Antigone

May 07, 2013 Aya fathy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: أنثى-سر-السعادة-و-الشقاء, مسرحيات

أنتيجونـــــة :
يا أيها القبر أنت مضجع عرسي و حفرة منامي و سجني إلى الأبد . إني ألقي فيك أهلي الذين أخذ الموت منهم كل عددهم و أنا آخرهم وأشقاهم أنزل إلى قبري قبل أن يحضرني أجل حياتي .. وأنا ساعية إلى قبري يغشى قلبي أمل كبير أن ألقى أبي كما يلقى الحبيب حبيبته - سألقاكِ يا أمي كما ألفت أن تحبيني و سألقاك يا أخي العزيز ؟
حينما حضركم الموت قد غسلتكم بيدي وزينتكم و صببت عليكم تراب قبوركم - والآن يا بولينيكس هذا ما كسبت من وراء ما أديت لبدنك من حق الدفن .. و الغفلاء يحمدون ما قدمت لك من الرعاية , و ما...more أنتيجونـــــة :
يا أيها القبر أنت مضجع عرسي و حفرة منامي و سجني إلى الأبد . إني ألقي فيك أهلي الذين أخذ الموت منهم كل عددهم و أنا آخرهم وأشقاهم أنزل إلى قبري قبل أن يحضرني أجل حياتي .. وأنا ساعية إلى قبري يغشى قلبي أمل كبير أن ألقى أبي كما يلقى الحبيب حبيبته - سألقاكِ يا أمي كما ألفت أن تحبيني و سألقاك يا أخي العزيز ؟
حينما حضركم الموت قد غسلتكم بيدي وزينتكم و صببت عليكم تراب قبوركم - والآن يا بولينيكس هذا ما كسبت من وراء ما أديت لبدنك من حق الدفن .. و الغفلاء يحمدون ما قدمت لك من الرعاية , و ما كنت أفعل ذلك لو كنت أماً ثكلت ابنها أو زوجة فقدت زوجها .
وما فعلت وحدي ذلك إن حرمه علي أبناء المدينة , وبأي قانون أبرر قولي - و لو مات عني زوجي لوجدت زوجاً مكانه . ولو ثكلت إبناً لجاز أن يولد لي ابن غيره . وما من سبيل لأن يولد لي أخ بعد ما مات أمي و أبي

هذا هو القانون الذي ألزمني أن أؤدي إليك ما يؤدى للميت من حق يا اخي العزيز
وهو عند " كريون " ذنب و جرأة أليمة
والآن يأخذني و يجرني من يدي قبل أن أذوق الزواج و قبل أن أسمع نشيد زفافي
و قبل أن أعاشر زوجاً او أضع طفلاً .. يأخذوني وحيدةً شقية لا أصدقاء لي و أمضي حية إلى ديار الموتى : أي معصية ارتكبت في حق الآلهة ؟
ما لي أتجه أنا المسكينة إلى الآلهة ! من أتخذ منهم نصيراً بعدما دعوا تقواي و ديني كفراً ومعصية ؟
فإن كانت الآلهة يرضيها ذلك - رضينا واستغفرنا لذنوبنا . أما إن كان أعدائي مذنبين فلينزل الله عليهم من العذاب مثلما أنزلوه عليَّ ظلماً .

تلك هي أنتيجونة اسطورة المرأة الثائرة الشجاعة
المتمردة على القوانين اللا إنسانية المستبدة
دفعت حياتها ثمناً لحبها لشقيقها .. حتى تواري جثته
تمردت على عرف الرجال إنتصاراً لعاطفتها النبيلة

فهي التي وقفت في وجه كريون وهو يوبخها بقوله : " إن عصيان الحكومة شر معصية هدامة للمدائن و البيوت , وتفل من عزم حراب خلفائنا . و طاعة الحاكمين تنجي أكثر من استقاموا .. لابد أن نستمسك بمكارم الأخلاق ولا نكون أضعف من النساء و إذا كان لابد من أن نغلب فليغلبنا الرجــــــــــــــــــــــــــال و لا ندعي ضعافا أقل عزماً و قوة من النساء .

ها هي قد غلبتك امراة يا كريون
غلبتك و جعلتك تخسر ابنك و زوجتك و عرشك :)ع(less)

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Sep 17, 2011 Christopher H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: drama-theater-tragedy-comedy, favorite-rereads, favorites, classics-of-antiquity, my-western-canon, poetry, read-in-2011, translations, mythology-mythopoeia

This is a superb translation and adaptation of Sophocles' great play, Antigone. Ms. Rayor has done a superb job of presenting the drama and pathos of the story in a structure that is lyrical, dynamic, yet remains powerfully emotional. Of the seven different translations and adaptations of Antigone that I have on my bookshelf, Ms. Rayor's adaptation rivals that of Seamus Heaney's, The Burial at Thebes, and they are now my two favorite renditions of Antigone. I highly recommend acquiring and readi...more

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Jan 30, 2009 M.C. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2008-2009

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. “Genuine tragedies in the world are not conflicts between right and wrong. They are conflicts between two rights", said Hebbel. There is truth to this statement because it raises the notion that there is no right and wrong in the world, thus any problem raised is caused by the blindness of those with different views, all of which are neither true nor false. The notion Hebbel possessed, that conflicts arise when people fail to see the reason behind alternative views, has roots in Antigone, one of...more

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Jan 24, 2011 Mohammed rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, plays, favorite-books, library-books

This is not the edition i read, i read in a very good, old swedish translation.

This play i think is his masterwork and stronger than Oidopus Rex play. Great story,strong poetry,more depth in comparison to that other famous play. I prefered Euripedes to him when i read them both first but after his strong female portrayal,timeless story,characters i have more respect for his writing. Like most Classic Ancient Greece drama its better in written form,its closer to poetry than modern plays.

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Mar 08, 2009 Tayler rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Would you stay with a decision, even if you knew that decision was wrong, for the sake of your pride? That question is represented in Creon one of the main characters in Antigone. Antigone by Sophocles astounded me with its confusing themes and tangled dialogue. The play did have some redeeming qualities lying within the books characters.

