...STUDIES IN DRAMA QUESTION: ATTEMPT A DRAMATIC ANALYSIS OF THE PLAY ANTIGONE BY JEAN ANOUILH Dramatic analysis is the process of identifying the elements of the structure of a dramatic work such as a play, or film. There are six elements used when analyzing a drama which includes: exposition, inciting incidence, rising action, climax, falling action and the resolution. The exposition provides the background information needed to properly understand the story, such as the problem in the beginning of the story. It introduces the characters and the basic conflict in a play. Inciting incidence is an incidence which comes after the introduction of the characters and the basic conflicts. The rising action is when the basic internal conflict is complicated being the introduction of related secondary conflicts including various obstacles that frustrate the protagonist attempt to reach his goal. Climax, also referred to as turning point marks a change for the better or the worse in the protagonist affairs. Falling action therefore, is a moment of reversal after the climax. The conflict between the protagonists unravels with the protagonist winning or losing against the antagonist. Denouement, resolution or catastrophe comprises the event between the falling action and the actual ending scene of the drama. It serves as a conclusion of the story where the conflicts are resolved. Jean Anouilh’s Antigone is an adaptation of Sophocles’ tragic play of the same title. Written in...
Words: 1408 - Pages: 6
...In Antigone, by Sophocles, two sisters, Ismene and Antigone, have two different views on what it means to be human. Ismene understand “being human” or “life” in a biological sense. She believes in continuing, by being a female, in continuing the family bloodline. Antigone however, understands “being human” in a sense of family honor and reputation. Both are important, but neither is right nor wrong. Creon, the ruler, has his own views on how to rule the city. He believes that he is in charge and everyone is to do as said with no questions. Ismene’s view of life is biologically impacted. Although she loves her brother, Polyneices, it is against the law to bury him according to Creon. Creon having set law that anyone to touch the corpse to be stoned to death publically causes Ismene’s view of life to become a problem. With her and Antigone being the last two members alive within the family, they must stay alive to continue the family bloodline. Now there are only the two of us, left behind, And see how miserable our end shall be If in the teeth of law we shall transgress Against the sovereign’s decree and power. You ought to realize we are only women, Not meant in nature to fight against men. (Antigone. 57-62) Within this quote we realize not only is Ismene aware they are the only two left to fulfill the families obligation biologically to keep the bloodline alive, but we also see that she understands they both will be killed if going against...
Words: 764 - Pages: 4
...possess is their desire for power. Whether it’s power by wealth, power in a position at work, or even power in a relationship, humans strive to always be on top. Everyone wants it in one form or another, and they will sometimes resort to drastic measures to get it. In Antigone, power both corrupts and blinds some of the characters. The clearest example of power is by far King Creon of Thebes, who is arrogant, insensitive, and just plain cruel to the individuals around him. Another example of power, which is more of a struggle for power, is Antigone, the main character in the play. She is a young girl who rises up alone against the state power. In Sophocles great tragedy, Antigone, power is an eminent theme that fatally affects the lives of both Antigone and Creon, each with their own struggle to defy power. During the course of the play, Creon becomes so engulfed in his own power that he begins to rule with an iron fist. The central concern of the play is Antigone’s fateful struggle against Creon’s cruel edict. Creon holds absolute power in themes, which he abuses throughout the play. Creon made a decree that prohibited anyone from burying Polyneices’ body, and he was proud of it. When the decree was broken by Antigone, Creon felt a threat to his power, and therefore sentenced her to death. Creon’s son, Haimon, tried to persuade his father to take away Antigone’s death sentence, but Creon refused without saying why. Haimon replied to him with "It is not reason never to yield to...
Words: 803 - Pages: 4
...never have to live without you.” This quote portrays how important living life with your loved ones is, even if that means you must die before them just so you wont have to ever imagine life without them. In the play Antigone, it is often debated who has a worse fate, Creon or Antigone. Both of their stories end tragically, with Antigone dying and with every member of Creons family dying. Even though both Antignoe and Creon’s stories had tragic ending, Creons ending was more tragic due to the fact that he forever must live with the guilt of his actions. When Creon doesn’t listen to his all-knowing prophet Tiresias, it is already know that his own fate is not going to be good. Creon had always taken the advice of this prophet however, when the prophet tells Creon that he should not kill Antigone, he doesn’t listen. Creon states, “Since these hairs of mine grew white from the black they once were, he has never spoken a word of a lie to our city. I know, I know. My mind is all bewildered. To yield is terrible. But by my opposition to destroy my very being with a self-destructive curse must also be reckoned in what is terrible” (Sophocles 1390-1393). Even though Creon is aware that Tiresias has been right about everything before, he still choses to kill Antigone. Because he makes this clear mistake in not taking the advice of Tiresias, it is apparent that he is going to have the worst fate. If only he had followed the advice of Tiresias, he would have been able to keep his...
