"Unwept, friendless, with no marriage hymn, unfortuante, I am taken down the prepared road. It is no longer right for unhapy me to see this holy eye of light, but no friend groans over my unwept fate." Antigone brings character and tragedy from the men and women of Thebes into the every day life of Sophocles's Antigone brodens the view of a woman and her duties.
Sophocles brings character's relationships with their famillys in tie with the personal duties needing to be carried through with, which makes the theme a controversey. Women's duty during the time is having the responsibility of burying the men that die. When Antigone's responsibility is denied for her to finish the task of burying her brother Polynices, Antigone breaks rules and shows her stubbornness to finish the task.
Agreeing with rules is usually the right choice to make always, but sometimes going against the set rules may be better. A dynasty, a tradition, a civic responsibility to live up too. Creon on the other hand is stubborn and strives for everyone to obey his word. He says,
...my country is safety itself, and only when she is upright can our sailing find friends. With laws like these I will make our city grow. By his words, Creon declares Eteocles to be buried and Polynices to stay unburried. Clashing with Creon, Antigone knows her obligations to her family and brothers and demands her say in the decision. Ismene, Antigone's sister, argues with Creon and trys to explain Antigone's words further. Unable to convince Creon, Ismene realizes Antigone may die but upon her own fate.
Most of the story takes place at the palace of Thebes. Thebes is located in the norhtern part of mainnland Greece. Thebes is known to have many myths taken place there, and was a rival to Athens.
Deaths, drama, and betrayal all happens because of the duty to burry a dead person. In my case, I would rather stay living than possibly having an outcome of death to bury my brother. The choice is all in ones opinion in what they want to follow through with. Does Antigone leave her brother Polynices unburried and live or will she try to bury him and unwillingly die?
"Knowledge truly is by far the most important part of happiness, but one must neglect nothing that the gods demand. Great words of the over-proud balanced by great falls taught us knowledge in our old age." Says the old men of Thebes. Antigone is a classic at one point everyone should read to see the everyday challenges people faced earlier in history. Will you read and see if the old men of Thebes are correct about more knowledge coming as you age?
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