Antigone LRJ#2

Imagery very important in Antigone. It expresses themes and undertones that help the reader further understand the intentions of each character. Much imagery can be seen in the monologues of Teiresias, the prophet. He uses very descriptive and symbolic language in his rants to Creon, where he describes a vision he had involving two birds, "Tearing each other, dying in a whirlwind of wings and clashing." (Sophocles, 836). This detail not only describes the literal vision but also contributes to the significance of Teiresias' warning. Imagery is also used to set the tone in these speeches, "There was only spattering slime of the fat thigh flesh melting: the entrails dissolved in gray smoke. The bare bones burst from the welter."(836). Teiresias' bleak words hint at Creon's unfavorable fate.

The character that suffered the greatest in this story was, predictably, the character with the largest fatal flaw: Creon. His fatal flaw was arrogance and rashness in his leadership. This can be seen as he gives orders to his guards, "Don’t yield to those who contravene my orders."(line 251). From this it can be seen that Creon is impetuous and over-confident in the morality of his actions. His Peripetia comes when he first lays eyes on Haemon weeping over Anitgone's dead body, "When Creon saw him the tears rushed to his eyes."(840). This is the moment in which his fate is reversed, his actions have lost meaning because Antigone has taken her fate into her own hands. His Anagnorisis occurs when he curses the gods for the death of his son, "The truth is hard to hear. Surely a god has crushed me beneath the hugest weight of heaven."(841). This is when he truly understands the scope of his actions. He now realizes that all those dear to him have taken their lives because of his foolish judgement. This is also when the reader feels an emotional relief, or catharsis. The reader can no longer feel for Creon, his character has finished developing and the consequences of his actions are now apparent. 

Women in Antigone are characterized by their passion and the impact of their actions. This passion can best be seen in the character of Antigone when she denounces Creon's judgement and declares her quest to obtain a proper burial for her brother, "I’ll still bury him. It would be fine to die while doing that. I’ll lie there with him."(lines 89-90). This shows that Antigone's gender does not suppress her urge to fight for justice. Women are also characterized as the cause of suffering. Antigone's suicide is so tragic to Haemon that he too kills himself, "Angry at himself, the ill-fated lad right then and there leaned into his own sword, driving half the blade between his ribs."(lines 1375-1377). In this story, women cause suffering, not by manipulation as in other Greek mythology, but rather their death is the ultimate loss that begins the Anagnorisis and Peripetia.

Works Cited:

Sophocles. "Antigone." Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes: World Literature. Trans. Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall 2001. 814-826.

Sophocles. "Antigone." Malaspina University-College Website. Trans. Ian Johnston. May 2005.
Malaspina University College. 26 November 2008 .