Good afternoon, everyone, I am Waad and today I will speak about Antigone’s Second Stasimon and the

Third Episode (Ode to Love).

Tragedy is excessive; that is what makes it tragic. Tragic excess can lead a human subject across his or her
mortal limits, beyond the possible and into the terrain of the impossible, and this is what happened in
Sophocles’ Antigone.

Speech has remained largely unchanged over time. It is true that all effective speeches and arguments
across all languages and time periods have been effective because the speaker successfully uses the tools to
create an impactful appeal, which we have been aware of for 1000s of years now. In Greek literature,
logical, ethical, and emotional appeals are used. Antigone, Creon, and Haemon as well as Ismene use
logical, ethical, and emotional appeals in order to be persuasive. I am going to discuss these dialogues in
my presentation today.

Let’s very briefly remind you of the scene; so, Ismene arrives at the palace crying. She is asked either to
admit that she played a role in the burier or to swear off that she didn't. Unexpectedly, Ismene here admits
to a role in the burial, even though she is not an accomplice. Antigone, detests her, telling her that it is
unjust to lie. Ismene says that, if Antigone is going to suffer for her crime, then she will too. Raising that
without anyone else in life, she will be alone. Her request was to die with Antigone. Since the sacrifice
stems from a lie, Antigone is very angry about it. Antigone's engagement to Creon's son, Haemon, was also
revealed by Ismene, and she asks how Creon could kill his future daughter-in-law, to which Creon cruelly
replies that there are other women whom his son can marry. In light of this, Creon declares the matter
closed and commands that Antigone and Ismene be taken to the palace. Ismene's false confession shocked
Antigone right away. Her anger is not directed at her because she offered to be punished, but because she
enjoys earning it. It's almost as if Antigone feels that Ismene is stealing her thunder through false pretenses.
Creon remains resolved, even when Ismene brings up the fact that Antigone is his soon-to-be daughter-in-
law, showing for Creon that there's really no grey area of the law.

The Chorus sings during Stasimon Two about divine persons and destiny, and winds that when God
intervenes, catastrophic results can unfold for generations to come. They again use the metaphor of "an
ocean with the swells churning up to the bottom of the sea and causing discord". They are aware of the
tragedy that has befallen Oedipus' family, whose sorrows and tragedies are never-ending. Their fortunes
continue to worsen as the generations pass. The chorus winds that even though mortals may try to appease
the gods, ultimately, they are at God's mercy.

As the chorus does here, the catastrophe that befalls man is compared to natural disasters through divine
justice. Man is powerless against divine intervention. And I quote, " like a storm tide of the salt sea driven
by northern Gales from Thrace—waves that speed over the ocean depths dark as the underworld and churn
up black sand from the seabed and with harsh winds hurl it beating against headlands that groan and roar".
The chorus's words are filled with dark and violent imagery, both in its deception of nature and its
impeccable response to mankind. This adds to Creon's warning about the consequences of trying to steer
the ship of state against the judgments of the gods. The Chorus points out the futility of faith: to be born
into Oedipus' family is to be doomed. In any case, this idea lends insight into Antigone's outlook no matter
what decision is made. She seems to know that it doesn't matter, either way, whether she is punished by
Creon or not, the gods are the ultimate deciders of her fate. The course also suggests Creon now risks
angering the gods by putting his laws above theirs.

