What is the social context of Antigone?

What is the social context of Antigone?

Antigone takes place in Bronze Age Thebes, sometime during the 1200s B.C. Sophocles uses the legends of the family of Oedipus (Antigone’s father) in order to explore social and political issues of his time. Attending the theater was a civic and religious duty in Sophocles’s time.

What is the historical background to Antigone?

The basic subject material of the Antigone is drawn from Greek mythology. Several ancient epic poems known as the Theban Cycle, now lost, dealt with the family history of the house of Oedipus.

What are the social issues in Antigone?

The major themes/ideas within the production are: civil disobedience (Antigone disobeying the King and the law of Thebes), pride (Creon makes a law that he sees as divine and believes should not be disobeyed by anyone and is later punished for it), Immortal Law vs.

What influenced Sophocles to write Antigone?

During the 5th century there were a lot of political events and wars, that may have influenced Sophocles to write this play during that time. Ancient Athens was going through peace treaties, and a developing democracy which today is recognized.

Who is the audience for Antigone?

But Antigone is not easily cowed by the seemingly arbitrary decrees of men. Classical Athenian tragedy was written and performed by men for a largely male audience.

What is Sophocles message?

I think Sophocles’ message to his audience was that fate is very important and that the gods control what goes on in your life. You will always fulfill your fate but when, depends on your actions you take in life.

What are some important roles Sophocles filled for his community during his life?

In 443 BCE, he served as one of the hellenotamiai, or treasurers of Athena, helping to manage the finances of the city during the political ascendancy of Pericles, and in 413 BCE, he was elected one of the commissioners crafting a response to the catastrophic destruction of the Athenian expeditionary force in Sicily …

What is Sophocles message in Antigone?

The message of Antigone is told by the Choragos to the audience at the end of the play. It means that those that those who lack wisdom cannot ever truly be happy. This wisdom has to come to them in submission to the gods. Big words, also known as hubris, are always punished.

How does Antigone influence modern society?

The ideas Sophocles presents in Antigone have relevance in today’s world, and indicate that modern society is not as advanced as we believe. The problems of gender equality, democratic voice, and religious faith still resonate today. Antigone attempts to show the strength women have in the face of male authority.

What influenced Sophocles writing?

His great Greek epics The Odyssey and The Iliad profoundly influenced Sophocles. An anonymous biographer of the time called him “the pupil of Homer” — suggesting that Sophocles’ great power came to him from the greatest of Greek poets. Sophocles probably also studied under the Greek playwright Aeschylus.

How did the audience experience catharsis in Antigone?

Lesson Summary This process, which Aristotle called catharsis, was said to be the value of the tragic arts. Throughout the play, the people in the audience pity Antigone, as she has lost her brother and is forbidden to bury him. They also pity Antigone and Haemon’s relationship that ends with the deaths of both.

Why is Antigone a modern tragedy?

Antigone’s tragedy is not that she dies in the end; Creon will die as well, as will Haemon and every other character. No character flaw prevents Antigone from escaping tragedy and that is the essence of its modern form.

Why does Antigone accept her fate in ‘Antigone’?

Aware of the kind of fate her family has been allotted, Antigone feels she has nothing to lose. The thought of death at Creon’s hands that so terrifies Ismene does not even faze Antigone, who looks forward to the glory of dying for her brother.

What is the plot summary of ‘ Antigone ‘?

The basic plot of Antigone is that there is a civil war in Thebes between two families who want to rule it. The result is that Creon becomes king. He decrees that no one from the losing side of the war is to be buried.

Why is Antigone loyal to her family in ‘Antigone’?

Antigone wants to live her life by divine law and to live for the Gods. She is loyalty to her family because she wants to let her brother lay to rest peacefully, but she also wants to be loyal to the Gods.

Why Creon is the tragic figure in Antigone essay?

Home Essays Why Creon is the tragic… In the play Antigone, Creon is the tragic figure because he has many character flaws which lead to his downfall and consequential remorse. Creon is the king in this play, and has control over laws and people.