Political Implications of Sophocles Book - Antigone - Research Paper Example

Political Implications of Sophocles’ Book, Antigone People express their personal views and thoughts through different ways and means. Mostly, they will choose their professions to express their ideologies. Authors, through their work create imaginary pictures and characters which they then use to convey the message of their thoughts and what they believe in. Politics is a topic that has controversially been discussed by various authors. It could either be on democracy, the freedom of the subjects or the people around the political leaders. The argument could also take the form of the lifestyles of the people in the jurisdictions of their political leadership. Lack of satisfaction on the form of leadership attracts criticism while what they deem to be the best form of leadership that leaders ought to adopt is exalted by different authors. Thoughts of authors could either have positive or negative influences on the people who read their work. In analysing the dangers of different authors, this paper will look at two thinkers and authors of ancient history. An analysis of Sophocles’ ideas in Antigone and Plato’s The Trial and Death of Socrates will be used as the reference to the analysis. In his book Antigone, Sophocles explores on the punishment which disobedient people in Thebes, kingdom of Greek. It also showed the various methods used in ruling the kingdom. The author, in his choice of using a woman as the main character showed the theme of the plight of women in the times, though in a negative way. He chose to support the plight of women, as the episodes of the book progresses. On his part however, Plato in his book, the trial and death of Socrates, he explores the influence of political leaders and their influence on the subjects. The book portrays Socrates in a devilish way as he manipulates the people around him with his philosophical influence. Plato himself was an astute follower of Socrates and had done so out of choice. Socrates believes that Plato’s closeness to him made him vulnerable to manipulation. Rarely would he speak on his first person voice, as he often made reference to a different force behind his words, that of Socrates. His reasoning and ideas, though very dynamic and radical as an influence from his mentor, does not make him much dangerous as his counterpart Sophocles. Sophocles develops personal ideas and thoughts and sends his sentiments through his book. Through his book, he portrays himself as a dis-respecter of humanity. Why would he champion for death penalty for the various people who committed what he termed to be disrespectful? Antigone for example was supposed to face death penalty for having not respected Creon’s order that Polyneices was not entitled to a decent send-off (Sophocles 10). In the book, the various characters are found to portray different manner in which Sophocles believed was the right way in which things should have been done. He did not shy off from the fact that the moral theme of his book was wrong. He chooses to advocate for violence as a means of achieving political success. The two brothers in the book could not agree on who was supposed to be the heir of the kingdom. Instead of arriving at an amicable decision on who was supposed to be the heir of the kingdom, they opted for a violent solving the problem. They resolved to fight for the person who was supposed to take over their father. In the event, they both died (Sophocles 5). In his advocacy for the plight of women in the kingdom and in his time, he showed how they were not entitled to any form of leadership positions. Antigone was a character who faced numerous challenges especially after her decision to burry Polyneices, her brother who died in the battle and whom Creon had considered an outcast. He portrays political greed to be a normal occurrence among the political class. Oedipus, in the quest to clinch the leadership of the kingdom killed his father and married his mother without his knowledge. Political assassinations as he portrays in his book was normal. Waging battles against other people in order to win leadership was according to him a normal occurrence. The marrying of the defeated rulers’ wife meant that he was a true conqueror. His realization however, that he had married his own mother took away his sight and opted to be blind for the rest of his life. The various incidences from the book pose a great danger to the people. Most people believe what they read and take it to be a fact. They will head to the thoughts of an author and emulate various characters who they find appealing to them from the texts. The ideologies and line of thinking of Sophocles could have far reaching effects to those people who choose to follow them. Through the works of a writer, different emotions run through the mind of the reader. Putting this into consideration, the various characters in the book reflect a wrong perspective of politics in the current world. Oedipus murdered his father to take over leadership of the kingdom and remarried his wife who later turned out to be his mother. He created a series of violent incidences, which signify his advocacy for violence leadership. By no peaceful means were the two brothers ready to decide who would be the heir of the kingdom and thus had to wage a war that killed them both. Dictatorship is apparent form the manner in which Creon chose to issue orders regarding the burial of Polyneices and his judgement on the punishment that Antigone deserved. Without consultation or any form of agreement with another party, he decided that Polyneices did not deserve to be buried as a punishment for his erroneous act. Subsequently, he too decided that Antigone was supposed to be murdered for defying his orders. He chooses not to pay attention to Antigone’s reasons for having had to bury her brother and goes ahead to pass judgement on the matter. Ismene was too timid and dares not defy the king’s orders. The women of the kingdom are voiceless, from the author’s line of thinking. The various incidences highlighted in the book by the author prove to be a danger to the political class and the subjects. Humanity has vanished from the vicinity of the book. He chooses to advocate for violence and dictatorship, all which have grave implications on the political scene of the current world. Little does he give characters holding leadership positions an appealing role, which, in case the political class was to emulate would be disastrous to the people and the world too. Between the two authors, Plato and Sophocles, I believe Sophocles’ ideologies pose a greater danger to politics than Plato’s. Works Cited Sophocles, Antigone. New York: Dover, 1993. Print. Read More