The dialogue of Antigone was very complicated and confusing. I was never completely certain of the events that were unfolding. To make matters worse, prior know...more

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Nov 20, 2008 Felix rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who read Oedipus

Recommended to Felix by: Joanna Doglin (12th Grade English Teacher)

In the ancient city of Thebes lies a government controlled by a king. Creon is power hungry and wants people to listen to him. This type of government causes power to be misuse leading to devastation in peoples lives. In the play Antigone, the author shows how the misuse of power causes chaos. Creon misuses power in the way he treats Antigone, the way he makes a law that went against proper human burial rights and how he expects his son Haemon to follow his unjust laws even though the thought t...more In the ancient city of Thebes lies a government controlled by a king. Creon is power hungry and wants people to listen to him. This type of government causes power to be misuse leading to devastation in peoples lives. In the play Antigone, the author shows how the misuse of power causes chaos. Creon misuses power in the way he treats Antigone, the way he makes a law that went against proper human burial rights and how he expects his son Haemon to follow his unjust laws even though the thought they were wrong. Due to the misuse of power, Creon loses everything as a leader.
Creon’s hunger for power causes him to misuse power by creating unjust laws. He does not want to look weak to his people by compromising on an unjust law he creates. The unjust law Creon creates is a result of a fight between Eteocles and Polyneiccs. Eteocles dies fighting for Thebes while Polyneiccs dies fighting against Thebes. Creon wants to show how tough he is by not allowing a proper burial for Polyneiccs. He makes a law that prevents proper burial for Polyneiccs. This unjust law goes against proper burial traditions. Antigone is unhappy with this and wants to have a proper burial for the both of them. This causes a conflict between Antigone and Creon because; Antigone believes Creon is acting more like a dictator. He is trying to take advantage of his power by making an unjust law.

Antigone stands up for what she believes in and decides to go against those who went for the unjust law. Antigone does not care what Creon thinks as long as she speaks her mind and tries her best to accomplish what she thinks is right. On page 941, it shows how Antigone stands up to her own sister who was afraid of Creon’s word. She did not care if she has to bury her brother alone. Ismene (Antigone sister) states “We are only women; we cannot fight with men, Antigone! The law is strong; we must give into the law." Antigone: "You have made your choice; you can be what you want to be. But I will bury him," This shows how Creon’s power has cause destruction to Antigone’s family and has put fear into Ismene heart. Ismene has doubt in herself because she is a women and Creon has made her believe that women are weak. This does not stop Antigone from doing what she thinks is right; burying her brother who is left out to rot. She does it to show respect and love. Antigone willingness does not stop her from burying her brother even if she is being threatened to death. Antigone does not care what the state of law says; she cares what is right from wrong. Laws are passed by people but in Creon case he wants to be in control through his unjust law he creates causing family destructions.

When Creon was challenge by a woman he uses his power unreasonably. Creon says, "If we lose, let's lose to a man. Is a woman stronger than we?" Creon says to his son Haemon. According to Creon, women has less power than men. In times of ancient Greece, people were indoctrinated to believe that woman had to depend on men since they were inferior humans. Creon believes that women are weak and have no power. In Antigone, by Sophocles gender plays a huge role. Since Antigone is a female, therefore her voice is not something that would matter to a king in power. Creon did not want the city of Thebes to have multiple views on him showing that his power is not strong. In order to enforce his reputation, he misuses his power by criticizing females giving them fewer opportunities. Creon uses his power to take advantage of females when being challenged by one. His abuse of power through gender causes his son Haemon (married to Antigone), to be devastated causing two big catastrophes.

This play shows listening to a parent is not always the best thing. Creon expects loyalty from his son in order to agree with his word. Creon wants Haemon to look up to him like any father would and listen to his demands. Creon does show loyalty but resist when it causes conflict between his fiancé Antigone. When Creon finds out about the affair between his son and Antigone he states on pg 957 "There are places enough for him to push his plow. I want no wicked women for my sons!" Haemon who is moral enough to be the right son wants to listen to his dad but, disobeys his opinion here. Creon shows how he believes he should control his son’s life where he wants Creon to leave her. Creon’s abuse of power causes Haemon and Antigone to be devastated where both commit suicide. This shows how the abuse of power needs to be handle correctly or else it could lead to a tragic flaw. Creon’s expectation is that since he has power, therefore obey his laws. Creon assumes that different opinions are disloyal to him.
This play teaches how being control is not always right. Setting the right government is what controls people’s lives. Without a proper government it would be chaos. An example in history was when the Nazis used power to murder anyone who wasn’t apart of their Aryan. This caused the city to be devastated where many people committed suicide to avoid the use of violence in the control of Adolph Hitler. Creon shows similarities between him and Hitler where they both abused power. The message of the play explained how Creon as a leader wanted people to listen to him without an option by being power hungry.

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Apr 30, 2013 Karyssa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was slightly bored throughout this play/book because dramas are not really my thing. I do like the poetic style of writing, but the organization is just not my thing. What really got me, though, is that this is basically just a big inbred party. After Oedipus had children with his mother, his daughter Antigone is engaged to her cousin, Haemon. I think that knowing this fact was the main reason I couldn't take a lot of this seriously. The catalyst of all of the drama in this drama is the double...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Kristian Kilgore rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a classic story by Sophocles that pushes the ideas of justice, morality, and loyalty into the same realm as passion and sacrifice. Antigone has simultaneously lost both of her brothers as they fought on opposing sides of the same battle and her uncle, the newly crowned King Creon, has decreed that the brother who led the charge against the city of Thebes will not receive the proper burial rights. He issues this edict with the intention of discouraging future invaders, but he winds up mak...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Deneen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this play back in high school for some class and now again for an Ancient Greeks class that I am taking. I didn't really remember the story from way back in high school, but had a "positive' feeling about it. Rereading this play brought back the good memories that I had stored away. I remembered how I loved the chorus chiming in to move the story along. I could easily visualize the play taking place on stage. This is a facinating story of a young, strong willed girl, who stands by what sh...more

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Apr 18, 2013 Annasakach rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think Sophocles wrote this play in order to use tragedy in teaching an important lesson to his audience. The reason for the conflict in this book is that Antigone wants to do what she thinks is right, while the king wants her to obey him. Despite knowing that he is wrong, his pride and love of his own authority keep him from trying to set things right until it is too late. The purpose of this play it to show that just because you have authority doesn't mean you have to use it, and that pride s...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Dexter rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was delicious, delicious tragedy, which is what Sophocles does best. Sophocles' stature is on par with William Shakespeare--both are up there and probably the greatest dramatists for the theatre ever.