Here in the second part, Creon's son, Haemon enters, and the Chorus leaders wonders whether or not he has
heard about the news about Antigone, turn immediately breaks the news to Haemon, and then asked him if
he is angry or whether or not he will be loyal to his father's decision. Haemon’s reaction here is quite
interesting and clever, he tells Creon that he will be loyal to his decision and Creon applauds him for his
choice, he is grateful that Haemon is not one of those useless children. He also encourages Haemon to, and
I quote, "So spit this girl out as an enemy!" (702). Creon further expends on his notion that all must obey
their leaders’ law, making obedience paramount because a lack of leadership is when a city gets destroyed.
Creon also reveals his feelings about the inferiority of women, proclaiming that they must never let some
women beat us down, only men can do such things. The Chorus leader here agrees with him. Haemon
reveals to Creon that the citizen did not fully support him in the punishment of Antigone, and that she is
undeserving because she was doing what she felt was right. Haemon reassures Creon that he supports him,
but he encourages him to consider different viewpoints on the issue. He gets Creon the analogy of a tree
branch learning how to bend in the wind, so as not to snap off and break. Creon earlier shed a state
metaphor when he reminds him of how ''sailors must keep their sails, stretch tight. Never is in golf, making
their ship capsize''. He uses these analogies to advise Creon to end his anger at Antigone, since being a
good leader calls for flexibility, the Chorus leader interjects to say that Haemon has just made an excellent
point at Creon.

Creon goes irritated asking Haemon sarcastically if he should just allow the city to woo him. Haemon
points out, I quote, "a city which belongs to just one man is no true city". Creon becomes very angry and
accuses Haemon as siding with Antigone, the enemy, but Haemon coaches as concerned for Creon,
Haemon believes that Creon is being unjust, and he will be punished by the gods. Creon's commands his
attendance to bring Antigone so he can have her killed in front of Haemon, in respond Haemon
immediately disowned him, saying that he will never see his father again. He leaves running back to the
palace.

The Chorus leader asks Creon, how he would kill Antigone and can reveal that he will leave her live in a
cave in the middle of nowhere to die. Here in this part Haemon serves as a counterpoint to Creon, who
shows little sympathy to his son. Haemon has done all he can to convince Creon that he doesn't have to
follow through with his plan with Antigone, and he presents his case in a rational and a very respectful
way. Haemon is even careful to make his arguments based on the reaction of the citizens rather than his
feelings about Antigone, that is he seems aware of his father's and sodomy towards women, as well as his
disdain for decisions made out of love.

Haemon apparently understands his father's logic in a way that enables him to argue and language and
terms that will maybe resonate with Creon. And he even uses the same metaphor of commanding a ship
that Creon uses earlier in the play. Only this time to question Creon 's capabilities as a captain of that ship a
state. Creon ultimately defends his decision despite the fact that Haemon essentially disowns him, revealing
the ways in which Creon is very, very blinded by his arrogance belief that he is always right. Haemon
makes a great point to Creon which he tells him that the people are not behind him in this issue, and that he
risks eliminating them further if he carries this out.

But the irony is lost on Creon by trying to make his citizens see him as a strong leader. He is actually being
seen as a tyrant here. He can't consider for even a second that he might be making their own decision, and
only worries that reversing his stance will bring chaos to the city and threaten his newly found jewel. He
says ''there is no greater evil than a lack of leadership''. Unable to see how his own unjust punishment of
Antigone will bring about even more even. And this part Creon also reveals his disdain not only for
Antigone, but for women in general, when he demands to, and I quote, ''never let some women beat us
down''. Even though Creon may reflect prevailing attitudes about women from his era and suffer keys
hence throughout the play as the possibility that Antigone is the true hero here, and that light he seems to be
criticizing Creon's attitude towards women. Haemon points out to Creon that a leader who rules based only
on his beliefs is actually not a leader of people, only a leader of himself and one who also risks angering the
gods by creating unjust laws and Creon revelation of how he would kill Antigone also reveals him to be
cooler than previously thought. sense to die alone slow death is a horrible way to torture someone, at the
same time by killing Antigone outside of the city limits Creon will avoid any observation from his citizens.
The last act which is the most important one after the death of Antigone, Love functions as both the
cause for conflict among the characters of Antigone and a force felt, yet misunderstood, by all.
Antigone is the embodiment of love in the play, and her actions throughout the play, despite her
seemingly childlike demeanor, reveal a godlike wisdom in regard to love and righteousness.