The characters in “Antigone” seem to symbolize the themes in
the story. Antigone and Creon represent the conflicting forces that are most
prevalent: male vs. female, family duty vs. civic duty, and the law of man vs.
that of the gods. Teiresias represents the will of the gods. The blind prophet
makes sure to emphasize “the razor-edge of fate” (1100). Creon and Antigone
both seem to believe in free will but it is clear that the gods will hold
everyone to their destiny. Creon claims Teiresias’ “prophecies [to be] a lie”
(1169) but he was the voice of reason even back during the Oedipus tragedy.
Both Jocasta and Oedipus were skeptical of Teiresia’s predictions but in the
end they always proved to be accurate. The conflict between Creon and the
prophet mirrors that of Antigone and the king.
It always comes back to man disobeying the will of the gods. Antigone
has always proved her loyalty to the gods but it is Creon’s lapse of judgment
that dooms all of Thebes. Ismene symbolizes innocence, she seems to be concerned
with her sister’s well being but lacks the boldness that defines Antigone.
Ismene makes the attempt to risk her life for Antigone out of love for her
family and seems to have the most pure intentions while still managing to steer
clear of controversy. As usual, the gods will not spare anyone in making their decisions.
The god’s disdain towards those who question their authority makes for a tragic
ending every time. The god’s wrath is so predictable it is almost ironic that humanity
is marked by its unwillingness to learn from the past. The ending of the story
brings back images of Romeo and Juliet’s death, with both lovers committing
suicide in the end.
It is amazing how other stories reflect some of the themes of Antigone. Not only does it reflect history of royalty, ancient civilizations, etc. but it also serves as inspiration for future writers. The parallels to history allows us to predict the outcome of the story. Also the similarities between stories like Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet help us understand the stories better.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing how other stories reflect some of the themes of Antigone. Not only does it reflect history of royalty, ancient civilizations, etc. but it also serves as inspiration for future writers. The parallels to history allows us to predict the outcome of the story. Also the similarities between stories like Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet help us understand the stories better.
ReplyDeleteThe symbolism that lasts the entire story emphasizes each character's role on a larger scale. Antigone represents the family duty and religiously abiding embodiment as Creon represents the civic duty and law abiding. As you mention, the irony of the closing of the play is unreal, through the clear predictions and past events, it should be known what happens to those who disobey the gods.
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