Sophocles Antigone - Fate And Power Essay - 1812 Words

Sophocles’ Antigone - Fate and Power Greek tragedies are noted for containing many powerful themes. Such themes like fate play an important role in many tragedies. Character lives or stories have a set end and throughout the story, there are subtle or noticeable hints of what will become of the character and when will it occur. Whether it be the protagonist, antagonist, or another character, they might be able to recognize their fate and respond by either accepting it or fighting against it. Power is another important theme in Greek tragedies. Power has a tendency to corrupt and blind characters from doing the right thing. Many tragic characters corrupted by the power they held suffer terrible fates from not making the right choices. Sophocles’ Greek tragedy, Antigone, was no exception to this, as fate and power are central themes in the story and play prominent roles in the respective downfall of the play’s two major characters, Antigone and Creon. From the very beginning of the play, Antigone’s fate is essentially laid out when she confides to her sister, Ismene, that she plans to bury their brother, Polyneices and why it is necessary to do so. This action is in direct defiance of the edict set by their uncle, Creon, but Antigone nonetheless accepts her fate. She stands by what she did wholeheartedly and accepts the consequences without a moment’s hesitation. While fate greatly affected Antigone, power and fate play a great role in what becomes of Creon by the play’sShow MoreRelatedBiography of Sophocles Essay1496 Words   |  6 PagesBiography of Sophocles Sophocles was born near Athens, in the small town of Colonus, around 495 BC. His ninety-year life span coincided with the rise and fall of the Athenian Golden age. The son of Sophillus, a wealthy armor maker, Sophocles was provided with the best traditional aristocratic education available in Athens (Page 3). Very little is known about Sophocles as a youth, although one public record suggests his participation in â€Å"The Chorus of Youths,† chosen to celebrate the Athenian navalRead MoreAntigone: Free Will and Destiny1367 Words   |  6 PagesAntigone: The Influence of Free Will and Destiny Throughout Antigone, fate is responsible for many of the most devastating and critical events. The characters Antigone, Creon, Ismene, Haemon, and Tirasias experience many occasions that change their destiny, some events of which were predestined. It is frequently shown that fate and free will are intertwined. Each individual has a destiny, but it can be changed if they use their free will. Sophocle’s message is portrayed throughout the story throughRead MoreAntigone Moral Dilemma1253 Words   |  6 Pagesquestion in the play Antigone by Sophocles is the value of human law vs. divine law. In this tragic play a newly appointed king Creon declares to his people that treason was committed during battle, and one of the two brothers (Polyneices) killed shall not be buried according to the Gods, but instead He shall be left unburied for all to watch the corpse mutilated and eaten by carrion-birds and by dogs (Sophocles, 1900.). This dilemma is felt by many, especially Antigone (sis ter of the deceased)Read MoreCorruption In Oedipus The King And Antigone988 Words   |  4 Pages In Sophocles’ Oedipus The King and Antigone, Sophocles used two tragic stories to explore issues and themes involving that can be interpreted in several ways depending on the readers understanding of the play and the main theme in focus. From a personal view point, themes such as corruption, injustice, civil disobedience and power drunkenness were explored rampantly by Sophocles to further dramatize a story that conveys so much messages. The ancient Greeks are well recognized for gifting the modernRead MoreAnalysis Of Oedipus The King And Antigone1170 Words   |  5 Pagescivilizations such as Athens, women were looked down upon and this battle to leave behind tradition proved to be almost if not fatal. Sophocles Oedipus the King and Antigone exemplify three distinct female Athenian characters who approach this battle with different fronts. Through analysis of Ismene, Antigone and Jocasta’s distinct characters, the reader better understands how Sophocles uses a feminine voice to break away from the tradition discerned in Athenian life to advocate for the rise of a matriarchalRead More Free Destiny vs. Controlled Fate in Antigone Essay791 Words   |  4 PagesFate is an old debated concept. Do ones actions truly play a role in determining ones life? Is fate freedom to some or is it binding to others, in that no individual can make completely individual decisions, and therefore, no one is truly free. Nowada ys, fate is a subject often rejected in society, as it is seen as too big, too idealistic, and too hard to wrap a persons head around. However, at the time of Antigone, the concept was a terrifying reality for most people. Fate is the will of the godsRead MorePower, Hubris, And Hamartia Sophocles Antigone1627 Words   |  7 PagesHonors October 31, 2015 Power, Hubris, and Hamartia in Sophocles s Antigone Lord Acton, a well-known British historian, writer, and politician, resonated the repercussions of power and dominance by stating that All power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely† (Moreell, Power Corrupts). This is just one of the themes covered in Sophocles s Antigone. Within this dramatic play, Sophocles questions the conventions of hubris, hamartia, and power. They all play a roleRead MoreAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays1392 Words   |  6 PagesAn Analysis of Fate vs. Free Will in the Theban Plays When Teiresias asks in Antigone (line 1051), What prize outweighs the priceless worth of prudence? he strikes (as usual) to the heart of the matter in Sophocles Theban Plays. Sophocles dramatizes the struggle between fate and free will, in one sense, but in another sense the drama might be better understood as the struggle between the will of the goods (which it is prudent to follow, according to Teiresias) and mans will (which is oftenRead MoreEssay about Gender Bias Critic of Antigone1724 Words   |  7 PagesA Gender Bias Approach to Antigone Just as one stone removed can break a bridge, one flaw can bring a man to ruins. The flaw of one man cannot bring down an entire kingdom, but rather one outlook of the king can lead to the demise of the whole. In Sophocles epic tragedy, Antigone, a strong gender bias is present throughout the tragedy, and is partially responsible for the downfall of the king. To Sophocles the king is not always representative of the people, but acts on his own personal desiresRead MoreAntigone : Morality And Justice889 Words   |  4 Pagesconcept of good and bad, Morality. Justice is resolute, but unfortunately our perception of morality is different from person to person, so when ones personal conception of morality is not socially acceptable, one may end up having a conflict. In Antigone, morality and justice cross swords with each other and it leads to a devastating end. The cross hairs of morality and justice are complex; one is free to choose, but one is not free from the effect of ones choice. Creons role as a monarch is