Antigones Bones by W.B. Worthen - Essay Example

Summary of Antigone: Antigone’s Bones By W.B. Worthen In “Antigone’s Bones” the W.B Worthen talks about how peoplecan cope with the “dramatic text” and the way to resist a mode of new criticism in understanding performance as an interpretation of the text. Worthen introduces Michael Goldman as the prospective model who can be used in dealing with divisions in performance or text. Worthen states that Goldman proposes a reading tactic with the verbal organization of works in a script and not in a structural, literary design. From the author’s point of view, the confrontation, which takes place, between the audience and the actor in plays are viewed as ways of promoting confrontations and charging them with a meaning. The key goal in Worthen’s mind is to resist a frame of repertoire and archive so as to free them from dramatic performances, of sitting on conservative walls in dance performance studies. Worthen’s article assists the reader to cope with the performance or text divide and promote their understanding that there is an answer through performance. Viewing performance as an aesthetic value of production in case studies, classes of theatrical histories and in other, different places, promotes the reader’s understanding of Worthen’s meaning. Worthen views the theatre as a place that continuously marks a permanent disappearance of its own enactment. He, therefore, quotes Diana Taylor who stated that what changes over time can be regarded as relevant and of significant value. According to Taylor, bone may remain the same for eternity, but, their story can change depending on the forensic anthropologist who takes a look at them. Her view is that an Antigone can be performed in different and numerous ways, but the unchanging texts remain to be a stable signifier. Worthen questions if it is possible to articulate one’s writing through performance, in moments when there are concerns for imperialists and restless disenchantment which tend to dominate this field. From the author’s point of view, there is a venue of inspiration which can be traced by the critical openings that are overlooked and misconceived. In Antigone’s bones, the author isolates the dramatic performance from the trajectories of the principal philosophical and cultural views of the past which promote the interpretation of the objects that change themselves. The author’s view of what an outlook of behavior is introduces readers to the ability of individuals to the primary text. The author introduces the element of performance other than the organic verbal expression. Rather than viewing the performance of character’s speech and those who make speeches, the author states that this is only an enunciation of the verbal order in the play. From this article, readers are given the chance of imagining the work of dramatic writings and what they can do. The repertoire can thus be said to be a difference in drama engines, the machine of its disappearance and its transformative survival. Antigone’s Other Choice By Sarah Iles Johnston In this article, Johnston analyzes the aspects of culture on the decision similar to that of the Antigone character who commits suicide through the hangman’s noose based on the play “Antigone”. Johnston’s article suggests to the readers that the examination of suicide in the cultural context, in Greece, may illuminate on the values of Greeks which they placed on Virginity, family ties and marriage. The article talks of the sacrificial death of Virgins in tragedies of Greeks. This article explains more on what hanging virgins means in actual sense. Johnston’s version of Antigone portrays the deaths of heroines in Greek tragedies. She talks of how most are sacrificed and the symbolism that exists between loss of virginity and the cutting of throats (Chanter 5). Viewed from a myth’s point of view hanging virgin symbolizes the failure of one in becoming a mother and a wife to her husband. From this article, Creon decided to Antigone rather than sacrificing her. He chose to kill Antigone by immurement and not by sacrificing her. This poses a question to the readers, of the reason behind the action that he decided to take and not the other. Perhaps it may be argued that by using immurement, he wanted to bestow his authority. Shutting her away from the world was in his view the proper punishment that would eventually lead to death (Burke 41). Johnston wants her readers to view Creon’s actions as a way of shutting her away from the world and thus getting his chance of filling the position of a father figure, by promoting authority over the virgin. Johnston’s article, therefore, reiterates one of her themes which she has indicated as her first choice as a conflict between Creon and her. This gave rise to the significance of balancing one’s obligations to friends and families and the state. From this article, Johnston has not clearly stated whether it is Sophocles who invented Antigone’s hanging or it was someone else. Johnston wants her readers to think that he did, thereby promoting their imagination on the shock of recognition and how they would have reacted to the lines that were described in the article when Creon saw that the tomb was opened. From this article, it is clear that in Athens, the annual ritual used for appease Erigone were used as part of the biggest yearly festivals. From this article, it is evident that Antigone chose the path of underscore, where the manner in which she died would bring consequences to the overvaluation of family members and the state by Creon. The Idea of Women in Peacekeeping: Lysistrata and Antigone By Mary-Jane Fox In Fox’s article, if the husbands in Greece all leave and call their bluff, they are deemed to go nowhere else since they soon come