR. Cambridge University Press, 1991. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/639019>.
Imagine if you were Polyneice’s sister, would you bury him and go against the king? Do you feel Creon’s decisions were a rational way to exert his power in order for the people of his city to be fearful of him? Also, do you think Haemon stood up for Antigone as her fiancée? If not, how would you have stood up for her?