Antigone by Sophocles - Essay Example

?Visual Arts and Film Studies: Antigone by Sophocles. The ancient Greek play Antigone, written around 442 BC by the famous dramatist Sophocles, has become one of the world’s classics and has been widely published, performed and adapted in many languages and formats across the world. It is a memorable play, characterized by a background of death and destruction, and the strong figures of Antigone and Creon, who are locked in opposition over what is to be done with the dead body of Antigone’s brother Polyneices. Major themes like the duty of a statesman (Creon) to protect his citizens against traitors, the duty of a woman (Antigone) to honor her relatives with a decent burial, and the duty of all to respect the gods are developed in the play. The various characters are depicted taking up positions which demonstrate a number of different heroic qualities. This paper analyses the role of each character in turn, using the Sophocles text in English translation (2005) as the main source, and referring occasionally to the Yorgas film (1961) to illustrate how one famous interpretation makes their motivations plain. The analysis shows that despite frequent professions of noble ambitions, all of the characters in Antigone are motivated by selfishness, including Creon, Antigone and even the Chorus of Theban elders. In the opening scene Ismene appears to be timid and she hides behind her gender to avoid facing up to the conflict that is presented to her by Antigone: “We must remember that by birth we’re women,/and as such, we shouldn’t fight with men” (Antigone, lines 77-78) Ismene realizes that she has a duty to bury her brother, but her approach is to back away from that and rely on the mercy of the gods and the dead: “So I’ll ask those underground for pardon” (Antigone, line 82). Ismene is concerned above all with her image as a woman, and she is very aware of how her actions will make her appear to other people. She wants to be seen as a perfect woman, meek and obedient: “But I can’t act against the state./That’s not in my nature.” (Antigone, lines 97-98) Later in the play, when Ismene appears to show a bit of backbone, and offer to share Antigone’s guilt, she actually reveals that her motivation is an inability to survive on her own without her strong sister: “How could I live alone, without her here?” (Antigone, line 648). Ismene cannot face up to life alone, and so she speaks out of weakness, and a desire to suffer death in order to spare herself still more suffering later. The lowly Guard is the character who most clearly operates solely in his own best interests. He is afraid of Creon, with good reason, because he knows that he has failed in his duty to watch over the corpse of Polyneices and could face very severe consequences, even death, if he does not make good his error. He has news for Creon, but makes sure that he communicates his concern about his own fate first: “Guard: I want to tell you first about myself./ I did not do it. And I didn’t see/the one who did. So it would be unjust/if I should come to grief.” (Antigone, lines 275- 277). This pleading makes him look like an unruly child, trying to explain away his conduct in front of an angry father. He also tries to spread the blame amongst his colleagues saying “Every one of us was responsible./but none of us was clearly in the wrong.” (Antigone, lines 301-302). He did not volunteer to be the bringer of bad news, but was chosen by “the luck of the draw” (Antigone, line 317) which shows that he is at the mercy of fate, and just following what he has to do, rather than making a moral decision about it. The first instinct that he has is to run away from his job and save his own life. He is not particularly loyal to his employer, but just wants to save his own skin. In the end he sees a chance to redeem himself, and keep his job, by offering up the woman he has caught in the act of burying the corpse. The way that he keeps changing his mind shows that he is willing to act opportunistically, based on whatever action will bring him the most benefit, rather than on the basis of any sense of duty, or any clear principles. When the Guard finds Antigone, however, he will not submit to the luck of the draw, but insists himself on bringing the girl to Creon “I was the lucky man, not someone else” (Antigone, line 447). On this occasion he is content to take advantage of the situation, and although he could have chosen to stick with his initial plan of running away from Creon, he decides instead to put his own welfare above hers saying “... For it’s a joy/escaping troubles which affect oneself,/but painful to bring evil on one’s friends. But all that is of less concern to me/than my own safety.” (Antigone, lines 493-497) Unlike the noble characters such as Ismene and the elders, the Guard does not dress up his actions in complicated moral arguments, or cryptic comments. He states quite simply and openly that he is aware of the moral dilemmas that surround the burial of Polyneices, but this does not bother him nearly as much as his own safety. This openness may well have something to do with his lower class, inferior education and lack of status in society, since he does not have the luxury of thinking about ancestral reputation, or what will happen in the afterlife. He is a simple soul, concerned with the physical happenings in the here and now, and he acts accordingly. In the 1961 film the Guard is played in an almost comic way, by a stocky actor who uses exaggerated hand movements and rather inelegant postures, all of which contrasts with the tall figure and aristocratic stillness of Creon. Whatever saves the Guard’s skin, is what he chooses to do, and he does not care who gets hurt in the process, so long as he is safe. Creon, on the other hand, acts out of well-considered conviction. The