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Writing a thesis is a challenging endeavor, especially when tackling complex subjects such as the

analysis of classical literature like Sophocles' "Antigone." This play, a cornerstone of Greek tragedy,
offers profound themes of law, morality, and the dynamics of power and family. Crafting a thesis
statement on "Antigone" requires a deep understanding of the text, the ability to analyze and interpret
its themes, characters, and plot, and the skill to convey these insights in a clear, compelling manner.

The process involves extensive research, critical thinking, and the development of an argument that
not only reflects a thorough understanding of "Antigone" but also contributes to the broader
discourse on literature and society. Students must navigate the complex interplay between Antigone's
defiance against Creon's edicts and the philosophical questions this raises about justice, duty, and the
individual's place within the state and family. Moreover, they must articulate their thesis in a well-
structured, well-argued, and meticulously edited document that meets the academic standards of
their institution.

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Antigone takes full control of the situations she is involved in; she rises to certain extremes with the
knowledge that her actions will determine her fate and that they do not hold up to the societal norms.
Therefore, this shows that she holds no hesitation when it comes to Creon’s immoral ways, even if
she knows that her punishment from him could possibly worsen. An example of her nobility was
when she first told her sister, Ismene, of what she was going to do. The Antigone of Sophocles has
never found its way into the Brecht canon. One could say that Antigone is selfish in her pursuits of
doing so, for although Polynices was Antigone's brother, he was planning to loot and destroy Thebes
if he was victorious in overtaking it. Antigone struggles throughout the play to follow her beliefs as
to what is right and what she is responsible to do due to the decree set forth by the king. Antigone
never stops to think about how others view her when it comes to morality because she sets standards
for herself. Antigone's activities were traitorous against her homeland, Thebes in that she acted for
herself instead of for the good of the country. It is clear to the audience that Thebes has just won a
battle. However, I believe he got what he deserved in the end. Antigone could have easily prayed for
Polynices at her lonesome, and many catastrophes would have been averted. The determination of
the characters was also portrayed in Antigone, Creon and Ismene. In conclusion, the trilogy
“Antigone” through its characterization presented major themes namely: pride and determination,
divine law vs. If this came to be who would give her the proper burial being that she has no children
and is not married. Antigone demonstrates her philosophies of what is right and also the
responsibility she feels both towards the gods and towards her family. The chorus is introduced to the
audience near the beginning of the play. Antigone and Creon represent various opposing forces such
as man’s laws vs. In the case of antigone, there is no side kick hero, but only the antagonistic hero.
The lack of mention of his name could be a reminder to suggest that the tragic events in the play do
not occur as a result of divine intervention, but rather a result of human mistakes. This could bring
about the possibility that she might never get the chance to be reunited with her brother in during an
afterlife in Hades. The play Antigone serves as a guide for a solution to the eternal questions of the
individual versus the community or, God’s rule versus man’s rule through the foreboding of
Sophocles, the forewarning of Tiresias, and the various events where mercy and forgiveness were
asked for. By putting emphasis on these values, Sophocles demonstrated them as crucial ones for a
community to have. This speech proves an essential role to the play as it emphasizes Creon’s major
flaws of ignorance and selfishness, while highlighting many themes like the abuse of power and law,
which ultimately leads to his wretched punishment. Here, Antigone foreshadows her own death in a
conversation with her sister, Ismene. Moreover, at PapersOwl, there are additional free essay samples
connected to Analysis. If you want a unique paper, order it from our professional writers. Creon is
the absolute tyrant and the antagonist in the play. Directions: Using the outline attached, your notes,
and a copy of the play, prepare an argument. We use cookies to create the best experience for you. It
would send a message that Thebes is a country that honors its traitors. He starts his speech with an
imperative verb followed by a colon, “Imagine it:” to command his audience to think likewise.
