Essays On Books

Antigone meets up with her sister, Ismene, in the beginning of the play and informs her about King Creon’s decree. Their brothers, Eteocles and Polyneices, died in battle, with Eteocles receiving a proper funeral while Polyneices was left exposed for the birds. King Creon has forbidden anyone to bury Polyneices under penalty of death. Antigone […]

Aristotle defines a tragic hero as someone, usually a male, who “falls from a high place mainly due to their fatal flaw. ” During the highest point of the tragic hero’s life, something is revealed to the protagonist causing a reversal in their fortune. This reversal of fortune is caused by the flaw in their […]

In Sophocles’ Antigone, the character Antigone displays rebellion and strong morals. However, she opts to defy Creon’s government laws, which he considers fair. This choice creates complications for both herself and those around her in her quest for justice. In contemporary society, the notion of justice portrayed in this tale may be viewed as injustice […]

The role of minor character, Mrs. Linde, Ismene, Krogstad and Haemon in developing the themes of the play A Doll’s House written by Henrik Ibsen in 19th century AD and Antigone by Sophocles in 5th century BC. The story of the protagonist is sometimes best developed by the presence of minor characters. Generally the minor […]

Antigone, penned by Sophocles, is a theatrical piece rich in themes. Therefore, I will be discussing these themes, inclusive of state laws versus individual rights, morality, obstinacy, and love, as perceived through the lens of various critics. Antigone’s principles are synonymous with the initial part of these theme pairs while Creon’s ideals correspond to the […]

A conflict I believe many people are faced with day in and day out is, are we bound to the duties of family or must we operate and conform to the duties of the law? A main conflict we see in Antigone is the clash of beliefs between Antigone and Creon. Antigone works at all […]

Sophocles wrote Oedipus the King around 425 BC, Oedipus at Colonus in c. 401 BC and Antigone in c. 441BC. Thus, although Antigone appears to tell some of the story of ‘what happened next,’ it was not actually intended to act as a sequel, having no true unity of theme or treatment between them. Accordingly, […]

Throughout the evolution of literature, Greek through Modern, exposition has remained vital to the comprehension of literary work. In most pieces, contemporary or not, the author uses exposition to provide background information on main characters or past important events. Exposition can help to explain a character’s motive, personality or relationships with others. In Jean Anouilh’s […]

A King’s Collapse Unfortunately, in almost everyone’s lifetime, either a tragic event or a series of tragic events can be found, and in some cases, more than others. Many people define a tragic hero as someone who performs a heroic act but dies in the process. However, this statement is incorrect; instead, a tragic hero […]

Creon: A Virtuous King? Antigone is a Greek Tragedy that was written in 441 B. C. by Sophocles who is considered one of the great tragedians of the Greek time period and even today. Antigone is a complex play which centers on the two main characters, Antigone and Creon; Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus […]

The ancient Greeks made many lasting contributions to Western civilizations. Many achievements of the ancient Greek civilization have positively affected the west. Roots in the most influenced areas of math, art, philosophy, and drama can be traced back to the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greek mathematician Euclid influenced mathematics in a large way after developing […]

As the main character in the Greek classic “Antigone,” Creon undergoes recognition and a reversal of fortune. Recognition is defined when the main character changes from ignorance to awareness. Reversal of fortune is described as a turn in fortune, usually from good fortune to bad fortune. Creon is also a better fit to Aristotle’s criteria […]

The Tyrant of Thebes Henry VIII of England was infamous for executing people who contested his views. He was a ruthless ruler and most of his citizens were compliant to him due to consternation. In Antigone, a play written by Sophocles, the actions of King Creon are closely akin to Henry VII of England. King […]

American writer, Frank Herbert once said: “Justice belongs to those who claim it, but let the claimant beware lest he create new injustice by his claim and thus set the bloody pendulum of revenge into its inexorable motion” (Herbert, 2009). This phrase, in my opinion, perfectly reflects the connotation of Justice that can be tracked […]

The play Antigone by Sophocles, written in 442 BC, perfectly exemplifies Aristotle’s belief that humans are political beings. Despite being the first of the Theban plays to be written, it is performed as the third and builds upon the existing Theban legend. At its core is Antigone, who chooses death over being buried alive according […]

Antigone It takes a lot of courage to stand up and defend an action or idea that is forbidden by society. This is what Antigone does in Sophocles’ story Antigone. She clearly disobeys King Creon’s order that no person should bury Antigone’s brother, Polynices, which is punishable by penalty of death. In this case, though, […]

Starting in media res, the audience are informed of the death of Eteocles and Polyneices through the Oedipus’ family sisters, Antigone and Ismene’s heated conversation. Creon, as the closest blood relative of the throne, succeeds as ruler of Thebes and comes to power. Creon gives a full and honorable burial to Eteocles, praising his loyalty […]

Reading the two versions of the tragedy of Antigone, it was a really interesting experience. Just to see how different the characters are, to see a similar storyline but it is played out differently. This is a book you should really attempt to compare with the original Greek tragedy Antigone, by Sophocles and the Jean […]

Antigone, written by Sophocles, is the focus of our attention among his three famous plays. The play Antigone takes place in Thebes. It begins with one of Odebus’ sons killing his brother, resulting in King Creon prohibiting the burial. In opposition to the King’s decree, Antigone decides to bury her sibling. This essay examines the […]

Greek tragedy often teaches moral lessons at the expense of human life and political will. Antigone is the tragic story of the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta of Thebes after the army of Argos vanishes and her brothers have killed each other on opposite sides of the battle. While the Greeks were well-aware of the […]

Upon currently taking a college course based upon what the good life consists of, Sophocles’ Antigone offers a new perspective that helps students gain a much better understanding of how others share a different view of what the “good life” may be. The play offers a multitude of situations, which allows for perfect opportunities to […]

In the tragedy Antigone by playwright Sophocles, the main protagonist Antigone and her sister Ismene are mourning the death of their brothers Eteocles and Polynices after a war for control of Thebes in Ancient Greece. The sisters are in a disagreement about the fate of Polynices’ corpse, as King Creon who took control after their […]