Antigone society
In, being self-centered about Ideas frequently affects peoples’ judgement Sophocles raises this Issue in his play Antigone. He believes that listening to the wise benefits your judgement, but the result of refusing to listen leads to tragic outcomes. Sophocles uses Ate to develop the characters’ Inability to take In others’ perspectlve_ Sophocles first addresses the tragic results of not listening through Anugone’s refusal to take advice. In Sophocles’s prologue, Ismene states “[Shel has no strength” for burying Polynlces against the states’ jurisdiction, while Antigone pronounces that
Ismene “use[s] that excuse” to avoid trouble (Sophocles 76-83}. Even though Ismene says she doesnt have the strength to go against the state, she really means that she doesnt have the willpower to choose between the Gods’ and Creon’s law because defying either law will result In punishment. Even though Ismene Is belng cautious ot her choices, Antigone believes Ismene is toolish tor not siding with her. Antigone chose to believe herselt without thinking about Ismene’s point ot view. In result, Antigone ends up putting herselt between both the laws ot the lands and the God’s law, which results in her entombment.
In addition to Antigone putting off her sisters’ point of view, Sophocles uses Antigones inability to take others perspective into consideration. During CreonS and Antigone’s argument. Creon expresses his opinion of Polynices betrayal of the city by saying. “The good dont want to share honors with the bad” (Sophocles 534-6). Antigone retaliates by mentioning, Mho knows that is considered righteous below . . I cannot share their hate, only their love” (Sophocles 536-8). Creon’s belief that Polynices shouldnt be honored in burial conflict with Antigones’, in which Polynices deserves burial to honor the Gods’ lavi
Antigone doesn’t realize Creon’s point of view, standing up for the city, and goes with her own belief without taking Creons’ into account. Despite standing up for herself, Antigone’s failure to acknowledge Creon’s perspective causes her demise Even after being locked away behind a boulder, Sophocles proves Antigone’s disastrous consequences when Antigone, “[hangs herself] by the neck, fastened by a noose of fine linen” (Sophocles 1226-7)_ Antigone, trapped In a cave due her actions, hung herself so she wouldn’t die at the hand of Creon. Anugone’s refusal to listen to others’
Ideas, such as creons, lead her to trouble and death, supporung Sophocles’s maln point that tragic consequences come from refusing to listen. Antigone’s refusal to take advice results In her unfortunate demise. In addltlon to Antigone’s downfall due to blind recklessness, Sophocles uses Creon to display how tragic consequences develop trom not listening. During the first scene ot Antigone, the Guard explains to Creon that he “[wlshesl to tell [Creon his time, Creon’s reaction is that, “[The Guard] is trying to talk around the problem. ” (Sophocles 245).
The guard is cautious of explaining the bad news, trying to void blame, while Creon assumes the guard is guilty due to him talking around the problem. Creon’s lack of the guard’s point of view causes him to blame the innocent, which later causes Haemon commit suicide because Creon punishes his love. Even though Sophocles uses Creon’s actions to show tragic outcomes, he also uses Creon’s frustration to demonstrate his inability to look at other peoples’ perspective. During a dialogue between Creon and the Guard, the guards asks, “May I say something, or should I Just turn and go? (Sophocles 325) Creon, agitated due to the breaking of his aw, exclaims, miou have annoyed me Just by saying that” (Sophocles 326). Creon’s frustration towards someone breaking his law resulted in him not fully understanding that the guard didn’t want to bother the king while he was mad.. The guard was nervous to explain his point of view to Creon due to his recklessness after Antigone defied his law. In result to the guards inability to explain his perspective, Creon becomes even more agitated and promises to kill him if he doesn’t find out who touched the body.
Sophocles ends his play by showing the reader Creon’s destroyed life after not taking advice through others’ perspective. Creon’s son guided the sword, leaned on it and thrust it into his ribs.. ” while Haemon “. Creon’s wife ” struck herself in the heart with her own hand. ” (Sophocles 1240-1; 1321) Creon’s wife and son both killed themselves due to his refusal to listen to others advice. If Creon had only listen to others and used their perspective as well, his family wouldn’t have taken their own lives. Creon’s self centered ways of not taking advice destroyed his family.