to realize that all the women in Greece will all be doing a similar thing. The concept of peacekeeping during this time as it is today can be said to be a normal phenomenon, where even the military leaders and the warriors in the past centuries would be shocked at the idea of a properly armed army entering another state with the key goal of preventing bloodshed between two parties and not to conquer. In Greece, if the men tried to force themselves upon women during the war, then it was upon the women to resist, failure to which they were deemed to lie unhappily for the men. In this article, Fox wants her readers to idealize what women centuries ago used to do as a way to promote peace within their communities. She reveals that when young women spoke, the older women took the initiative of taking hold over Acropolis and blocking the entrances so that no man would enter. Women then went ahead to make their vows of celibacy, as Lysistrata suggests they swore upon the shield just like Aeschylus would swear (Battersby 50). Most women viewed the use of tools of war as an inappropriate way of promoting peace. Fox’s ideas to her readers is that, in spite of the gender decisions that exist, women have throughout the centuries stepped forward, as it was in the past, and taking these extraordinary leaps in relation to preventing war and promoting peace. In relation to peace keeping, from a pan historical perspective there has been a lot of peacekeeping operations coming into practice which are nonetheless extremely encouraging. For women in Greece, centuries ago, they would finally promote their peace initiatives by drinking a bowl of wine. From the author’s point of view, Lysistrata would recite the vow not to have sex until the war came to an end. The women in Acropolis and Lysistrata would send Lampito back to Sparta so that all the Spartan women were also in on their plans. The author’s point of view is that peacekeeping can be a task that may not belong within the domain of women as well as men. However, the author insists that women’s rights include having a say in death and life matters, war and peace in all centuries. Her Mother, Her Self: The Ethics/principles of Antigone Family Romance: By Lisa Walsh In this article by Lisa Walsh, she discusses the possible implications of the readings of Irigaray of the Antigone for the construction of feministic ethics. By placing a focus on the intersections and gaps that are there between the Hegelian phenomenology and the Lacanian psychoanalysis, it can be noted that Irigaray calls for existence of ethics in sexual differences. Lisa Walsh, discusses the implication of Irigaray despite the chronologic circumstance in the readings can be viewed as an enactment, of ethics in psychoanalysis and the staging of fundamental structures in relation to what others attempt to recreate. From the recreation, of Sophoclean, the drama and expressions that are given seem to be unlikely of a human being. In this article, Walsh informs her readers of the comparative text that is given in this article (Battersby 50). The Lacanian takes on the tragedies occurring in Greece, thereby explaining more on what the transcend situation entails and the point of convergence of the Hegelian and the psychoanalytic phenomena. From the author’s point of view, the human being is more or less, disconnected from all sorts of ideology, historical material and the reality. In addition to this, the author expounds on what exists between phenomenology and psychoanalysis. From, the ideas given by Lacan is that, the psychoanalytical are the engagements that are inspired by ethics in Hegelian, which all attempt to promote the idea of reinstitution and connection of ethical materials (Burke 41). In revisiting the Lacanian, the author analyzes that Irigarayan and Hegelian had an ethical implication on the Antigone of Sophocles. The most explicit disputes in the reading of Hegel, where in the Antigone, author insists that she has seen the beginning and the origin of the psychoanalytic family. Additionally, the author states that Irigaray refuted the traditional psychoanalytic way of refusing models of subjectivity and the infusion of her vision of the Antigone. Readers of this article are introduced to the engagement of hermetic and the Sopholean text that is originally brought out by Irigaray. Through psychoanalysis, the reader understands that, despite the pitfalls, that occur with regard to feminism and its return, there is an awareness of the psychically subjects that need to be determined in relation to others. Antigone’s Nature: By William Robert This article, by William Robert, represents the views that Luce Irigaray and G.W.F. Hegel hold towards Antigone. These two writers turn to Antigone to explore ways in which they can best articulate ethics. Bothe Irigaray and Hegel move back and forth observing Antigone and the sexual difference that she represents. This essay looks into these aspects of Antigone through Hegel’s creative thoughts and Irigaray’s multifaceted relation. Antigone best represents tragedy. Antigone is one of Greeks finest tragedies according to Hegel. Antigone is seen to represent an ethics turning point. According to Hegel, Antigone is an important figure who still holds reverence and respect for others. This essay brings out the various sides of Antigone that are portrayed in her defiance to the ruler of Thebes. To begin with, she is observed to articulate from the “other side of sexual difference” (Robert 414). According to the customs and beliefs at that time, the place of women was at home. The act of Antigone defending herself in the polis is seen as a breakthrough. This is observed as a major leap for women towards their independence from men. She stands in the polis, a place dominated