Antigone, one of the last of the line and the last generation of the cursed House of Oedipus, is out to give her brother (killed by her other brother) a proper and respectful burial, though the new dictator of Thebes, Creon, has forbidden that anyone should touch his body and let it rot on the...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Mikael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: classics, drama

King Kreon of Thebes will not let Antigone bury her brother Polyneikos since he died attacking Kreon’s city. She does so anyway, and that trusty old Oedipus curse kicks in once more.

The Greek tragedians loved the messed up Oedipus clan, and Antigone plays like a sequel both to the Oedipus legend itself (of which Sophocles wrote his own version only after Antigone) and to Aeschylus’ The Seven Against Thebes; the aftermath of the war in that play is the backdrop of this one.

This is the way I like...more King Kreon of Thebes will not let Antigone bury her brother Polyneikos since he died attacking Kreon’s city. She does so anyway, and that trusty old Oedipus curse kicks in once more.

The Greek tragedians loved the messed up Oedipus clan, and Antigone plays like a sequel both to the Oedipus legend itself (of which Sophocles wrote his own version only after Antigone) and to Aeschylus’ The Seven Against Thebes; the aftermath of the war in that play is the backdrop of this one.

This is the way I like ‘em: a proper Greek tragedy with all the components they should have, like the inescapable force of destiny, the foolish pride fated to bring great men low, the omnipresent violence at the drop of a hat, the ominous predictions of the future (here brought to us by that insufferable bird of ill omen Theiresias) and, most of all, the sense of a glossy darkness surrounding and permeating the play’s world, a pure unease which grows and grows until the gory climax.

The language (as far as I can judge from a translation) is absolutely stunning, with many gorgeous passages evoking nature, grand wars and the tantalizing snippets from overarching Greek mythology and history which give the sense of this particular plot fitting into a much larger world. The characters, while of course hastily sketched, are given idioms and quirks of their own, and even some of the obligatory didactic elements on how to live and who to obey are quite elegantly phrased.

Whereas Aeschylus couldn’t construct a decent bit of drama if his nut sack was on the chopping block, Sophocles does so with what looks like almost indecent ease. Antigone has that beautiful sleekness of narrative, moving along in a knowing (the intended audience already knew the outcome) yet tense (Sophocles still manages to bring the suspense) manner that cranks up apprehension as it goes. There are a couple of slow passages of the traditional Greek lamenting, or whining as I like to call it, over an unfair fate, but by and large this play is tight and speedy.

Antigone is one of the finest preserved tragedies, but Sophocles could do even better: his Oedipus Rex is the pinnacle of the genre, and it should come as no surprise that I hold the guy in very high esteem.

Rating: 8 of 10.
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Dec 04, 2012 Karie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Една много трогателна история, развиваща се в Древна Гърция. Времето, по което Софокъл пише трагедията, е време на зараждането на силата на хуманизма; вниманието се насочва към справедловото уреждане на държавната институция; мястото на човека се определя от това с какво може да бъде полезен на обществото. При все това връзката с миналото чрез античните религиозни представи за неизбежността и тежестта на съдбата се запазва. Героите са силни, но трагични именно поради факта, че са подвластни на с...more Една много трогателна история, развиваща се в Древна Гърция. Времето, по което Софокъл пише трагедията, е време на зараждането на силата на хуманизма; вниманието се насочва към справедловото уреждане на държавната институция; мястото на човека се определя от това с какво може да бъде полезен на обществото. При все това връзката с миналото чрез античните религиозни представи за неизбежността и тежестта на съдбата се запазва. Героите са силни, но трагични именно поради факта, че са подвластни на своята съдба.
Макар и трагедията да е кръстена на главната героиня, Едиповата дъщеря, тя донякъде проследява и развитиено на характера на Креон. Антигона извърша постъпка, нетипична за Античността- разбунтува се срещу волята на Тиванския владетел, въпреки че през погледа на съвременния човек, това е една естествена постъпка. Младата жена е смела, решителна- абсолютен контраст със сестра си Исмена, която е типичната жена: смирена, макар и в душата си подкрепя идеята на смелата бунтарка.
Интересен е и въпросът защо Софокъл решава трагичната му героина да умре на края? Дали я осъжда, или по-скоро не? На това може да се погледне и от друга страна- урокът, който случката дава на Креон, е още по-жесток заради смъртта на Антигона и обичащия я негов син.
Да разгледаме и образа на Тиванския цар: каква промяна претърпява? Той не може в никакъв случай да бъде определен като свиреп, лош. Просто иска във владенията му да царят мир и справедливост. Защитник е на писаните закони. Категоричен, проявява воля и заявява готовността си да брани града от враговете. Всеки, който престъпва законите и руши хармонията се превръща във враг. Убеден е, че не трябва, а и не може, да направи никаква отстъпка спрямо Антигона- въпреки че тя е негова племенница, наказанията за престъпване на законите е същата. Дори хора не успява да го разубеди. Постепенно той остава сам: хорът и синът му Хемон взимат позицията на смелата сестра. След смъртта на двамата млади, Креон проглежда, вижда заблуждението си, покайва се за извършеното. Той заплаща много скъпо за грешките си. Не може да кажем същото за Антигона, макар и частта, в която тя се сбогува с живота да е много въздействаща. (less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Mereie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Antigone: Sophocles versus Anouilh

Since I am about to see a Dutch adaptation of Anouilh's version of Antigone, I decided to read both plays beforehand (Anouilh in French, Sophocles in English). Perhaps it is advisable to read Sophocles first (which I did not do), for it is clearly the more superficial piece of the two. The story is clear-cut, the predicaments of the characters are all there, but the story misses psychological depth: Anouilh's characters are much more rounded than Sophocles'. We...more Antigone: Sophocles versus Anouilh