A rhetorician pursues witnesses, contracts, and the like in his pursuit of presenting an argument. Due
to this power, Antigone should listen to his decrees; however, because these rival her own values, this
creates conflict. However, after completely dissecting the play in class, everything was put into
perspective for me. Can you help me out on a thesis statement?(Antigone by Sophocles. She had
always spoken as if no larger unit than the family had existed. This could put the country in jeopardy
of another attack. She also showed that she was not afraid of the choices she made for herself. (Line
500) Aristotle’s fourth tragic hero listing is that the character “should have a tragic flaw or hamartia.
A close analysis of the play reveals, however, that in fact, ANTIGONE is a coward, because she
cannot face up to the contradictions in her own position, and she simply gives up rather than fighting
for what she believes in. This almost an acceptance of defeat to Creon showing she was not willing
to go forth with her punishment. Antigone demonstrated the level to which Sophocles valued family
and putting family first, the word of the gods and the respect that one must pay, and the knowledge
of the difference between right and wrong and taking the right path. The Greek setting is based upon
royal familial ties and the need for both legitimacy in Creon's authority and a conflict in which
ANTIGONE must defy his decision. In this paper, I will give examples of Antigone’s different
individual responsibilities and her philosophies and explain how they conflict with the commitment
that she is to have to her community and indirectly, her king. The sensitivity and specificity of this
analytical technique help to detect the presence of an antibody or an antigen in a sample with the
help of the marker. We use cookies to create the best experience for you. He therefore portrays
himself as a firm and strong administrator and makes the Thebans fear him so that they see him as
the ultimate authoritative figure in Thebes. The city would have had its sense of pride back after
fending off the traitor Polynices' army. Creon decides to let Antigone go, but it is too late when he
finds her. This is 100% legal. You may not submit downloaded papers as your own, that is cheating.
Also you. Bad Example: When Antigone states, “The blasphemy of my birth has followed me,” she
means that because of Oedipus’s curse, she will meet her death (Sophocles 4.44). Better Example:
When Antigone states, “The blasphemy of my birth has followed me,” she acknowledges that her fate
has been uncontrollably altered by the curse of her father (Sophocles 4.44). Through this quote, she
claims that the fate of her father’s curse has caused her downfall. Because of Antigone's family pride
for a family, which has more than its share of trouble and hardships, more of her family suffers. An
analysis of whether he is closer to a traditional Aristotelian hero. When Ismene tries to also accept
the blame for the crime Antigone will not let her. Antigone, however reflecting the stubbornness of
her father Oedipus fails to see the flaws in her thinking. Another theme depicted is the two types of
law and justice which are the divine laws and the laws of men. His mother kills herself in light of the
news of her dead son. Instead the hardships which have plagued Thebes for years continued on. For
an optimal experience, please switch to the latest version of Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Apple
Safari or Mozilla Firefox. Another allusion is made when Antigone is sent to captivity in a cave.
Sophocles tragedy antigone is among the three legendary Theban plays and was written prior to 441
BC. At one time I have joined a picket even though it was not officially sanctioned in order to join
the protest of a group of people.
This is evidenced by the Eurydices passive role as wife of the king, and Antigones own inability to
save herself from being buried alive (Sophocles). 5. On Antigone- Older or Younger Sister. He makes
this law out of what he believes to be is logic, but by doing so he creates conflict between himself
and the other characters. Facing the King Creon, she continued to be defiant, reasoning with the
kind and questioning the morality of the king’s edicts, and this stubbornness is a main cause of her
downfall. Antigone showed her value of family, the word of the gods, and doing what is right by
going against the King’s decree. She clearly disobeys King Creon's order that no person should bury
Antigone's brother, Polynices, which is punishable by penalty of death. Aristotle’s fifth tragic hero
listing is that the character “should be someone with whom we can empathize. ” Antigone had this
down packed with the audience. Theme 5: There is a personal responsibility for suffering, but from
suffering comes. He was still the king of Thebes but had lost his near and dear ones only because the
rules of man, his self-developed rules about monarchy prevailing and anarchy being kept at bay, was
the cause of misfortune. She does not accept her full punishment of being forced to live in the tomb,
but takes the easy way out and kills herself. Better Example: When Creon states, “Polyneices I say is
to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him;” he creates an unjust civil
law that ultimately leads to his demise (Sophocles ). Once again it can be said that she shows
weakness in then end when she decides to hang herself. Both Antigone and Danae were summoned
to captivity. The piece will examine key characters like Antigone, Creon, and Ismene, and how their
actions and beliefs drive the plot. If someone were to go against go against the laws and ideals put
forth by Creon it would only cause dissension. In this play, the tussle or indecision Creon causes him
the loss of his wife, son, and daughter-in-law. The play concludes with Antigone taking her own life,
and Haemon, Antigone’s fiance and Creon’s son, taking his own life. When Antigone had gotten
caught by the guards while burying her brother, she was taken to Creon to announce what she had
done. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Ismene is shown to be in great contrast to Antigone, who is
her sister. Theme 3: Pride and stubbornness give rise to tyranny and are character flaws that cause.
