Antigone by Sophocles

 Antigone by Sophocles


Impressive, difficult act to follow and one of the best plays you can read, even after 2,000 years   

 

Antigone is an ancient classic.

The production that I listened to about two hours ago is “theatrical „and grand, but I am stating all this in a good way.

There are plays that are played over the top, films that are exaggerated and special effects that make me dizzy, but I prefer to listen to Antigone.

It is difficult to understand the mindset of the people who lived a few thousand years ago and empathize with their acts.

What am I saying? It is nearly impossible to figure out traditions in places and countries of the 21st century.

-          How can you explain the stoning of an infidel woman or the death sentence passed for marrying outside your religion?

Not to mention the beheading of innocent aid volunteers by the loathsome Islamic State fighters…

From this perspective, whatever happens in Antigone may seem decent, even if the tyrant of the day does crazy thing, at least he did not belong to our civilized century like the self- proclaimed caliph, Rolex wearing criminal in charge of the “Islamic murderous State”

There is a curse that follows the family of Oedipus and the genes passed on to succeeding generations spell trouble.

Polynices is dead and his sister – Antigone wants to bury him, respecting the tradition and the will of the Gods, but disrespecting the wish and command of Creon, the ruler of Thebes.

Creon wants the body of Polynices to rot and serve as food for the animals, which by the way is the respected ritual in the Zoroastrian religion- if I am not mistaken.

Polynices fought against Thebes and his brother in a war of succession, following a dispute over the legacy of the blind Oedipus.

-          Polynices was a traitor and must not be honored with a proper funeral

This is the ruling of Creon, who acts as a tyrant and argues with his son, Hamon:

-          You have to listen to the people of Thebes

-          I am the ruler and Thebes is mine, I have to act as leader

-          There is no country without its people

This is not the exact dialogue, but there is an interesting exchange where Creon has point, especially in the context of the autocratic rule of the day (and of a number of monarchies and tyrannies of today’s world).

Hamon proves to have surprisingly democratic views and opposes the condemnation of Antigone, whom he loves and had been bound to marry.

Antigone tries to convince her sister Ismene to help her burry Polynices, but the latter is of the opinion that the rulings of the king must be obeyed, albeit at a later stage she is supporting her sister and is willing to die with her.

This is a classic conflict between passion and rationality, respect for the rule of law versus the need to do the moral thing. The rules, laws and decrees of a tyrant can be and often are maleficent.

Antigone says:

-          I need to respect the will of the Gods and not the whims of a tyrant

Or words to that effect. For all her efforts, she is caught and sentenced to die, because she has confronted the despot and disregarded his desires.

The son tries to persuade Creon to spare the life of the woman he loves, to no avail.

The blind prophet Tyresias makes a terrifying prophecy, but Creon does not heed any advice and sends Antigone to be buried alive.

I will not give the details of a gruesome finale, even if you might be familiar with it, or if not- the very term: Greek Tragedy „conveys some of what is expected, if not all…

 

Impressive, a difficult act to follow and one of the best plays you can read, even after 2,000 years   

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