Wow. This family really has one of the most impressive bouts of misfortune I have ever heard tell about; it spans generations. Antigone and Ismene are the daughters of Oedipus and Jocasta. In this play both of their brothers, Eteokles and Polyneices, are killed. The king, Kreon, believes that Eteokles was loyal and therefore will receive a proper burial but determines that Polyneices was a traitor and will be left to decay in the elements. Antigone refuses to let this be the case, she loved Polyneices and feels she must save his body from the vultures. Ismene also cared for her brother but won't put herself in harms way to protect his body and his dignity. "No, we should be sensible: we are women, born unfit to battle men; and we are subjects, while Kreon is king. No, we must obey, even in this, even if something cold hurt more." Antigone ignores her sisters pleas and buries Polyneices's body without regard for the law or the consequences. After her act is exposed she is locked underground as punishment. Haimon, Kreon's son and Antigone's wife, argue on her behalf with his father but has no impact on his beliefs. Then, everything goes to hell. Antigone hangs her self in her cell, when Haimon finds her he kills himself with a sword and when his mother, Eurydice, learns of his death she commits suicide as well. The compounded pain of these three deaths is certainly tragic.
I do believe though that Antigone, like most tragedies, was written in an attempt to convey a message other than sorrow. The major plot of the play can be seen in history over and over again; personal sacrifice is often required to act as the impetus to major change. Colonists lives were lost in order to procure freedom for their new country, abolitionists were executed while they were working to end suffering, whistleblowers have often lost their livelihood in order to expose misconduct of a corporation. These "rebels" often perform illegal acts in order to obey their own moral rules. Antigone was jailed and eventually gave her life to protect the dignity of her brother. The result of Antigone's defiance was revealed just before the conclusion of the play. A blind prophet, Teiresias, convinced Kreon of his misjudgment. "You have dishonored a living soul with the exile of the tomb," And as the horror was taking place Kreon was attempting to right his wrong doing. "You, hurry, bring axes! I'll lead the way. I've changed my mind. I did it and I'll undo it." Of course this revelation came too late to save any life but he did come to the conclusion that Polyneices should be buried. In many circumstances tragedy is used as a tool that allows decency to prevail.
My favorite quote from the play is when Haimon was speaking to Kreon. "Father, the gods implant intelligence in humans. Of all our properties, that is the supreme one." I believe this quotation is one that still applies in modern times. Sometimes we as human beings should listen to our intelligence and conscience rather than blindly following the law of others. Ismene was unharmed in the play but she will live for the rest of her life with the guilt of leaving her brother to the vultures and allowing her sister to fight the regime alone. Law abiding citizens often live the most comfortable lives but possibly the most corrupt. Occasionally we must use our intelligence as our guide rather than our tendency towards obedience.
I do believe though that Antigone, like most tragedies, was written in an attempt to convey a message other than sorrow. The major plot of the play can be seen in history over and over again; personal sacrifice is often required to act as the impetus to major change. Colonists lives were lost in order to procure freedom for their new country, abolitionists were executed while they were working to end suffering, whistleblowers have often lost their livelihood in order to expose misconduct of a corporation. These "rebels" often perform illegal acts in order to obey their own moral rules. Antigone was jailed and eventually gave her life to protect the dignity of her brother. The result of Antigone's defiance was revealed just before the conclusion of the play. A blind prophet, Teiresias, convinced Kreon of his misjudgment. "You have dishonored a living soul with the exile of the tomb," And as the horror was taking place Kreon was attempting to right his wrong doing. "You, hurry, bring axes! I'll lead the way. I've changed my mind. I did it and I'll undo it." Of course this revelation came too late to save any life but he did come to the conclusion that Polyneices should be buried. In many circumstances tragedy is used as a tool that allows decency to prevail.
My favorite quote from the play is when Haimon was speaking to Kreon. "Father, the gods implant intelligence in humans. Of all our properties, that is the supreme one." I believe this quotation is one that still applies in modern times. Sometimes we as human beings should listen to our intelligence and conscience rather than blindly following the law of others. Ismene was unharmed in the play but she will live for the rest of her life with the guilt of leaving her brother to the vultures and allowing her sister to fight the regime alone. Law abiding citizens often live the most comfortable lives but possibly the most corrupt. Occasionally we must use our intelligence as our guide rather than our tendency towards obedience.