Betrayal In Antigone And A Raisin In The Sun

Both Sophocles in his play, Antigone, and Hansberry, in her play, A Raisin in the Sun, explore the relationship between money and betrayal. This motif of money shows its effect on one’s character and decisions. Sophocles presents money as an evil and corrupt concept, explaining how it is used for bribery and manipulation, as the main character, Creon, continuously complains about money and bribery, accusing his subjects of being tainted by the sinful ways of money. Hansberry shows that money is an extremely prevalent part of life, as the characters continuously discuss it, since Mama receives a large life insurance check and both her children want the money to shape their future.. Money is also shown being used for evil when multiple characters …show more content…
In Antigone, Creon explains how the actions that are motivated by bribery will not produce the results one may hope for. When Creon tells the sentry that “if [he] fail[s] to stand the man [who buries Polyneices] before [Creon’s] face, [the sentry will] find that dirty money pays in hurt” (Sophocles 354). The declarative syntax shows the reader that all people who accept bribes are doomed in their actions because has no doubt that sentry is bribed and destined to pay recompense. Furthermore, Sophocles employs the diction of “dirty, “pays”, and “hurt” to show money is unclean or impure and corruptive, leading it to not pay in riches and success, but in pain and suffering. Likewise, this idea that the product of tainted money is pain is present in A Raisin in the Sun after Walter spends the money that Mama gives him. Mama asks Walter, “You mean...Your sister’s school money...you used that too....Walter?”, and Walter replies, “Yessss! All of it! It’s all gone…” (Hansberry 129). The ellipses emphasize the surprise and pain Mama is feeling, as she is in disbelief while she slowly processes what is happening. The interrogative syntax shows the confusion; Mama is trying to use the money for good, but her son has been swayed by the evilness in money, as he imperatively asserts the tragic aftermath of his greed. Walter’s greed is further emphasized because he has gone so far as to selfishly impede his sister’s future for his personal

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