Since I am about to see a Dutch adaptation of Anouilh's version of Antigone, I decided to read both plays beforehand (Anouilh in French, Sophocles in English). Perhaps it is advisable to read Sophocles first (which I did not do), for it is clearly the more superficial piece of the two. The story is clear-cut, the predicaments of the characters are all there, but the story misses psychological depth: Anouilh's characters are much more rounded than Sophocles'. We get to know much of Antigone's inner world by the talks she has with her nurse, her sister, her fiancé and above all with her uncle Creon. She must be seen as the girl who made the “right” decision, but at the same time she has her faults (she is utterly stubborn and once jealous with her prettier sister). Anouilh's Creon is less of a tyrant and a misogynist than Sophocles' Creon, and is less emotionally unbalanced than his Greek counterpart. Anouilh has set out (and managed) to create a more human Creon. Whereas we do begin to feel sorry for Sophocles' Creon when people around him are beginning to go down like flies and he starts sobbing whole-heartedly, we can really connect with Anouilh's king of Thebes. Granted, he is a tyrant too, but his lines make clear that he feels forced to. It's a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it, as it were. And how reasonable does he sound when he says he wants to save Antigone's life and that she would be a fool to risk it over the fate of a creep who had threatened his own father. And what good would the preposterous wailing and moaning of some religious freaks do? Well said, dear Creon, perhaps your niece had better listened to you after all. But of course, it isn't so. Antigone represents the people who have the courage to resist, to say “no” when others say “yes” out of convenience. Interestingly, we are dealing with the same story with largely the same plot structure, but Anouilh made it so much more interesting. Even the guard adds to the entertainment. Anouilh also gives us a more suspenseful opening: for a long time, we are not sure what Antigone is really up to and what she had done already. Sophocles' piece is more fatalistic. The doom scenario can be sensed from the beginning. Antigone has made up her mind, she is going to meet her death, and so will many others. I realize I am probably downplaying the quality of Sophocles' piece here, but as I said, I think that is probably because I read it after Anouilh, which made it look more simplistic. It must be noted, however, that Anouilh's play seems to be the most popular in theatres nowadays. Rating: Sophocles: 3 stars (6.5/10), Anouilh: 4 stars (8/10). (less)

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May 29, 2012 Nicole Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read this play several times before for various school assignments. This time I read it in anticipation of seeing the production at the National Theater in London. The edition I read had some great intro commentary and was a translated by a poet historian. It was beautifully translated and I'm really glad I read the commentary as well. I am also really glad I re-read the play before seeing the production. It made the experience much more enjoyable.

As the commentary pointed out, and as I ex...more

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May 06, 2012 David Sarkies rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Lovers of Greek Tragedy

Recommended to David by: David Hester

Shelves: tragedy

This is probably the closest of all of the Greek Tragedies to a Shakespearian tragedy in that the end of the play has a huge bodycount and the action of the play is driven by one person's fatal flaw. However it is not Antigone who has the fatal flaw in this play but rather Creon, the king of Thebes. Unfortunately we cannot really look to Oedipus at Colonus to see the beginning of Creon's downfall because this play is not the final part of a trilogy, at least in the Aeschylan sense of a trilogy,...more This is probably the closest of all of the Greek Tragedies to a Shakespearian tragedy in that the end of the play has a huge bodycount and the action of the play is driven by one person's fatal flaw. However it is not Antigone who has the fatal flaw in this play but rather Creon, the king of Thebes. Unfortunately we cannot really look to Oedipus at Colonus to see the beginning of Creon's downfall because this play is not the final part of a trilogy, at least in the Aeschylan sense of a trilogy, though it is noticeable that when the copyists chose seven plays of Sophocles to preserve for posterity, three of the Theban plays were kept, and in a sense formed a trilogy, and in this trilogy we see Creon go from being a loyal servant of Oedipus to a ruthless tyrant that believes that he is the state and that his words are not to be disobeyed.
First I will discuss the term Harmatia, which is Aristotelian in origin, at least from his text on drama, namely The Poetics. I shall also look at the action of the play and finish off by discussing the main theme, and that is the struggle between loyalty to one's family and loyalty to one's state. Well, no, I will finish off by looking at Creon's character, and how his actions bring about such a sticky end.
The concept of Harmatia is regularly found in the Bible where it has been translated to our word sin. Now, as I think about the concept of Harmatia I am somewhat torn between suggesting that harmatia and sin are two different ideas, or that our modern understanding of sin does not exactly weigh with how the modern church translates and preaches it. The modern church preaches sin as being rebellion against God and that we all do, and then goes on to bombard us with what constitutes sin. However, to the Greeks, or at least to Aristotle, harmatia is a fatal character flaw. Now that concept does not alienate sin because sin, in an of itself, is a fatal character flaw that we have inherited from Adam and Eve. This fatal character flaw of ours is our desire to live independantly, and we see this more and more as we meet with people and associate with them. I also see it rampant throughout the church as people try to push God into a box and tell him what sin is rather than letting him demonstrate sin to them.
I say this because the list of sins seems to get longer and longer and we, as humans and those of us who call ourselves Christian, seem to think that sin is made up of our actions as opposed to our desire to rule ourselves. I guess the best explanation is that our actions, especially our selfish actions, are merely a symptom of this character flaw of ours. The Bible is correct when it says that the wages of sin is death, because as we see, especially in Antigone, that Creon's harmatia leaves him desolate and alone, and as he says from his own lips, it is as if he were dead. Now, the Greek concept of death, the absence of life, and the removal of ourselves from this world, is somewhat different to the Biblical concept of death. In fact, our modern understanding of death is more in line with the Grecian view. However the biblical view is that death is more to do with the break down of our relationships, particularly our relationship with God, than it is with the absence of life. To the Bible, life is defined by relationships, and when we drive our relationships apart, we are little more than dead. In fact it has been suggested that higher suicide rates occur among truly lonely people, than it does among people who are surrounded by friends. That, though, is only speculation. However, consider this, even when we are surrounded by friends, we can still be alone, especially if these so called friends of ours only seek us out for company, and in their self centred view of the world, seek to only have us by their side to make them feel good and important, than really doing anything that is remotely friendly.
Now, the play itself is set after the Theban war, where Etocles and Polyneices killed each other after Polyneices attack Thebes with his army to remove his brother and set himself up as king. Creon, by default, becomes king, and his first order of business is to give Etocles a state funeral while leaving the body of Polyneices exposed. To be exposed was the worst thing that you could do to a corpse in the Ancient Greek world. A proper burial meant that you would at least have a half decent afterlife, while being exposed suggests that you would be left wondering the earth as a ghost, and a tormented one at that. Antigone, the sister of Polyneices, is horrified at this and seeks to bury him, much to Creon's displeasure, so he orders her executed. However, the play is not as simple as that, because Creon's son is in love with Antigone, and when he finds her dead, he kills himself, and in a fit of grief over the death of her son, Creon's wife also kills herself.
Now, one of the main themes that comes out of this play is the struggle between one's loyalty to the state and one's loyalty to one's family, and the dilemma that one will face when the state passes a law that you do not approve. The question that is raised is, do you dishonour the state by breaking the law and honouring your family, or do you dishonour your family by upholding the law, even when the law is unjust. In a way, there was nothing wrong with Creon's law, since Polyneices was a traitor, and tretchery is seen as one of the worst crimes to commit. However, he was still family, and not only that, Etocles' ascension to the throne was dubious at best. The entire war was not so much about a despose monarch seeking reinstatement, but rather a family quarrel between two brothers.
We still face these dilemmas today, though not to the same extent. The question of whether the drug laws are just is one of them (and I do believe that they are, even though they can be considered to be an outworking of the Nanny State). While it is true that people should be left to make their own decisions, we demonstrate time and time again that we are actually not capable of doing so, therefore the state actually does need to step in to protect us from ourselves. Then there is the war that the state embarks on that many members of the state disapprove of, and as a loyal soldier to the state, do you obey the state by embarking on a quasi-legal adventure, or do you uphold your morals by refusing, and face punishment or even gaol.
Creon mentions a number of times that he, as the king, is the state, and thus his laws are to be obey. However, ironically enough, the Chorus objects to this. Now the Chorus does play an important role in Greek tragedy, and usually represents what the Greeks call the 'Oklos', or the crowd. Crowd is actually a rather bad translation as my understanding of the Oklos is that it is a crowd that acts as a single entity and has a simply mindset. Now, it is not always the case in Greek tragedy as at times the Chorus will split and then argue with itself, in a way representing division amongst the people. It is a shame that we do not actually see Chorus in plays any more (or not playing a major role as they did in Greek drama).
Now Creon, having become king, has pretty much become corrupted by power. However, I am not entirely convinced that it is a corruption at such an early stage of his reign. In a way, he is the new king, and he wants to stamp his authority on the city, or, as the Greeks called it, the Polis (I won't go into details of the meaning of this word as I have already spent too much time translating Oklos). For him to be disobeyed will suggest that he does not actually have the character to be a king. A king that is no obeyed and not respected is not actually a king, because he has no authority. As such, Creon wants to make sure that his authority sticks, so when this law is broken, he is forced to act. However, he is not in a dilemma, deciding whether it is right to punish Antigone or not, he has already made up his mind, set the path that he wants to travel, and travels down it. However, it ends very, very badly for him, and this is emphasised at the end, when the prophet Tiresieus arrives and passes on the message from the gods. He has acted against the proper way, and is now to be punished, and there is no way to escape from it.(less)