Even though Creon is used to show that consequences develop through not taking advice, Sophocles also uses Creon’s and Haemon’s stubbornness to demonstrate the tragic result of not listening. Sophocles provides an argument between Creon and Haemon in which Haemon retaliates to Creon’s saying, “At our age, taught reason by a man so young” by declaring “Taught nothing that is not Just! If I am young, I do not need more time to study what’s right” (Sophocles 738-40). Creon believes that Haemon is too young to be credible and taken seriously because of his age.
Haemon however, considers himself credible due to the fact that Creon is making horrible decisions . Creon, not yet knowing that his decisions are tragic, and Haemon, not knowing that his dad doesnt see what’s going on, end up fighting. Because Haemon’s nd Creon’s stubbornness get in the way of them seeing each others point of view, Haemon runs away and ends up committing suicide. After discussing credibility and getting nowhere, the father and son discuss the distinction between what the “fellow- citizens deny’ and “[how the city shouldn’t] tell [Creon] how [he] ought to rule it” (Sophocles 745-6).
Haemon brings up the issue of the citizens siding with Antigone to bury Polynices body. They believe Polynices should obtain a proper burial no matter what even if he betrayed the city or not. Creon argues that the citizens of Thebes shouldn’t be telling the king how to rule the city. Creon believes that the king should uphold all the power and not give the citizens a choice. Creon and Haemon argue for two different sides of the law neither, which adds even more tension and perspective. After all of this arguing between Haemon and his father, Haemon “. thrusts a sword] into his ribs” and Creon loses everyone who he cared about (Sophocles 1241). Haemon killed himself due to the lack of support he was shown by his father. Creon’s inability to listen to Haemon’s point of view cause his own son to kill himself. By not listening to each other, both Haemon and Creon suffer from onsequences with one of them dying and the other one having to go through life without anyone who cares for him. Creon and Haemon suffered because they both lacked the capability to express other ideas than their own.
As a different way to express his theme, Sophocles uses Ismene’s and Antigone’s discussion to prove not taking helpful advice can ruin a relationship. After learning Antigone was caught, Ismene admits, “l did the deed if she consents, and I will take and bear the charge” (Sophocles 552-3). Antigone answered with, “But Justice will not allow this to you, since neither did you want nor did I share it. (Sophocles 554-5). Ismene, caring for her only family member left, tries to save her sister from death with the cost of hers.
But Antigone doesn’t allow Ismene to do this and convinces Creon that she definitely broke the burial law. This causes Antigone to be doomed by the law of the land, resulting in her death. After having her sister announced guilty, Ismene asks, “But now-what can I do to help you now’ (Sophocles 568). Antigone replies by telling her, “Save yourself. I do not grudge you your escape” (Sophocles 569). Ismene gives her last efforts to comfort Antigone through her time of need, but Antigone rejects Ismene’s offer and declares she wants nothing.
Antigone didn’t listen to her sister, overcome with pride for burying the body, and Just gave up her only way to live. By letting her pride take place of her mind, Antigone gives up her life because she didn’t listen to Ismene’s offer. Due to Antigone’s actions, she “[hangs herself by a noose]” and Ismene disappeared, never being mentioned again (Sophocles 1227). Ismene, not wanted by her sister in anyway, disappears from the play to never be spoken of again. Antigone however, suffers from not letting her sister take the blame and finally commits suicide to end the pain.
Antigone would not be dead if she let her sister take the blame, but due to her inability to listen to good advice, she ends up dying. In the end, both Ismene and Antigone suffer due to Antigone’s rejection of advice. Sophocles demonstrated listening to others’ advice and the consequences of not throughout the play. From being stubborn and not taking beneficial advice to not opening your mind to another persons’ point of view. Sophocles wrote Antigone with many lessons for our current society. His most important lesson being that listening to good counsel benefits you now but also in the future.
