Paper Topic:

Classics

p Classics 2006

Antigone ' - a play by Sophocles is a kind of discussion on the opposition : opposition between human being and fate and opposition between personal and social . The Antigone 's moral strength is a central hub of the play . And the conflict between Antigone and Creont is its culmination . The young girl resorts to the persuasive arguments which justify her actions . In her speech she compares two laws : the law of the one man - Creon and the law of gods , which is eternal and common for all . The last one

is more important for Antigone She is ready to die for this law and is sure that the citizens will support her

So , what was the main thing Sophocles was trying to deliver to the audience ? The author 's attention is concentrated on human 's activities meanwhile the god 's will is somewhat background . The will of gods is revealed in the play like the prophecy . Gods do not interfere directly into the play . But not too significant role of gods in the play is only illusion which can appear only at the beginning of the play . The typical protagonist by Sophocles is a person who is self-confident and strong at the beginning of the play but results to be in a great confusion in the end . The human ignorance in front of the gods ' will is the main theme for Sophocles

The final heroic monologue by Antigone is poisoned by the doubt and suffering as well (Sophocles 441BC ) Behold me , princes of Thebes the last daughter of the house of your kings ,-see what I suffer , and from whom , because I feared to cast away the fear of Heaven ( n .

br This human ignorance is opposed to the mystery of the omnipotent deity whose prophecies always come true . That deity is an embodiment of and justice . The internal motive of Sophocles 's tragedy is the humility before the powerful and incomprehensible for people gods ' will Under the condition of such a great power of gods people should loose their hopes and will but people great belief in their independence is a main characteristic of Sophocles ' heroes . Antigone despises the public opinion and the threat of death penalty . The conflict between the gods power and human will is the main source of dramatic tension in the play thanks to which Antigone ' is full of life

The Sophocles ' contemporaries perceived the conflict between Kreon and Antigone like a confrontation between two paradigms of social being : old traditions (so-called unwritten and eternal rules and new state traditions called human laws . For Sophocles and audience the tragedy of the play is completely Antigone 's tragedy . She intentionally goes to death in to declare her protest against new inhuman logic of life . Therefore , the gods ' justice wins but it wins in a natural way without direct intervention of gods

The protagonists of Antigone ' are bright personalities with a whole range of strong personal qualities . Nevertheless , the other aspects of their lives...

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