Antigone as a tragedy. Why is Antigone a tragedy? 2022-10-15

Antigone as a tragedy Rating: 9,5/10 1708 reviews

Antigone, written by Sophocles, is a classic tragedy that tells the story of a young woman who defies the laws of the city-state of Thebes and the orders of her uncle, the ruling King Creon, in order to bury her brother, Polyneices. Polyneices, who has been declared a traitor, has been left to rot in the open air, and Antigone believes that it is her duty to give him a proper burial. This act of defiance ultimately leads to her tragic demise.

One of the key elements of a tragedy is the presence of a tragic hero, and Antigone fits the bill perfectly. She is a complex character, driven by her deep sense of family loyalty and her belief in the gods and the laws of the land. Despite the risks, she is willing to stand up for what she believes in, even if it means going against the wishes of her family and her community. This makes her a tragic hero because she is a noble and admirable character, but her actions ultimately lead to her downfall.

Another key element of tragedy is the presence of a tragic flaw, or a character trait that ultimately leads to the character's downfall. In Antigone's case, her tragic flaw is her stubbornness and her refusal to compromise. She is unwavering in her belief that it is her duty to bury her brother, and she will not back down even when faced with the threat of death. This ultimately leads to her tragic end, as she is sentenced to be sealed in a cave to die.

The final element of tragedy is the presence of a sense of inevitability. In Antigone, this is evident in the way that the events of the play unfold. Despite her initial success in burying her brother, it is clear from the beginning that Antigone's actions will have consequences, and that she is doomed to suffer for her defiance. This sense of inevitability adds to the tragic nature of the play, as it shows that Antigone's fate is sealed from the very beginning.

In conclusion, Antigone is a classic tragedy that features a tragic hero, a tragic flaw, and a sense of inevitability. Its themes of loyalty, duty, and defiance are timeless and universal, making it a work that continues to be relevant and resonant to this day.

Sophocles Antigone: What Makes A Perfect Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

When she sees her brother's body uncovered, therefore, she is overcome by emotion and acts impulsively to cover him again, with no regards to the necessity of the action or its consequences for her safety. Sophocles portrays antigone as one who focuses on moral law over civil law due to her own self pride. In Antigone, chorus have an active role from the entry song- Parados, explaining the victory of Creon over Antigone and they comments over past ,present ,the offstage events and they are the one who force the king to change his decisions. Haemon tries to convince his father to spare Antigone. Creon and Antigone are the protagonists, and both command our respect. Moreover, as prescribed, no violent scenes, blood sheds, suicides, rape, war or any such coldblooded incidents are shown on stage. Ironically, Antigone means unbending in Greek.

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What makes Antigone a tragedy?

antigone as a tragedy

In-short , if you checkout the play Antigone with the yardsticks of Aristotelian principles, we can judge it as one f the best examples of a classical Greek Tragedy. Another example of catharsis in Antigone is as follows: CHORUS. Rather than reasoning with her, they threatened to disown her if she did not obey them. . There is no doubt that there is catharsis, pity and wanting to lead a better life. An edict is a law, and no man should ever challenge it.

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Antigone as a Greek Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

The Antigone, consisting of 1350 lines does not violate the rules about length. She will always be remembered as a woman of courage and a woman of her word. Antigone set herself above the established Law of Creon and proved the tenacity of her character and the steadfastness of her ideal. He has a change of mind, from good to bad. But comicality was the farthest from his intention. Antigone does not care, she desires to bury her brother, because she feels she is entitled to honor him. The play is about the ability or inability of a citizen to defy the wishes of the state and to prioritize one's family over the state.


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Antigone: A Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

Antigone is a tragedy in every sense, ancient and modern, and is still regarded as one of the most perfect examples of the The term "tragedy" had a rather specific meaning in ancient Greece. The last is it must all be closely related. So Creon would not live in a guilty. Antigone is a tragedy because it contains all the elements of the genre as defined by Aristotle. What can be more fearful than a young woman who goes against the ruler of Thebes knowing that she might die. The play also offers a Antigone, the audience feels pity and fear about Creon's persecution of Antigone, and through these emotions, the audience experiences catharsis. The conversation does not go well and they both end up insulting each other.

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Sophocles Antigone, A Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

His emphasis on being Haemon's father rather than his king may seem odd, especially in light of the fact that Creon elsewhere advocates obedience to the state above all else. Lives cannot taste, the chorus is giving life human traits. Her choice to secretly bury him affected not only her life, but also Kreon and his family. What if not doing this act was immorals? The chorus makes Antigone poetic, and adds metaphors and personification. In Antigone, there is a girl names Antigone. The delay precipitated that punishment. He thought that the Edict he had passed was sacrosanct.

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Antigone by Sophocles

antigone as a tragedy

Haemon was deeply in love with his cousin and fiancƩe Antigone, and he killed himself in grief when he found out that his beloved Antigone had hanged herself. The audience vicariously experiences fear: Ismene's as she watches the only surviving member of her immediate family besides herself take actions that will lead to her execution, and Antigone's, as she faces down the king and embraces her own mortality as a result. As Creon came in clash with Haemon, his obstinacy received a shock. She is able to prove to the community that even up to now she deserves an applause and respect because of her conviction and determination to do what is right even though men in their times ridicule women for such strength. The last part of its definition explains the emotional attraction of the spectacle by the arousal of pity and fear. By Antigone not being afade of death, she approaches creon about how inhumane it is for what he is doing with his body, she goes against his order and buries his body. They comment on the course of the play from audience's view point.

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Antigone: a Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

Halfway through the plot of the play is where the tragedy begins. Another time, the prophet is calling Creon out. The drama Antigone places the culture of Greece on display by showcasing the many values that this culture held in reverence, including remaining loyal to family, honoring the dead, and honoring the gods. Along with the risk of breaking the law, Antigone also risks her death. Antigone chooses to help her family and stand up for them, even when faced with death. For a moment the guard, no doubt seemed to be a little comical.

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Antigone’s return: When a once

antigone as a tragedy

In the end Creon, the ruler of Thebes has a change of heart, but it is too late. After reading Sophocles Antigone, Aristotle created a perfect tragedy through poetry by talking about the foundation for comedic and dramatized poems. Regarding the unity of space, only one scene is allowed in a tragedy. Most importantly, it should contribute to the emotional action of the plot. The subject is sufficient importance. In Antigone we see all this proportionality coming together.

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According to Aristotle, is Antigone a fine tragedy?

antigone as a tragedy

Catharsis is having pity or terror. Haemon is dead; the hand that shed his blood was his very own. He or she goes through reversals of fortune from joy to suffering because of his own tragic flaw called hamartia which is the error of judgment or his own hubris which is pride. Creon blames himself for everything that happened and he knows that his actions caused this. A contemporary play adaptation that addresses the theme of racial discrimination.

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Sophocles Antigone: A Greek Tragedy

antigone as a tragedy

She wants her sister, Ismene, to also feel bad for not wanting to bury their brother. But who is the murderer? When talking to Haemon, Creon demands of him not only obedience as a citizen, but also as a son. Because Creon did not kill her, he thinks he will have to pay the minimum amount of respects to the gods. Who was later questioned by Creon, and also was held by him until she was found innocent. In prohibiting the people of Thebes from burying Polynices, Creon is essentially placing him on the level of the other attackers—the foreign Argives. I have been rash and foolish.

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