Words: 789 - Pages: 4
...You can see in Antigone that the role of a human is very important, in this case it means so much that she is willing to risk her life to honor what the Gods would want of her in fulfilling her role in the burial of her brother. Some major themes that are evident throughout the play is the law of the Gods and man-made law, the abuse of power, and furthermore even though the play is titled Antigone, who’s story is it really? The problem arises when both of Antigone’s brothers Eteocles and Polynices kill each other battling for the throne of Thebes. Creon who is Antigones uncle inherits power and the throne of Thebes, and declares proper burial for Eteocles, but demands that Polynices remains unburied who he thought was a traitor for fighting against Thebes. Since back in ancient Greece it was the womens’ role to give a proper burial so that there is a respect paid to the dead, Creon is pretty much making it impossible for Antigone to fulfil her role. Antigone neglects to listen to the rules of Creon and buries her brother, and is eventually captured by Creon’s guards. Antigone demonstrates no remorse when facing Creon over her crime “Because it wasn’t Zeus who pronounced these things to me, nor did Justice, companion of the gods below, establish saw laws for humanity” (Sophocles 29) although she knows that she’s most likely facing death for being caught disobeying the rules of the leader she feels that she has made the right decision by honoring the Gods because she will...
Words: 930 - Pages: 4
...“Who knows? In the world below perhaps such actions are no crime,” (lines 795-96) Antigone retorts when Creon labels her brother as ‘evil’ for fighting against Thebes. Throughout the play, good and evil-right and wrong, influence many of the character’s words and actions. Likewise, as the plot progresses, Creon is educated on a sense of justice not known by many kings; righteous justice. And through his interactions with Antigone, the king is informed of the sense of justice he had overlooked for so long. But by the time he realizes the fatal flaw, his entire life had already spiraled out of control. Antigone’s sense of justice lied with that of the gods; whereas, Creon’s lied with the laws he had set forth and the belief that anything that stood against his laws was evil. “Zeus did not announce those laws to me. And justice living with the gods below sent no such laws for men.” (lines 509-10) Antigone states to Creon in an effort to show that his laws were feeble in comparison to that of the gods. However,...
Words: 691 - Pages: 3
...Who ever thought that Creon, a fearsome king and leader, would yearn to see death come quickly to his side. Antigone, by Sophocles, takes place in the City of Thebes, ruled by King Creon after he came to the throne. After King Creon declared a decree stating that Eteocles would have burial rights while Polyneices would rot, unburied. Antigone was angered and buried her brother, Polyneices. Creon punished her by sending her locked away to a vault. That causes a series of events to unfold. Following the suicide of Haimon, Creon’s son, Queen Eurydice and Antigone, Creon’s niece, both fall victims of death. King Creon is considered a tragic hero, the main character in a tragedy who suffers a downfall caused by his/her tragic flaws, because he made...
Words: 905 - Pages: 4
...What goes up, must come down. This can often apply to characters in literature. In the tragedy Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon, a hard headed, recently crowned king loses everything he holds dear. Creon’s stubborn pride leads him to make a series of regrettable decisions that have catastrophic consequences for his people, his family, and himself. His blindness to his rank and status as king suggests that he let his morals get the best of him, from what was actually morally right. Initially, by the laws of God, Creon enforces a law that forbids his nephew Polyneices to be buried, for he thinks of him as a traitor. Though he is newly crowned, Creon’s first Law is pretty strict. Anyone who argues against him is sentenced to death. You can clearly see his strict order of law, and law enforcement. Creon doesn’t take no for an answer. Once he is told someone disobeyed his law, he begins to rage in anger, and even threatens the sentry who told him the news, that he would kill him, making others fearful of him. Creon's wife, along with other people such as his son Haemon, disagree with his decision to sentence Antigone, Polyneices sister, to death when he finds out it was her who broke his law, and buried her brother out of respect for the family. He refuses to listen to the others. They believe what he...