He portrays Creon as a commanding, sexist, selfish, delusional, and stubborn ruler who frequently
abuses his power to get people to think as he does. If you want a unique paper, order it from our
professional writers. He starts his speech with an imperative verb followed by a colon, “Imagine it:”
to command his audience to think likewise. Despite antigone 's early efforts, her inability to resolve
the burial issue peacefully results in her downfall. Theme 4: In a conflict between the God’s law and
man-made laws, the divine laws take. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to
manage cookies. By placing these ideals that he valued in literature, he shared these values with his
audience members. Creon is left with nothing, due to his harsh punishment towards Antigone.
Antigone never stops to think about how others view her when it comes to morality because she sets
standards for herself. Because of Antigone's family pride for a family, which has more than its share
of trouble and hardships, more of her family suffers.
Haemon who is her cousin and soon to be husband opposes his father Creon, who is Antigone's
uncle, in his decision to have Antigone put to death. According to Tiresias’ reasoning, there are
certain acts that should not be done because they are against the meaning and nature of God’s
creation. She could be very well ruining her own afterlife in trying to save her brother's. Antigone
bases her actions on what fits her morals, showing that she intends to only do good with her actions
and knows her limits. The tragedy contains a plot, a tragic hero, theme, diction, a chorus, and
spectacles. She blaims the fact that she is a woman for her inability to stand up for what she believes
is right. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. The play '
antigone ' is often compared with the myth about Oedipus. He expresses his strong belief in the
misogynist rule by using many literary devices as well as tautology. Antigone also contains a
memorable lesson readers should take away from the play. When Ismene tries to also accept the
blame for the crime Antigone will not let her. Antigone’s character is described as a civil
disobedience, and the tragic hero of the play. Once again it can be said that she shows weakness in
then end when she decides to hang herself. Antigone’s character is also a symbol of the feminine
revolt. Sophocles used these six characteristics when creating Antigone. Homer's Iliad and Odyssey
do not explicitly detail the characteristic of excellence or a hero, but the behavior of the heroic
characters can be analyzed to derive these attributes. His hubris or pride is also a flaw in his
character. Creon’s hasty willingness to kill his own niece also highlights his own selfishness. Presence
and Limitations of Gender Bias: In Sophocles’ play, Antigone, both men and women express gender
biases, which ultimately impacts the events in the play and limits the actions of the characters.
Antigone navigates fairly quickly through this conflict to reach her decision to follow her own
values. On Antigone- Older or Younger Sister? 4Works Cited 51. He not only wants to attain the
city’s order, but also needs to gain pride and confidence in himself as king. Free Will: Fate ?
Someone’s end or death Fate is the development of events out of someone’s control. Antigone takes
full control of the situations she is involved in; she rises to certain extremes with the knowledge that
her actions will determine her fate and that they do not hold up to the societal norms. Therefore, this
shows that she holds no hesitation when it comes to Creon’s immoral ways, even if she knows that
her punishment from him could possibly worsen. He was considered a fierce leader but during that
time it was what Thebes really needed because the state just came from a state of anarchy. Let our
professional and talented writers do all the work for you. This act of defiance showed the true
influence that these values hold. Antigone on the other hand, acknowledges that although Polynices
had shown signs of treason, he should have been forgiven by the city and honored with a proper
burial. In this play, the tussle or indecision Creon causes him the loss of his wife, son, and daughter-
in-law.
