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Introduction
Sophocles was a prominent tragedian who contributed to the development of Athenian drama. His Antigone shows the conflict between divine and human laws and puts unwritten rules of life above all. On the one hand, religious beliefs rooted in the traditions of a tribal community ordered people to sacredly honor their blood ties and observe all conventions regarding their relatives. On the other hand, every citizen of the polis at the time of Sophocles was obliged to follow state laws, which sometimes contradicted traditional moral norms. Therefore, the tragedy explores such contradictions and other issues prevailing in Ancient Greece. The main themes discussed in Antigone by Sophocles are devotion to family versus state, gender and misogyny, tyranny, and fate versus free will.
Summary
Sophocles tragedy tells the story of Antigone, the daughter of King Oedipus, who disobeyed the kings word in order to follow the moral law and bury her treacherous brother Polynices. He betrayed his native city Thebes and died in a fight with his brother Eteocles, the protector of the family. King Creon forbade burying the traitor for his body to be torn to shreds by birds and dogs as a punishment. Antigone disobeyed the order and performed the religious rite of burial, fulfilling her obligation to the family. Creon imprisoned the young woman who preferred death rather than violating the moral law. As can be seen, the main conflict of the tragedy is the contradiction between Antigones loyalty to the family and Creons devotion to the state.
Devotion to Family versus State
The historical context plays a pivotal role in defining the plays conflict. The core belief central to Sophocles Antigone is the need for unity between state laws and unwritten laws. The author shows how the main characters, Antigone and Creon, follow two different value systems. One of them respects gods rules above all else, and the other focuses on power and making the city grow strong as the priority (Sophocles 62). Therefore, the mindless defense of the rules of state turns Creon into a tyrant, while Antigones devotion to religious traditions and her family portrays her as a courageous and brave woman loyal to her moral principles. She is not afraid of the consequences of her rebellious actions, which she deems right in nature. Overall, Sophocles depicts two extremities of being loyal to a certain value system, emphasizing the importance of unity between them.
Gender and Misogyny
Another theme crucial to the play is the impact of characters gender on their freedom and social status. Sophocles demonstrates how the role of women in society was perceived at the time. In particular, Antigones sister Ismene states that as females, they have little power and are ruled by those whose strength is greater (Sophocles 55). In contrast to her belief, Antigone questions such an established approach to societal order and refuses to play a subordinate role. She challenges Creon, who has immense power over other people, as the ruler of Thebes city. As a result, he is outraged by her disobedience and law-breaking and selects a harsh punishment for the woman who threatens his authority. In other words, Creon displays misogynist behavior as he is unable to admit his mistake and decides to accuse a female instead.
Tyranny
Another concept that is essential in Sophocles play is tyranny. The play aims to demonstrate how some peoples justification of cruelty leads to tragic events. In particular, the reader can see how Creons poor decision-making and abuse of power result in the death of his whole family. The audience observes how the lack of adequate reasoning behind Creons actions and his arrogant and prideful nature corrupt the king. He does not realize his mistakes and punishes Antigone for her compliance with religious traditions. Thus, one of the core ideas of Sophocles work is the condemnation of tyranny and cruelty (102). The author sympathises with Antigone and depicts Creon as a despot.
Fate and Free Will
The themes of fate and free will are crucial to the play as the author shows the conflict between these two concepts. Ancient Greece valued the importance of gods in the human world, and this tradition is reflected in Sophocles work. The reader discovers that regardless of the characters actions and decisions, destiny plays a pivotal role in their lives. In particular, both Creon and Antigone follow their will in their decision, but ill fate affects their lives nonetheless. In turn, Ismene does not believe in free will as she chooses to follow the established societal order.
Conclusion
To conclude, Antigone by Sophocles introduces several important themes to the audience, including devotion to family versus state, gender and misogyny, tyranny, and fate versus free will. The author emphasises the need for compliance between human law and the rule of gods. Without such unity, people suffer adverse consequences and are affected by tragic events. Overall, Antigone illustrates that the happiness of the polis citizens depends on the balance between state and moral laws.
Work Cited
Sophocles. Antigone (Greek Tragedy in New Translations). Translated by Richard Emil Braun, Oxford University Press, 1990.
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