by men who belittle women, and publicly accuses the ruler of defying the gods. As she does this, she continues to uphold her feminine self. She does not try to change or act as a man. She does not try to act in neutrality. Instead, she takes advantage of her sexual difference in order to effectively deliver her message. The men in the polis feel threatened by her actions. The author continues to depict that the sexual difference maintined by Antigone towards Creone is what angers the ruler. He is threatened by the fact that Antigone does not act as a man in order to pass her message across. Instead, she makes use of the fact that she is a woman. This shows that she is quite contented with herself and is not afraid of anything or anyone. Creone downplays his anger towards Antigone by claiming that she is trying to undermine his authority by acting like a man. On the other hand, the writer shows how Antigone is observed to be on the other side of the law. When Creone puts in place a law that prohibits people from either mourning or burying polyneices, Antigone defies this order and arranges for a burial for her brother. This act of going against a law placed by the ruler is observed as very bold. However, in her defense Antigone argues that the law that was placed has no divine substance. The law does not have the backing of the gods and that it is actually Creone who is going against the laws made by the gods. At this point, Antigone tries to show that there should be no difference between civil and religious law. According to her, law should hold divine substance. Another aspect that the writer wishes to point out is that Antigone also defies the taboos of the land at that time. Being a product of incest, she can be seen to have defied the taboos of the land at a very early age. She represents a gaping hole between culture and nature. Three poems from Antigone (Kelly Cherry): Sons and fathers: There are three poems in this article that provide different accounts of the Antigone story. The three poems are centered on the conflict that arises between Antigone and Creone. This conflict is very profound as it challenges the moral fiber of the society at the time. Antigone, a woman, has defied the law set by Creone regarding her brother’s burial. The ruler of Thebes is not pleased with this. According to him, everyone who supports Antigone is also defying him. Thus, his son’s relationship to Antigone is questioned. This first poem is a conversation between Creone and Haimon. This is a point whereby Antigone has defied Creone, the ruler of Thebes. The loyalty of Haimon towards his father is questioned (Cherry 63). As can be seen in the poem Haimon is on his father’s side. His father, a dictator, is pleased with his son’s decision. According to him, a son should always be on his father’s side. They should be able to see eye to eye. In this poem, Kelly Cherry explores the relationship that exists between Creone and his son Haimon. It can be seen from the poem that a good relationship exists between the father and son. It is for this reason that they both agree that anyone who defies the ruler must be dealt with harshly. This poem brings out an aspect of oppression towards women. According to these two men, authority must be enforced especially with regard to women, otherwise, one will be considered “Pussy whipped” (Cherry 63). The second poem illustrates the anger of the gods towards Thebes. Teiresias, the prophet, delivers a message to the ruler that the gods are not happy with his decision. The writer gives detailed description of the sacrifice that was rejected by the gods. This is despite the fact that the sacrifice was of good quality as described. It can be seen that the fire does not burn through the sacrifice, a clear indication of rejection by the gods. However, the king is advised to make amends as all men are prone to mistakes. The third poem represents the cry of the people. The writer develops this poem in such a manner that it appears as a prayer. They pray for relief from the gods. This poem can also be described as a song of praise for the gods. This can be seen in the way that they offer praises for the gods. This poem can also be seen to bring out a theme of oppression by the gods. Through their prayers, it can be seen that they need to be saved. They pray that they may be saved from the sickness that has engulfed them. These three poems depict the conflict that exists due to Antigone’s defiance. They provide a flow of the story. However, the conflict is not the major issue being raised. It can be observed from the three poems that religion and oppression are the key elements being raised. The women are depicted to be oppressed by the men. The masses on the other hand, feel that the gods are oppressing them. Thus, they constantly pray and cry to the gods to grant them relief. Works Cited: Burke Kenneth. Theater Philosophy, and the Limits of Performance.” In Staging Philosophy:Intersections of Theater, Performance, and Philosophy, edited by David Krasner and David Z.Saltz, 41-56. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2006 Battersby, Christine. The phenomenal woman: Feminine metaphysics and the patterns of identity.New York: Routledge. 1998. Butler, Judith. Antigone’s claim: Kinship between life and death. New York: Columbia, 2000 Chanter, Tina. Ethics of eros: Irigaray’s rewriting of the philosophers. New York: Routledge. Irigaray, and Butler. New Antigone 1 (1–2): 2–10.1995. Cherry, Kelly. Three poems form Antigone. New York: 2000. Kubiak, Anthony, Agitated States: Performance in the American Theater of Cruelty. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2002. Purvis, Jennifer. Generations of Antigone: An intra-feminist dialogue with Beauvoir. University Press.2005. Read More