Micro-Activity #6: Antigone

This week we read Sophocles’ Antigone which delves deep into the aspects of social justice, trauma, and tragedy. In which the play goes on to describe the aftermath of war, Oedipus’ two son’s (Eteocles & Polyneices) kill each other as well as their successor (the new king) Creon wanting to punish Polyneices for his disloyalty by not burying him unlike Eteocles. Antigone is the sister of both Eteocles and Polynecies but she wasn’t going to stand idly by while Creon dishonored her brother’s right to a proper burial. Antigone was being disobedient to both her sister and her family because she couldn’t understand why they would allow Polynecies to be buried the way Creon has decided. As to how she would be disobedient she took it upon herself to move her brother’s body and give it a proper burial than the plans Creon had for it. While doing this she is also disobeying the law. Antigone is motivated to disobey Creon’s edicts in her beliefs to make sure BOTH her brothers get the same honor of burials as well as being reunited with their deceased parents in death. Now based on her actions as well as her statements I consider Antigone to be a hero because she goes after what she want’s for her brothers. She shows how she doesn’t agree with the one sided agreement to her brother’s faith. The character of Creon helps me think about justice, power and authority because in his eyes he awards people that are obeying the law (which Antigone is not one of those people). He believes that by being a good citizen you do good things for the city as a result you will be a friend of the crown. He is afraid of having his title challenged so to that end he makes sure that people have no way of doing so without being given a “justifiable” punishment. This play has helped me think about today’s worlds and the effects of the things happening today because in a lot of ways these things are like. With what’s happening people fight for what they believe in a lot like Antigone when she found out that her brother was to be dishonored. Her ability to face these challenges against all odds posed against her makes her one of today’s most relatable characters of the play. This play has inspired me to add new words, descriptions and transitions to my writing as well as maybe changing around a few things to better engage the reader. Watching the video better helped me feel the emotions and frustrations that Antigone would feel talking to her sister. I was able to understand the sister’s concerns as well as having understood why she wanted Antigone to stop her endeavors.