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Feb 14, 2012 Karl H. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the more compelling definitions of tragedy I've heard goes like this: tragedy is not a struggle between good and evil. That is melodrama. Tragedy is good struggling with good- one virtue set against another. And nowhere is this definition more compelling than in Antigone.

Let me set the stage: a ruinous and costly war of succession has recently ended in Thebes. Oedipus's two children, both vying for the throne, have both died in battle. Creon, a distant relative, has now succeeded them as...more One of the more compelling definitions of tragedy I've heard goes like this: tragedy is not a struggle between good and evil. That is melodrama. Tragedy is good struggling with good- one virtue set against another. And nowhere is this definition more compelling than in Antigone.

Let me set the stage: a ruinous and costly war of succession has recently ended in Thebes. Oedipus's two children, both vying for the throne, have both died in battle. Creon, a distant relative, has now succeeded them as the king of Thebes. Creon is not secure in his kingship- though the war has ended, his claim on the throne is not strong and there may be more challengers. He is resolutely determined to restore order and law to Thebes, and to do this, he must shore up his claim to the throne. To cement his legitimacy, he marries one of Oedipus's daughters, and engages the other to his son. He decides that the traitors to Thebes will not get a proper burial- an implicit threat to anyone who would challenge his authority. When Creon hears that Polynices has been buried, he first assumes it is the work of anarchists, or more likely rebels, who wish to claim Thebes themselves.

Into this delicate situation comes Antigone, his own daughter-in-law, who decides to openly defy the king and the law in front of the entire kingdom, in deference to her family and the gods. It would be foolish to deny her courage- but her discretion is questionable. Why not petition the king for a change of heart privately, so that Creon can save face? Her cause is just, Creon has perhaps gone too far, but rather than give him the chance to make that realization, she has undermined him publicly.

Creon and Antigone are both too proud to back down, no matter what the cost. What is Creon to do? Punish Antigone and alienate the gods? Or backtrack, and have his newly minted rule openly defied? He is not completely in the wrong when he talks about the need for public order- if the law is openly flouted what will happen to the fragile order just reestablished? And Antigone is not wrong in wanting to honor the gods and bury her brother. Which good do we choose: law and order or religion and family? Both sides have justifiable reasons to do what they are doing. That's the tragedy of it.(less)

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Nov 15, 2011 Valerie Barry rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Antigone by Sophocles is a book that takes place in the time of the Roman Empire. It takes place in Thebes which is like a now a day city. Antigone is a young girl who has two brothers that have just been killed. One of her brothers, Eteokles who has been killed is being buried in a tomb. While the other brother Polyneices' is being fed to the vultures and dogs. Antigone thinks this is not right so she tries to get her sister Ismene to come burry Polyneices' body properly, with her. Ismene refu...more Antigone by Sophocles is a book that takes place in the time of the Roman Empire. It takes place in Thebes which is like a now a day city. Antigone is a young girl who has two brothers that have just been killed. One of her brothers, Eteokles who has been killed is being buried in a tomb. While the other brother Polyneices' is being fed to the vultures and dogs. Antigone thinks this is not right so she tries to get her sister Ismene to come burry Polyneices' body properly, with her. Ismene refuses since the king has told everyone what will be done with the bodies she knows they would be breaking the law. This would result in death. Antigone knows this but carries on in her plan without her sister. She buries the body but some people unbury it because the king thought it was them and threatened their lives. Since the body was unburied. Anitgone buried properly again but this time she was caught. The king sent her to death. The thing was the king Kreons son was Antigone's fiancé. He was so in love with Antigone and so mad at his father he went with her to the cave where she was sentenced to. They ended up hanging themselves. They wanted to die together. Kreon came to the came after realizing his mistake, but when he got there it was too late Antigone and his son Haimon where dead. Once Kreon's wife, Eurydice heard of her son’s death she was so devastated of her son’s death and remembering the death of her other son a few months before, she killed herself. Once Kreon heard the news he said "take me away a poor fool. I killed you both, son and wife."
One theme of this book is you can’t always think you're right. If everyone thinks you're wrong there is a possibility you may be. Also you can't always think you are better than everyone. If Kreon would have listened to his son and all the other people who told him he was making a mistake he probably wouldn’t have lost everything in the end.
I rated this book two out of five stars. It wasn’t really that interesting to me and I didn’t really enjoy it. I wouldn’t really recommend it to people either.
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Oct 26, 2011 Mallory Humphries rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Antigone a Scphocles play, revised and translated by Paul Roche is a story about a young woman who is willing to sacrifice everything even her life to give her brother a proper barrel. Antigone’s story begins when her father/brother Oedipus kills himself when he discovers who he really is. Bringing shame upon the entire family. After his death Antigone’s two brothers Eteocles and Polynices start a fight over who would rule the kingdom. In the fight they ended up killing each other. Creon Antigon...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, theatre