However, antigone feels that Creon, despite being the king, has no right of preventing her from
burying her brother. It is clear to the audience that Thebes has just won a battle. Your essay should
make claims and analyze them, so you should not be posing questions in topic sentences. In
Antigone, foreshadowing is shown right off the bat. He becomes so infatuated with preserving his
own interpretation of the law (misogynist rule), that he purposely ignores the other option of
embarking on a more progressive decision, which could clearly benefit Thebes in terms of making it
less conservative. Sophocles used these six characteristics when creating Antigone. At first, I
honestly was not interested in the play because I had a difficult time comprehending what was
happening. Antigone tells her sister, Ismene, that she will defy Creon’s ruling even though she knows
the consequences, which is death. Scholars can use them for free to gain inspiration and new creative
ideas for their writing assignments. Antigone showed her value of family, the word of the gods, and
doing what is right by going against the King’s decree. He makes this law out of what he believes to
be is logic, but by doing so he creates conflict between himself and the other characters. Every time
that a greater good was sacrificed for a man’s stubborn decision, Sophocles was heard lamenting the
grave decision. In this drama however, although Creon is considered the antagonist, he cannot be
considered a villain. Creon’s speech foreshadows the future conflict with Antigone. Through Tiresias
we also find that the Ancient Greeks had a superstition against burying people alive. Her character
exemplifies one of fierce devotion to her family and loyalty to the gods. While Antigone is motivated
by her loyalty to family and the gods, Creon is motivated by the laws of the state. An allusion is
made to the goddess Nemesis, the goddess of punishment and resentment. Keep on browsing if you
are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies. The Greek setting is based upon royal familial
ties and the need for both legitimacy in Creon's authority and a conflict in which ANTIGONE must
defy his decision. The lack of mention of his name could be a reminder to suggest that the tragic
events in the play do not occur as a result of divine intervention, but rather a result of human
mistakes. Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert. The whole city
empathized with Antigone and felt that “No woman ever deserved death less, and such a brutal
death for such a glorious action. Polyneices is considered a traitor by Creon, the new king and
Antigone’s uncle. She has her mind set so much on burying her brother that she will stop at nothing,
not even threatening her opposing sister to do it. Antigone navigates fairly quickly through this
conflict to reach her decision to follow her own values. She buries her brother, Polyneices thereby
disobeying Creon’s order. What is a good thesis statement for an essay about the play Antigone.
Sophocles showed that these values were most valuable to him by writing of Antigone’s decision to
see these values as more important than the word of the King. The issue of mortality is another theme
in this trilogy, as shown in the suicides of Antigone, Haemon and Eurydice.
As a result, Creon condemns antigone to a painful punishment, commanding them to immure her in
one of the caves. Antigone bases her actions on what fits her morals, showing that she intends to only
do good with her actions and knows her limits. Further evidencing this idea, Polynices also killed
Antigone's other brother Eteocles who was faithful to Thebes until his death defending it. Because of
Antigone's family pride for a family, which has more than its share of trouble and hardships, more of
her family suffers. Antigone receives sympathy because she chooses to stand alone. Antigone never
stops to think about how others view her when it comes to morality because she sets standards for
herself. Sophocles showed that these values were most valuable to him by writing of Antigone’s
decision to see these values as more important than the word of the King. An allusion is made to the
goddess Nemesis, the goddess of punishment and resentment. A rhetorician pursues witnesses,
contracts, and the like in his pursuit of presenting an argument. Through this statement, Antigone
gives reason to her actions by explaining that she would only have taken such action for her family,
as Polyneikes and Eleokles were the only brothers that she would ever have. Upload Read for free
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Scribd. Moreover, at PapersOwl, there are additional free essay samples connected to Analysis. In
Greek Tragedy, the tragic hero is the character who has heroic traits, but often has flaws or make
mistakes that lead to their own downfall. Scholars can use them for free to gain inspiration and new
creative ideas for their writing assignments. It would also be a massive betrayal to his principles.