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
...In this case this quote can relate to Antigone. It relates to her life because she strongly believes that her bond towards her brother is stronger than any law. She has the necessity to honor her brother and give him a dignified funeral. Now, did Antigone deserve her fate or no? She didn’t deserve her fate. Antigone didn’t deserve her fate because she was just standing up for her moral beliefs and she was trying to defend and honor her brother. Antigone has moral beliefs that she stand for and followed, one of them was defending her brother’s honor and not let him rot to death without burying him. Creon wanted to leave Polynices out in nowhere to rot but Antigone didn’t want that, she believed that no matter what her brother did he deserved an honorable funeral. For Antigone it was necessary to...
Words: 443 - Pages: 2
...theme throughout the story of Antigone which can be seen in interactions between Creon and Antigone as well as Antigone and Ismene. Each reacts to Antigone’s death sentence following her illegal burial of her brother and he or she shares his or her respective view regarding her punishment. Each individual has his or her own unique beliefs about how justice is be served regarding this particular situation. Thus the theme of justice prevails in the interactions between the selected characters. Antigone is strong-willed in the sense she will go to great lengths in order to bring justice to the ones that have a special place in her heart. She states her fearless opinion when she is talking to her sister, Ismene, about...
Words: 709 - Pages: 3
...rules don’t apply to them. A great example of determining right vs. wrong would be in the play, “Antigone,”...
Words: 2227 - Pages: 9
...Antigone is a play about a woman named Antigone. She is part of the royal family in Thebes and her brothers died fighting each other over the crown. Creon, Antigone’s father in law, has said that her brother, Polyneices, is a traitor to the city and will not be buried and anywho break this law will die. Antigone breaks the law anyway and is locked away to die. Haimon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiance, tries to change his father’s mind, but it didn’t work. When Creon did realize that he was wrong it was too late. Antigone had already hung herself and Haimon stab himself after he found her. Creon’s wife, Eurydice, killed herself after she found out about her son. I think Haimon influenced the play the most with his use of rhetorical devices....
Words: 454 - Pages: 2
...In the play Antigone written by Sophocles, Creon is the tragic hero. Creon was a king. His tragic flaw was that he has too much pride and this causes a downfall for him. Creon will not listen to anyone. He is very stubborn and he doesn’t notice that he might be doing the wrong thing. Creon said, “Let him do, or dream to do, more than a man can. He shall not save these girls from death” (i.628-629). Creon said this because he is making sure no one will help the girls because they did a bad thing in Creon’s eyes. Creon had a free choice. His free choice was to either listen or ignore the Sentry. The Sentry came to Creon to tell him that Polyneices was getting buried by his sister Antigone. Creon didn’t believe it. He said harshly, “You’re figure of speech may entertain you now; but unless you bring me the man, you will get very little profit from them in the end” (i.271-273)....
Words: 405 - Pages: 2
...main trait being expressed. In Sophocles’s play Antigone Creon produces the law stating no one is allowed to bury the body of the fallen soldier, Polyneices because of his traitory towards the state. Directly defying that law, Antigone portrays civil disobedience by burying the body and performing rites. Antigone’s unpeaceful approach to what she thinks is an unjust law is what renders the civil disobedience ineffective. The stubborn tone in Antigone’s voice and unwillingness...
Words: 753 - Pages: 4
...In the play Antigone by Sophocles, the character Antigone is a tragic hero because she risk her life just to buried her brother polynices, Antigone is also courageous because she will do whatever it take to buried her brother,she is also loving because she is willing to disobey King Creon so she could buried her brother. tigone Sophocles Antigone is a tragic hero because she want to buried her brother, Antigone ask Ismene that if she want to help buried her brother polynices, but Ismene refuses to go with her because she did not want to broke King Creon law, she obey King Creon. Antigone is also courageous because she is willing to risk her life just so that her brother get proper burial she does not fear anyone, even if it mean executed by King Creon if it comes to burying her brother, regularly if Ismene told her to stand down and convince her that king Creon is a dangerous person and not to disobey him, nevertheless Antigone is not frighten by King Creon....
Words: 290 - Pages: 2