Something about this play just didn't communicate with me. Yes, it remarks upon the struggles between obedience and personal ethics, pride and judiciousness. Yes, it vividly portrays Greek culture in the interjections of the Chorus. Furthermore, it exposes human tendencies and flaws, as is observed of Sophocles' works, only...too far. My most serious qualms with this concerned characterization. It was disconnected and inconsistent; I tried too often to justify and understand the characters, and...more

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Sep 29, 2011 Daria rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: school-assigned, theatre, classics

Antigone is a classic tale of "when pride leads to ruin." Creon has just been given charge of Thebes, and his internal insecurity (he can't stand the thought of being proven wrong by a woman) means that he's the designated moronic antagonist for most of the play. Antigone messes with Creon by burying her brother (who Creon specifically orders not to be buried), Creon orders Antigone's execution, the Chorus chants homages to obscure Greek deities, and then the tragic part goes down as various cha...more Antigone is a classic tale of "when pride leads to ruin." Creon has just been given charge of Thebes, and his internal insecurity (he can't stand the thought of being proven wrong by a woman) means that he's the designated moronic antagonist for most of the play. Antigone messes with Creon by burying her brother (who Creon specifically orders not to be buried), Creon orders Antigone's execution, the Chorus chants homages to obscure Greek deities, and then the tragic part goes down as various characters impale themselves with various pointy weapons. Until the blood started splattering, I actually wasn't sure whether Antigone was supposed to be a tragedy or a comedy, because I think Sophocles is pretty hilarious - in a satirical way. He satirizes blind obedience to the state. In no way should patriotism ever be more important than filial love - which is the mistake Creon makes. Sophocles offers his input as to what an ideal leader should be (wise, humble, keen to understand the people), and questions both morality and the word of law. What happens when the law doesn't coincide with one's notion of morality? Who defines morality, anyway? (The people in charge, answers Sophocles, and it gets them to no good end.) The brilliant, most tragic part of the drama is the immense cruelty Sophocles deals unto Creon; Creon unbends towards the end, he sets out to right what is wrong - but it's too late, and the gods' wrath is mighty.

I wish we'd get fed Euripides and Sophocles before Shakespeare, though, because I feel Will hovering over my shoulder as I read these Greek texts. (Although I'm sure that old Will owes a good portion of his tragic ideas to these guys.)

I'm reading: "Creon: ...what I am in life is nothing!"

And in between the lines a voice fills in: "Life's but a walking shadow..."

Or: "Haemon had his arms around her waist—he was embracing her and crying out in sorrow for the loss of his own bride..."

And I think: " Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! and, lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss..."

(Goddammit, Will!) (less)

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Apr 29, 2011 Pegah Espantman added it · review of another edition

Antigone Plot Analysis
Initial Situation
Antigone arrives in Thebes and finds that her brothers are dead, Polyneices’s dead body is unburried, and there is a royal edict against burying him.
This is what’s up at the beginning of the book. We even have a little bit of conflict right off the bat.
Conflict
Antigone wants to bury Polyneices even though it is against the law and asks Ismene for help. Ismene refuses.
Antigone discovers that if she’s going to burry her brother, she’s going to have to go it...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Valerie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the dramatic play Antigone by Sophocles, the main character, Antigone, faces a major decision that could change her life. Antigone was written around 400 BC, but the drama is similar to what we see every day. There was arrogance, pride, and family fights, but on a much bigger scale.
Antigone took place in ancient Greece around 400 BC. The story began when Antigone found out that her corrupt uncle, Kreon, had made it illegal to bury her brother, Polyneikes. If someone was brave enough to bur...more In the dramatic play Antigone by Sophocles, the main character, Antigone, faces a major decision that could change her life. Antigone was written around 400 BC, but the drama is similar to what we see every day. There was arrogance, pride, and family fights, but on a much bigger scale.
Antigone took place in ancient Greece around 400 BC. The story began when Antigone found out that her corrupt uncle, Kreon, had made it illegal to bury her brother, Polyneikes. If someone was brave enough to bury Polyneikes, Kreon declared that they would die by public stoning. However, Eteokles, who was also Antigone’s brother, was given a proper burial and lots of respect. Antigone believed that both of her brothers should be treated properly, so she tried to persuade her sister, Ismene, to help her bury Polyneikes. Ismene however, was a coward and refuses to go along. Antigone eventually buried Polyneikes by herself, but Kreon found out. Haimon, Kreon’s son and Antigone’s fiancé, pleaded for Kreon to be merciful but Kreon was proud and arrogant and refused to go back on his word. Kreon decided that he would look bad if he put his own niece out for public stoning, so he locked Antigone in a stone chamber in the wilderness. Haimon went to free Antigone and found that she had hung herself with her scarf and was driven to madness by the death of his betrothed. Kreon realized his mistake and went to Antigone’s tomb to let her out, but found not only Antigone, but Haimon crying over her body. After an attempt on Kreon life, Haimon turned his sword on himself and committed suicide. When Kreon’s wife, Eurydice, found out about her son’s death, she too committed suicide. In the end, the only people who were still living were Ismene and Kreon. Kreon had an epiphany, and realizing how horrible he had been, he lost all will to live and decided to abdicate.
The main theme of Antigone was standing up for what is right. Antigone died a horrible death, but she stood up for what she thought was right and died honorably. Antigone says “I will bury him. For me it’s noble to do this thing, and then die.” She says that burying Polyneikes is “committing a holy crime.” Antigone is not the only one who stands up for what is right. When Antigone is imprisoned, Haimon stands up for her, even though he is punished by Kreon.
This play is about love and tragedy and is very dramatic, but I would not recommend it to my age. It is slightly depressing and upsetting, what with all the good characters killing themselves. However, it is better when performed as a play like it was meant to be.(less)

