Sunday, February 23rd, 2014...9:52 pm

Antigone

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       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?

 

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  •   kw141492
    March 5th, 2014 at 1:00 pm

    I really liked your presentation, i thought you brought up very valid points. My opinion was i thought Creon let the power get the best of him. I agree, like you said, his absolutist ways led to his failure in leading the city. And in the end, everyone he loved was gone because of it. As far as Antigone’s actions to bury her brother, i would have done the same thing. These actions should not have warranted a death penalty. In all i enjoyed Antigone and your discussion on it.
    -Kyle Wechsler