overwhelming impression that he gives, both in the text of the play and in the film version of 1961, is of colossal arrogance. He seems to assume that he is destined to be a ruler, controlling what happens to his city and all the people in it. He sees himself as being placed there and supported in his work by the gods, speaking of “the eternal power of the throne.” (Antigone, line 189) Even a fleeting glimpse at human history before the time of Creon should have convinced him that thrones tend to be anything but eternal, but nevertheless he acts as if his power is absolute. This is the flaw that causes all of the tragic events in the play to emerge. He is simply too concerned with protecting his own power in every possible domain, in the city and further afield, and in the world of men as well as the underworld which is populated by the ghosts of the ancestors. Creon cannot tolerate anyone who disagrees with him, or who mutters against him, because his view of the world is that everyone is against him, and that they should be punished for even daring to have a different opinion: “They don’t agree with what I have decreed./They shake their heads and have not kept their necks/under my yoke, as they are duty bound to do.” (Antigone, lines 337-339). Creon’s arrogance knows no bounds, and he considers his subjects as sub-human, like domestic animals or worthless slaves. His lack of understanding for other people makes him harsh and uncompromising. What bothers him is not just that people do evil things, but that they insist on talking about it, or even boasting about it, and thus causing his own authority to be openly questioned. He uses the royal “we” in a way that shows how distant he is from his own people: “...We must obey/whatever man the city puts in charge,/just or unjust. For there’s no greater evil/than a lack of leadership.” (Antigone, lines 760-763). In this statement he uses the word “we” but he places himself outside of this exhortation, since he is that very man who is in charge, and sees no need to be just rather than unjust. His motivation is purely the exercise of power. Antigone appeals to Ismene’s heritage and nobility when she tries to persuade her to help with the burial of Polyneices: “Antigone: ...Now you know, and you’ll quickly demonstrate/whether you are nobly born, or else/a girl unworthy of her splendid ancestors.” (Antigone, lines 45-47) One of the consequences of Antigone’s focus on the dead, and the ancestry that has made her a noble woman, is that she has an eye for her long term reputation: “My honours for the dead/must last much longer than for those up here. I’ll lie down there for ever.” (Antigone, lines 92-94) Antigone focuses not so much on her duty, but on her right in relation to Creon’s power: “...he’s no right to keep me from what’s mine.” ( Antigone, line 61) In contrast to Ismene, Antigone sees all the arguments about women’s place in society as an excuse (Antigone, line 99), and she actively seeks fame for the act of burying her brother, since she instructs Ismene to tell everyone what she is doing. Antigone’s main concern is to protect her good name during and after her own death, because in her world view, the way that a person dies, and is buried, is the most important thing: “I won’t suffer/anything as bad as a disgraceful death.” (Antigone, line 117-118) Her true motivation is pride, and the reason that she is so upset about the fate of Polyneices is that it brings disgrace to her family, and indirectly therefore to herself. Like Creon, Antigone is a very arrogant character. When challenged by the King concerning her deliberate breach of his rule, she is defiant, and appeals, much as Creon does, to the favor of the gods. She argues that both Zeus and the personified divine being “Justice” have not commanded her, and that Creon’s authority is lower than that of the gods. It is an age-old argument about the different kinds of allegiance that people should owe, whether to the commands of their religion, or to the rules of a secular power such as the state, the courts, or the king. Antigone suggests that she is more afraid of punishment from the gods, than of punishment by a mere mortal, i.e. Creon. This is an interesting line to take, because it is bound to antagonize him still further by questioning his right to rule in the way that he sees fit. In theory Antigone could have begged for mercy, or she could have apologized for breaking Creon’s law, and could have appealed to him on the basis of her femininity or on the basis of her familial duty. Instead of this she chooses to humiliate the king in public, saying “... it makes no difference/what you decree.” (Antigone, lines 520-521). She even goes so far as to insult him: “If you think what I’m doing now is stupid,/perhaps I’m being charged with foolishness/by someone who’s a fool.” (Antigone, lines 531-533). Just in case the audience is any doubt about the extreme and reckless nature of Antigone’s rant against Creon, the Chorus Leader intervenes to explain that she is young, and has inherited her passion and lack of ability to compromise from her father. (Antigone, lines 533-536) The scene that follows between Creon and Antigone shows two obstinate characters each fighting for their own will to prevail. Inevitably, Creon is insulted by her insolence, and uses sexist arguments to convince himself that she must be punished: “if she gets her way and goes unpunished,/ then she’s the man here, not me.” (Antigone, lines 549-550) Creon is less concerned about the family issue of the burial rights, and much more concerned about the defiance of his orders, and he takes the fact that Antigone is a woman as the greatest insult of all: “No woman’s going to govern me- no, no – not while I’m still alive,” (Antigone, lines 600-601). The battle becomes a battle of the sexes, as well