Antigone Research Paper

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Robert Gockley Eng 102 Mr. Gerber May 9, 2024.

The adage “Justice is blind” dates back to archaic times when the infancy of such, as well as other things like theater, literature, mathematics, ethics, etc, was prevalent. The saying originates from the famous statue of Lady Justice, wherein she is wearing a blindfold. This simple visual piece is the lynchpin of most of the law as man-made order is supposed to be unbiased, resistant to outside influence, and judged on the content of character. None of these things are found in Creon’s prosecution of Antigone, as he opts for emotion. Sophocles in his play “Antigone” proposes the real problem, danger, and potential aftermath we truly face with law and justice to this day and their moments, sometimes …show more content…
Bonnie Honig in her article “Antigone's Two Laws: Greek Tragedy and the Politics of Humanism” points out a massive piece to the legal puzzle that Antigone proposed but Creon so easily overlooked: “In her dirge, Antigone says she would have violated Creon's edict against burying Polynices for no one but her brother...” (Honig). Another example that drives home the point of Creon’s inability to use legality in a just, ethical, and respectful manner and rather he allows his rage, personal beliefs, and eventually fear to override the point of a court. From the foregoing, it is clear that Antigone is more than a dramatic play, but a lesson centered around law and order. Creon’s rule is a patchwork of horrible decisions. Sophocles is teaching the reader the importance of the saying “Justice is blind.” Justice should be limited in its scope when discussions of ethics, religion, and customs are brought to the table but endless in its grasp when evaluating truths, differing viewpoints, and the equal standing of all people when placed on the scales of Lady Justice. Sophocles is attempting to show us the dangers of allowing justice to fail us. Creon is as blind to true law as Lady Justice is blind to her absolute decisions as she only judges with

Antigone Research Paper

or aspect of life. Women have been labeled lower in status, or inferior, to men for thousands of years by their belittlement of women’s dignity. The topic of inferiority is present in literature, since people could write. In the Greek mythology, “Antigone”, written by Sophocles and translated by Robert Fagles, portrays the perspective of female inferiority. Ismene, Antigone’s sister, is arguing with…

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Antigone Research Paper

“Antigone” is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles. It was performed for the first time in Athens in 442 B.C., during a ceremony honouring Dionysus, the God of wine and fertility in ancient Greece. The tragedy is the last one of the three Theban plays which include the “Oedipus Rex” and the “Oedipus at Colonos” as well. The play narrates the sequence of events which lead to the death of Antigone, who was born from the incestous relationship between Oedipus and his mother Jocasta and had three other…

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Antigone Research Paper

Lauren Locke Collage Composition Kristen Barton 25 April 2024 Tragedy of Antigone Antigone is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles around 441 BCE. The play is about a young woman who defies her uncle, Creon, to give her brother, Polyneices, a proper burial. Antigone's brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles, die in war, and Polyneices is considered a traitor to Thebes, so Creon, the king refuses to bury him properly. Antigone is determined to give him a proper burial because she believes that even though…

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Antigone Research Paper

justified, the broken law itself must be corrupt or unjust. Antigone, the sister to Eteocles and Polyneices, encounters this situation…

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Antigone Research Paper

insight on the status of women in ancient Greek society. From Euripides’ Medea, modern audiences can see that Greek women were secondary to Greek men in the society widely regarded as the birthplace of democracy. Antigone by Sophocles portrays a different representation of women as Antigone is allowed the chance to be the hero though this is not reflective of Greek society where women were restricted to the domestic sphere. Euripides’ adaptation of the story of Jason and Medea picks up after Jason…

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Antigone Research Paper

Moral Imperative to Family Duty in the Antigone In Sophocles' play "Antigone," we see the protagonist, Antigone, struggle with family duty, which emerges as a strong moral imperative that influences her actions. Throughout the play, Antigone struggles between her commitment to her family and the requests of societal and political authority. This altercation between familial and civic responsibilities is central to the moral landscape of the play. Shaping Antigone's decision-making leads to her clash…

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Antigone And Creon Research Paper

Power “Now if she thus can flout authority, unpunished, I am woman, she the man.” -Creon (484-485) In ancient times, all over the world, women were considered inferior to men. Women in ancient Greece, as well as in other religions, did not have any political rights, official power, and were not educated. Because of this, Antigone’s gender is a problem for Creon since he does not recognize her opinion. “No woman shall be the master while I live.” -Creon (524) Woman held no official…

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Antigone And Creon Research Paper

Rylee Cooper Sarah Stewart English 1302 25 April 2024 Creon’s Fate In Sophocles’s Antigone there are two heroes: Antigone and Creon. Although the play is titled after Antigone, she is merely the sacrifice made to trigger the true devastation. The tragic hero is none other than Creon, who loses everything in an attempt to do what is right. Using Aristotle’s characteristics of a tragic hero, Creon’s legitimacy as the hero is proven through his motives, bravery, humanistic faults, and unwavering morals…

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Antigone Annotated Bibliography

AA Annotated bibliography Topic of Research- Antigone Working Thesis Sentence- Both “Remarks at Michigan State University” and “Day of Affirmation” are ideal speeches that I can use within my analysis to strength my argument. First Source: Clinton, William. “Remarks at Michigan State University”. 5 May 1995, pp.481-484. Antigone Module Opening Page, https://alamo.instructure.com/courses/1112121/ pages/antigone-module-opening-page. Canvas, https://alamo.instructure.com. William J. Clinton’s speech…

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