Antigone A Portrait Of Ancient Greece - 2905 Words

Kelly Devlin Dr. Anna Peak IH 0951-002 10 December 2014 Antigone, a Portrait of Ancient Greece Famous for its production of tragedies, Ancient Greece often employed the use of drama and conflict to illustrate tales relevant to the society at the time. The playwright Sophocles is a prime example of this. In his tragedy Antigone, Sophocles tackles issues such as the role of the gods, the proper behavior of women, and the power of a leader. These motifs not only add value to the narrative, but offer the reader a glimpse of the state of Greek society of the time. Artifacts such as the ones found at the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology provide evidence of the context of Antigone, and illuminate meaning in Sophocles’ text that may have remained hidden. Using this context and analysis, Antigone’s actions prove to be justified according to the values of her culture. The central conflict in Antigone poses a moral question. Does Creon have the authority to forbid Antigone to follow the will of the gods? To Antigone, the wil l of the gods is more important than following the law of the state. To Creon, maintaining stability in Thebes outweighs the wishes of a young woman. Both parties have valid reasons for their choices. However, not enough information is at hand. More research must be done; the only way to accurately determine the answer to the question posed is to determine the social context in which the play takes place. Several aspects of Ancient Greek culture mustShow MoreRelatedtheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of