as a struggle to determine whether religious or secular rules should prevail. Antigone has many good arguments on her side, for example her awareness that the citizens of Thebes agree with her, and not Creon, (Antigone, lines 576-577) but she is so caught up with her own desire to defy the king that she just carries on pushing her own point of view and rejecting everyone else’s position, even those who support her. When Ismene tries to share the blame, Antigone reacts haughtily, suggesting that Ismene wants the credit and honor for burying Polyneices, but did not actually have the courage to do it. In her own eyes, Antigone is a doomed heroine, going into her death with a sense of the dramatic moment this brings: “I’ve not yet had my bridal chant,/ nor has any wedding song been sung - / for my marriage is to Acheron.” (Antigone, lines 921-923) The mention of the god of the underworld reveals that Antigone sees herself in the realm of the gods, suffering a god-like fate, and is happy to be remembered in that role. The Chorus point out that she is deluding herself “...you die/because of your own selfish will” (Antigone, lines 980-981) In the 1961 film of Antigone, however, the final scenes emphasize the contrast between the world of men above the ground, and the world of death below the ground, by setting this farewell scene of Antigone at the mouth of a cave. Antigone, played by Irene Papas, is depicted standing at the border between life and death, framed against the light by the outline of the cave, and then walking down into the darkness. The Chorus in the play is made up of the elders of the city, and there is one specific elder who plays the role of leader. In classical Greek tragedies the chorus have an important function in explaining some of the background to the play, and indicating what might be happening behind the scenes, in the city itself or in the domain of the gods. They are used by the author to interpret some of the action for the audience, and they therefore can be likened in some ways to a narrator in a novel. In Antigone this chorus also has a role in the action of the play, because they are citizens of Thebes, and it interacts particularly with Creon. They are natural allies of Creon, because as a young king he needs support from the older, established members of the community. Conversely, as older members they also require the support and kindness of the king, so that they can live out their lives in an atmosphere of respect. Creon acknowledges this dynamic when he talks about their role in supporting past kings such as Laius and Oedipus, and he obliquely suggests that he wants to listen to their wise counsel: “For me, a man who rules the entire state/and does not take the best advice there is/ ... is the very worst of men.” (Antigone, lines 202-205) Creon knows their value in theory, but cannot bring himself to thoroughly sound out their views in practice. Creon clearly thinks that he deserves the same unwavering support from the Theban elders that was given to his predecessors. The reaction of the elders is, however, less than enthusiastic. They appear on the surface to be flattering Creon, as for example when the leader says “it seems to me you now control all laws,/concerning those who’ve died and us as well-/the ones who are still living.” Creon does not perceive the irony in this remark, and issues a command to the elders. It seems that the elders do not want to confront Creon directly, even though they can see that he is overstepping the authority of his position, and so they just make sneaky comments and keep themselves out of trouble. The direct request that Creon makes to align themselves with his diktat, and “act as guardians of what’s been proclaimed” (Antigone, line 247) is met with a similarly duplicitous response “Give that task to younger men to deal with” (Antigone, line 248). Just as Ismene cited her nature as a woman as a reason not to help sister Antigone with the burial of their brother, so the elders use the excuse of their extreme age to wriggle out of having to actually do anything for or against the king. This is cowardice and selfishness, because they understand very well how disastrous Creon’s orders are, but they are too afraid for their own wellbeing to speak up and give him wise advice. In effect they deceive him with their weasel words, and fail to give appropriate moral guidance to the king. One of the most subtle characters in the play is that of Haemon, who is Creon’s son, and is also, as it happens, betrothed to Antigone. Haemon professes absolute loyalty to his controlling father: “Haemon: Father, I’m yours. For me your judgements/and the ways you act on them are good- I shall follow them” (Antigone, lines 720-722) He also argues very convincingly that Creon’s initial decree is the source of the problem, and tries to point out with respect where Creon has gone wrong. Unfortunately, however, instead of standing up for Antigone and acting consistently with his arguments, he rushes off from the stage, because he does not have the courage of his convictions. He is overwhelmed by the events he witnesses, and commits suicide, since much like Imene, he feels cannot face up to the harsh realities of the world like a man and deal with all the conflicts and paradoxes that it brings. All of the characters, then, including Antigone herself, and the Theban elders who should know better, are blinded by either by their own pride or by their own fears and not one of them can put the needs of others before their own selfish desires. Works Cited. Javellas, Yorgos. (Dir.) Antigone. Starring Irene Papas and Manos Katrakis. Kino Video, Greece, 1961. Film. Sophocles (442 BC) English version available online, translated by Ian Johnston (2005). Web. 17th August 2011 at: http://records.viu.ca/~johnstoi/sophocles/antigone.htm Read More