Antigone Pride And Prejudice

Eurydice has the role of a very minor character in Sophocles’ play, Antigone, yet she represents major life lessons and themes that Sophocles implies throughout the play. The Queen is seen and heard through the lines of other characters. Her silence can speak louder than words. She only has seven lines, yet she does not have to say much in order for us to understand her important role as a queen, mother, and wife. We can interpret her values and traits through what other characters say and imply about her. Sophocles possibly wants the reader to realize that in order for a character to have an important role in the text, she does not need to have many lines. The stage directions and lines of other characters have the capability to tell
Eurydice represents calmness, which is a trait that many of the other characters do not have. With her sense of tranquility she complements the characters that represent rash decisions and acting on impulse. Eurydice wants to be alone while she mourns the death of her son. “She has left us without a word. What can this mean?” (241). After realizing her son Haimon is dead she is peaceful and takes some time alone. This is difficult for many of the impulsive characters to understand. Eurydice shows how far a parents’ love can go. She strongly values family. Eurydice kills herself because she is so upset about the death of her son. She takes her own life to make a point to Creon. Eurydice is part of Creon’s epiphany. She is apart of the realization that starts his reversal. Creon finally understands and exclaims, “I have been rash and foolish. I have killed my son and my wife” (244). It took him a very long time to realize that his actions were too harsh and thoughtless. He needs a balanced and reflective character like Eurydice to help him understand his radical
In this play not many characters take time to themselves to think and reflect. Eurydice decides to leave by herself, after she hears the news about the death of her son. No one in this play is used to any type of reflection or silence. Choragos says, “I fear this deep silence” (242). Eurydice values privacy and is a very internal person, but not many people can understand or relate to that. She also values life, yet she kills herself. It is ironic to show that she values life, Sophocles has her take her own. This action actually demonstrated how much she values life, and how far she is willing to go for her son. Eurydice blames all of this on her husband, because her last words for him are a curse, “her last breath was a curse for their father, the murderer of her sons” (243). Eurydice exemplifies the roles of women of that time. She can relate to each of the other women characters. Like Iocaste, she is a Queen and kills herself after hearing traumatic news. Similar to Ismene, Eurydice is a very internal person and likes to keep to herself. Parallel to Antigone she strongly represents her values, and believes that family should come before all. Sophocles specifically puts her in the play to point out the fact that she has qualities that the other characters are lacking. She provokes themes, and exemplifies the assets of all the other women in the trilogy. None of the other male