Power And Responsibility In Sophocles 'Antigone'
Antigone, a tragic heroine in the self titled Sophocles play, fights against male power demonstrating courage and determination. Although Jean Anouilh and Sophocles both create the character Antigone to be a spoiled, scrawny princess, they create different personas out of her. In Anouilh’s version of Antigone is honest, soft spoken and an unhappy person, in Sophocles version Antigone is a strong willed, brave and powerful individual who is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Both tragedies share various similarities and differences in the content, themes, and conflicts; specifically focusing on the comparisons between the themes of power, corruption and responsibility throughout. Ultimately the outcome of both tragedies is a result
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Using her power, Antigone attempts to convince Ismene to join in upon the act of loyalty with her, but being the innocent sister Ismene is not in agreeance. This is proven when she says to Ismene “The punishment for disobedience is death by stoning. So now you know. And now is the time to show whether or not you are worthy of your high blood.” (Sophocles, 127). Subsequently in both plays Antigone takes advantage of being a princess and Creon’s niece, and goes ahead with her choice to bury Polynices. Although she knows the possible outcomes of her choice, this does not stop her as she believes Creon will be more sympathetic towards her. Antigone proves this when she says “Poor Creon! My nails are broken, my fingers are bleeding, my arms are covered with the wells left by the paws of your guards- but I am queen!” (Anouilh, 50). Therefore she takes advantage her relationship with Creon in order to gain power. Lastly, the outcome of Antigone at the end of each play was the same, but the amount of power she obtains is the difference. In Sophocles there is no doubt that Antigone’s death is tragic and heroic. However the tragedy seems to be more heroic in Sophocles Antigone than it does in Anouilh’s. This is demonstrated when Antigone says “"I have given my brother burial. What greater honour could I wish? All these would say that what I did was honorable but fear locks up their lips. To speak and act just as he likes is a king’s prerogative.” (Sophocles, 140). After Creon executes Antigone in Sophocles the play drags on to emphasize how powerful a character she is in Anouilh’s Antigone is killed and the story ends shortly after as if what she does is not
Using her power, Antigone attempts to convince Ismene to join in upon the act of loyalty with her, but being the innocent sister Ismene is not in agreeance. This is proven when she says to Ismene “The punishment for disobedience is death by stoning. So now you know. And now is the time to show whether or not you are worthy of your high blood.” (Sophocles, 127). Subsequently in both plays Antigone takes advantage of being a princess and Creon’s niece, and goes ahead with her choice to bury Polynices. Although she knows the possible outcomes of her choice, this does not stop her as she believes Creon will be more sympathetic towards her. Antigone proves this when she says “Poor Creon! My nails are broken, my fingers are bleeding, my arms are covered with the wells left by the paws of your guards- but I am queen!” (Anouilh, 50). Therefore she takes advantage her relationship with Creon in order to gain power. Lastly, the outcome of Antigone at the end of each play was the same, but the amount of power she obtains is the difference. In Sophocles there is no doubt that Antigone’s death is tragic and heroic. However the tragedy seems to be more heroic in Sophocles Antigone than it does in Anouilh’s. This is demonstrated when Antigone says “"I have given my brother burial. What greater honour could I wish? All these would say that what I did was honorable but fear locks up their lips. To speak and act just as he likes is a king’s prerogative.” (Sophocles, 140). After Creon executes Antigone in Sophocles the play drags on to emphasize how powerful a character she is in Anouilh’s Antigone is killed and the story ends shortly after as if what she does is not