However, through antigone, the leading lady, Ismene, and Eurydice, Sophocles comprehensively
depicts the status of women in ancient Greek society and the awkward division of gender roles.
Even during a time of mourning, people still try to their best to please their god and do what is the
most appropriate for their family. When Antigone did go against the law this exactly what happened.
Chao. Antigone placed emphasis on the values of family, the way of the gods, and the difference
between right and wrong, all of which are values that Sophocles attempted to influence his audience
to adopt. Antigone, however reflecting the stubbornness of her father Oedipus fails to see the flaws
in her thinking. This is 100% legal. You may not submit downloaded papers as your own, that is
cheating. Also you. Creon is the absolute tyrant and the antagonist in the play. Antigone struggles
throughout the play to follow her beliefs as to what is right and what she is responsible to do due to
the decree set forth by the king. Ismene is also faced with a hard decision to make when confronted
by antigone to lend a hand in burying their brother Polyneices. She, with her own dear brother lying
in his blood she couldn’t bear to leave him dead, unburied, food for the wild dogs or wheeling
vultures. One of the more noticeable characteristics is the chorus. It is important for the audience to
acknowledge Creon’s values and characters in order to further appreciate and understand the morals
of the play. Antigone’s character is also a symbol of the feminine revolt. Creon’s hasty willingness to
kill his own niece also highlights his own selfishness. Though it was understandable why she made
that choice, it probably would have spared her from going through all this trouble if she would have
just asked Creon for a proper burial.
Creon’s speech foreshadows the future conflict with Antigone. In the play, Antigone is pure in the
eyes of others. The piece will examine key characters like Antigone, Creon, and Ismene, and how
their actions and beliefs drive the plot. The development of female heroism is depicted in the play by
the actions of antigone. Women in Japanese society have a tradition of being submissive, thus the
nature of ANTIGONE would have the same meaning if translated into a modern context. When
Antigone did go against the law this exactly what happened. Chao. This is an example of an
individual responsibility that Antigone felt towards the gods. Again, the thesis statement is about
how determined Antigone is to bury his brother because she values her family and the divine laws
even if it means giving up her life. Antigone’s actions against Creon and society prove that she
always strives to do what is right and is aware of the consequences of her actions. Sertoli and Leydig
cells are tubular cells which do not express CTA. We use cookies to create the best experience for
you. The gods believe that no man can ever create laws equal to or above divine right. I became
aware of Creon’s unbelievable pride in Thebes over his family. Creon decides to let Antigone go, but
it is too late when he finds her. Moreover, the harsher decision of sentencing Antigone to death
because she vehemently protested the dishonorable events that Polynices was made to undergo in not
allowing a proper burial, was another nail in the coffin for Creon. Her character exemplifies one of
fierce devotion to her family and loyalty to the gods. Facing the King Creon, she continued to be
defiant, reasoning with the kind and questioning the morality of the king’s edicts, and this
stubbornness is a main cause of her downfall. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m doing here but I
gave it my best shot. Homer's heroic characters depict these characteristics by confronting challenges
through out the poems (Blackmore, pp. Much conflict arises between these two dedications. He does
not believe that Polyneices should be buried, so he enforces a law to forbid it. This speech leads to
Haemon’s distrust in his uncle’s wisdom and ultimately the death of himself and Creon’s wife,
Eurydice. Antigone tells her sister, Ismene, that she will defy Creon’s ruling even though she knows
the consequences, which is death. His hamartia or tragic error is his stubborn allegiance to the laws
of man. Antigone dares to speak against Creon, the man who holds all the power, proving that she
will stand up against people who are acting unjust. Each paragraph in the body of the essay should
contain. He makes this law out of what he believes to be is logic, but by doing so he creates conflict
between himself and the other characters. First she tried to convince her sister Ismene to help her.
Another allusion is made when Antigone is sent to captivity in a cave. Antigone is willing to make
the ultimate sacrifice, death, to do what she considers an honorable act towards her brother.

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