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Feb 01, 2011 Randilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. In true Greek Tragedy fashion, this play seems like nothing more than a tragic soap opera: King Creon wants to slay his niece, Antigone, who is betrothed to his son, Haemon, because she wanted to bury her brother (Polynices) who killed his brother (Eteocles—well actually they killed each other) after their mother (Jocasta) killed herself, and their father (Oedipus) gouged out his own eyes because Oedipus was actually Jocasta’s son and Oedipus killed her husband/his father (Laius) and then marrie...more In true Greek Tragedy fashion, this play seems like nothing more than a tragic soap opera: King Creon wants to slay his niece, Antigone, who is betrothed to his son, Haemon, because she wanted to bury her brother (Polynices) who killed his brother (Eteocles—well actually they killed each other) after their mother (Jocasta) killed herself, and their father (Oedipus) gouged out his own eyes because Oedipus was actually Jocasta’s son and Oedipus killed her husband/his father (Laius) and then married her. So Creon exiles Antigone to a cave with a little food so her blood does not stain him and the kingdom. Then the soothsayer tells Creon that he’s going to have bad karma for not burying Polynices and for not actually killing Antigone so he hurries to remedy the situation and attempts to burry Polynices who has already been mangled by dogs, then goes to Antigone’s cave where he finds that she has hung herself and Haemon (Creon’s son and Antigone’s betrothed) is weeping over her body. Haemon sees his father and tries to kill him with his sword but ends up killing himself instead. Then Creon’s wife, Eurydice, upon hearing about the resulting deaths from her husband’s actions stabs herself in the heart and Creon is left alone and cursed.

But the characters and the underlying themes of the play are actually more complex than they appear on the surface, and the more I think about them, the more intricate the play becomes. Because we read this for my law and literature class, I have to say that my favorite aspect of the play (well it actually is not in the play at all), is that Polynices wages war against the kingdom because he had a power-sharing agreement (contract!) with his brother, Eteocles, but Eteocles breached the contract so Polynices sought justice by waging the war. And because he waged the war, that's why he couldn't receive a proper burial and why Antigone broke the law by attempting to bury him. So in my opinion the play turns on the legal question: was Polynices' action for breach of contract justified? Something to think about... (less)

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Jun 25, 2010 Rina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: plays

I really enjoy the complexity of Sophocles' Antigone. It leaves you thinking in many directions long after you have finished reading it. Is Antigone convicted unjustly for breaking a human law because she wants to honour her deceased brother and the Gods alike? Or are Creon's intentions misinterpreted as tyranny when he only wants to act against greed and superstition and establish man-made laws instead of quackery? How far should you go in obeying the (head of) state? What is up to your own mor...more

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Feb 28, 2010 Russ Hughes rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Sometime in the distant past, two brothers face each other in battle for the kingship of the great city of Thebes. Fighting throughout the day, both finally accomplish their goal in an unexpected twist of fate; they slay each other at the same exact time. At the other gates of Thebes the army that the attacking brother brought has been routed and peace has returned to the city, for the most part anyway. The brothers’ uncle Creon is made king. The brother that defended the city has a proper buria...more Sometime in the distant past, two brothers face each other in battle for the kingship of the great city of Thebes. Fighting throughout the day, both finally accomplish their goal in an unexpected twist of fate; they slay each other at the same exact time. At the other gates of Thebes the army that the attacking brother brought has been routed and peace has returned to the city, for the most part anyway. The brothers’ uncle Creon is made king. The brother that defended the city has a proper burial while the attacking brother has been left to rot and be eaten by the dogs of the street and the carrion eating birds of the sky. Only one person has any qualms with this, Antigone, sister to both of the fallen brothers and niece to Creon. Drama unfolds as she stands for her brother’s burial rites, while Creon adamantly opposes to see an enemy of the city buried. Sophocles’ Antigone perplexed me with the still-applicable issues that form the plot of the play and yet bored me with the lack of any action whatsoever.

The issues that this book brings up include how much control the government should have, as well as where our civic duties and family duties come into conflict. This book makes me think, “You know, Creon really had no right to deny his nephew a burial.” I do realize that Thebes was an absolute monarchy, but the ancient Greeks believed that should someone not be buried and mourned, they would be condemned to wander restlessly outside the underworld for eternity. So basically, Creon was condemning Polyneices to wander aimlessly for eternity. That is far too much power. The other question this play brings up is what is more important, our civic duties or our family duties. Antigone’s views represent the duties we have toward our families, protecting and making sure they have the best possible circumstances whereas Creon’s symbolize our dutes to our communities, also protecting and looking out for everyone. Really they are both right in a sense, but wrong in another. I suppose that the matter is up to the individual to decide, who is right, and who is wrong?

This play not only brought up some interesting questions, but the play also had a decent storyline. As I have mentioned before, Antigone’s brother dies and is not permitted burial by Creon. Despite the law that he creates, Antigone finds his body and begins burial rites. A guard catches her in the act and brings her before Creon. Her punishment is to be put in a cave and have the entrance sealed so that she will die of starvation. Nobody save Creon wishes to see this happen, and he receives quite a few visitors arguing her case, but in the end does Antigone ever receive help?

I must admit, the play Antigone by Sophocles was not the most action-packed read in the world. However, the book did bring up some questions that need to be asked. Personally, I really would not recommend this book to anyone but people that enjoy thinking about questions. The book just is not that interesting. (less)

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Jan 12, 2010 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic

Antigone is a strong contender in the Plays That Keep You Awake at Night competition. The background of the story reads, no surprise, like a Greek tragedy: Antigone is the orphaned daughter of Jocasta and Oedipus (the mother and father/brother team from Oedipus Rex) who has now lost both her brothers as well — they killed each other fighting over who got to rule Thebes. Uncle Creon, the new king, decreed that the “traitor” brother is to go unburied. The conflict is that Antigone plans to ignore...more Antigone is a strong contender in the Plays That Keep You Awake at Night competition. The background of the story reads, no surprise, like a Greek tragedy: Antigone is the orphaned daughter of Jocasta and Oedipus (the mother and father/brother team from Oedipus Rex) who has now lost both her brothers as well — they killed each other fighting over who got to rule Thebes. Uncle Creon, the new king, decreed that the “traitor” brother is to go unburied. The conflict is that Antigone plans to ignore Creon’s decree and bury her brother anyway, while Creon says if she does, he’ll have her killed.

While the conflict seems simple enough, it involves two competing arenas, political and religious. Politically, Antigone represents the aristos, the old ruling families, who aren’t as loyal to law as they are to their own families, and Creon represents the demos, or the voting masses, whose primary focus is the interest of the state and the rule of law. In the religious arena, Antigone wants to honor the gods’ laws by burying her brother, while Creon ignores the gods’ laws in favor of his own decrees. So who’s right? What is the balance of power between individuals and the state? The laws of man and the laws of gods? Governing with firmness and listening with reason?

The good news is that Sophocles gives each character a leg to stand on, but only one. Antigone is right to honor the gods’ laws but wrong to disobey the king’s decree, and Creon is wrong to disregard the gods’ laws but right to expect the laws of the land to supplant individual wishes. I’m guessing Sophocles would argue that the play’s success comes from the tension between these ideas as played out by two flawed characters. On the one hand, Antigone is a strident vigilante who doesn’t care that she’s breaking the law. And on the other hand, Creon is an insecure blowhard who doesn’t care that he’s breaking custom and the will of the gods by leaving his nephew’s corpse to be eaten by birds. Neither character is easy to side with, but each has a point.

However, the bad news is that Sophocles clearly sides with Creon — through the airtime he gives Creon (far more than he gives Antigone), through the chorus’s support (who are supposed to state the opinion of the audience), and through the plot itself, which gives Creon the realization of his mistakes and the cathartic “Woe is me” ending. Creon, not Antigone, follows the tragic hero trajectory. Antigone’s real tragedy is simply that she’s a member of a spectacularly dysfunctional family. While the plot vindicates Antigone’s position, Sophocles undermines her character at every turn, and for some reason this drives me bonkers. Obviously nobody would read Pride and Prejudice and **SPOILER ALERT** say, “Poor Wickham got short shrift! Jane Austen was clearly in the bag for Darcy. How unfair!” because those characters exist only as the author created them. Wickham is a scoundrel because Jane Austen created a scoundrel. However, the characters in this play existed before Sophocles and therefore outside Sophocles, so I don’t think I’m a lunatic for being irritated that Sophocles was manipulative in his treatment of them. In his real-life zeal to promote the interest of the polis, Sophocles weakens Antigone’s position by characterizing her as imbalanced and unnatural, which makes the didactic focus of the story political. That was his point, and in keeping with Greek tragedy of the 5th century BC, but it still irks me.
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Dec 21, 2009 Isa rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Aristotle believes that a tragedy derives from a hero’s mistake and as a consequence, the hero suffers a reversal of fortune. Hegel’s concept of a tragedy is that it’s a conflict between two ethical forces. At the beginning of the play “Antigone”, Sophocles introduces an event that was beyond anyone’s control; Antigone buries her brother Polynices after he is killed in a battle against his own city of Thebes. It was King Creon’s reaction to this event that meets the criteria of an Aristotelean t...more Aristotle believes that a tragedy derives from a hero’s mistake and as a consequence, the hero suffers a reversal of fortune. Hegel’s concept of a tragedy is that it’s a conflict between two ethical forces. At the beginning of the play “Antigone”, Sophocles introduces an event that was beyond anyone’s control; Antigone buries her brother Polynices after he is killed in a battle against his own city of Thebes. It was King Creon’s reaction to this event that meets the criteria of an Aristotelean tragedy; a voluntary act that leads to unfortunate results.
The primary definition of Aristotle’s philosophy of tragedy is a voluntary act. When Antigone decides to bury her brother Polynices out of religious respect, she is cognizant that her action will not go unpunished. Creon decreed that dead traitors must not be given proper burials and instead be left exposed to the harsh elements of nature, and “the penalty for disobedience is to be stoned to death”. Antigone is determined to obey not the king’s decree, but her own religious beliefs. This conflict between Creon and Antigone displays Hegel’s idea of a tragedy in that both are acting in accordance to their respective systems of belief.To this decision there can be none other than tragic consequences. When one factors in Creon’s stubbornness and impulsiveness, it is inevitable that Antigone will incur Creon’s wrath. In many ways, Creon’s son Haemon inherited his father’s impulsiveness. At the height of his agony, he can only consider the suffering that he will cause to others with his suicide. Once again, a tragic and hasty action has disastrous consequences. The event portrays Aristotle’s concept of tragedy in that Creon’s suffering intensifies and his good fortune has virtually evaporated. Hegel’s theory of tragedy is also displayed because Creon stays true to his edict and the laws of Thebes while Haemon reacts out of his own anguish.
It is evident that Aristotle’s and Hegel’s ideas concerning tragedy are present throughout Antigone. Aristotle conveys that non-random acts lead to suffering, which ultimately leads to wisdom. Antigone believes that she is following the rules of her religion, and Creon believes that he is performing the right actions for his kingdom of Thebes. Both characters are abiding by their codes of conflict, which leads to a reversal of fortune, or a tragedy.
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Dec 12, 2009 Rosa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: play

It`s unbelievable how Sophocles knew the basic principles about ruling a nation in 400 B.C and some governors still don`t understand them in 21st century!!!
Anyway...these are some of my favourite quotes from the play:

"There's nothing in the world so demoralizing as money."

"I am aware, of course, that no Ruler can expect complete loyalty from his subjects until he has been tested in office
as for the man who sets private friendship above the public welfare, --I have no use for him, either
we must r...more

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Oct 24, 2009 erinbobarin94 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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صدر حديثا - كتب و...: أنتيجونة - سوفوكليس	1	50	Mar 31, 2013 03:13pm
Antigone analysis, themes, trivia, audio, video	1	75	Nov 06, 2008 07:59pm

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