Antigone When Pride Leads to Ruins Essay Example

Antigone: When Pride Leads to Ruins Paper Kelley Booth Humanities: Classical Greek Rome Critical Paper #1 09 October 2011 When Pride Leads to Ruins Antigone, a play about corruption, political context, and bravery, shows how the different perspectives on values and conflict between the characters can lead to destruction and death. Antigone is a great tragedy between family members that illustrates the characters true purposes and personas on what they believe is right and wrong in their society. It explains how Antigone and Creon battle a theoretical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ideals and values. The classic tragedy allows readers to see the values and conflicts in the play about social, political, and religious matter. In that day and time, ancient Greeks believed that women were nothing but objects, and they were only to be seen and not to be heard. Antigone reveals that is not always the case and that women have a right to say and stand up for what they believe in. Antigone was written by Sophocles, who demonstrates different views of political and religious principles of Antigone and Creon, along with conflict of blood relationships and honor in the fight for what is right. We will write a custom essay sample on Antigone: When Pride Leads to Ruins specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Antigone: When Pride Leads to Ruins specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Antigone: When Pride Leads to Ruins specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Antigone reveals bravery in a political, social and religious sense with the support of the characters values and beliefs. Antigone, the main character, is faced with a major decision in following her religious beliefs, or the law of her uncle, Creon (temporarily the king of Thebes). Creon’s law is put in place when he prohibits the burial of Polyneices, Antigones brother of flesh and blood, and if anyone attempts to bury him, the sentence for disobeying the king will be death. Antigone sees how wrong Creon is and â€Å"appeals not only to the bond of kindred blood but also to the unwritten law, sanctioned by the gods, that the dead must be given proper burial- a religious principle† (Fagles 40). On the other hand, Creon believes that the gods and religion are on his side because he â€Å"finds it unthinkable that these gods should demand the burial of a traitor to the city who came with a foreign army at his back† (Fagles 40). The opening of Antigone shows the real essence of what they play is about because it shows the conflicting laims of Antigone, whose character is based on religious principles; and Creon, who is based off of political principles. Creon’s political decision of making Polyneices burial forbidden was not only his pride due his title of king, but the â€Å"denial of burial in their homeland to traitors, real or supposed, was not unknown in Greece† (Fagles 40). His political ruling of Antigones brother was ultim ately a rightful law that has been done before in the time of the ancient Greeks because the kingdom of Thebes was ran by many sets of rules and laws. In Antigones mind the right thing to do is to organize a proper burial for her brother, but in the eyes of the law that is not allowed. Antigone, the religious portion in the play, chooses a â€Å"heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that Creon chose to follow† because she â€Å"feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of heaven through his edict† (Studyworld). By her choosing this heavenly approach, her main beliefs are entirely different from Creon’s because she had different views of political principles and she supports the gods and laws of heaven. Antigone was a very loyal, dedicated, and trustworthy woman towards her family, but â€Å"a private code of conduct; in the context of the fifth-century Athens challenges the authority of the city-state and defense of a blood relationship had strong political overtones† (Fagles 39). Her political aspect of the situation is emphasized greatly when she shows her loyalty compared to Creon: â€Å"whoever places a friend/ above the good of his own country, he is nothing. And when he realizes later that this is in fact the issue between him and his niece, he reconfirms her death sentence†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fagles 39-40). The conflict that is at stake is Antigones devotion to her family, and Creon’s opposing argument that state should come first. Antigone never stopped believing that Creon was wrong about the unlawful act of her very own brother’s burial. Her strong beliefs of having a religious ceremony for her brother were strong, so she went behind Creon’s back and had a rightful burial for her brother, Polyneices, without the help of her unreliable sister Ismene. Surprisingly when Antigone asks her sister to help her in disobeying Creon, Ismene did not want to participate in anything that will defy her city because she had no strength for that (Fagles 63). Outraged, Antigone found bravery on a new level because she would die for her own flesh and blood. She states, â€Å"I will bury him myself†¦if I die in the act, that death will be a glory. I will lie with the one I love and loved by him-â€Å"(Fagles 63). Furthermore, she did not want to hide from her defying King Creon, her uncle, like Ismene did; she wanted everyone to know that Creon was doing wrong in the society, and if showing her honest beliefs might get her killed, so be it. His cruelty as King sets in when he ultimately led Antigone to her death. Although Antigone went through much turmoil, she never stopped believing and defending what she thought was right. She defended her beliefs along with humiliating and manipulating Creon when he condemned her to death by implying, â€Å"Give me glory! What great glory could I win/ than to give my own brother a decent burial? / they would praise me too if their lips weren’t locked in fear† (Fagles 84). She emphasized true accusations to Creon to call â€Å"his opinions and decisions weak and unjust† and â€Å"also emphasizes†¦that Creon’s decision to capture Antigone was his own, and was not backed up by the majority of the people† because they were too scared to speak up (Studyworld). Ultimately, Creon was abusing his powers and legitimacy as King of Thebes by doing what was right for him, and not using his power for good. In Sophocles plays, â€Å"he explores time and again the destinies of human beings who refuse to recognize the limits imposed on the individual while men and gods, go to death or triumph, magnificently defiant to the last† (Fagles 51). This explains Creon’s selfishness and his pride into ruling a city on his own terms, no matter the limits; and how Antigone goes to such lengths in showing her loyalty and religious beliefs toward her brother, Polyneices. Also, Sophocles demonstrates pride through Creon by describing â€Å"the type of pride that allows men to create laws that substitute for divine principles† (Antigone Themes). With this kind of pride that Creon withholds in himself, it ends in â€Å"a disastrous failure, both as head of a family and head of state, an offender against heaven and a man without family or friends, without the respect of his fellow-citizens† (Fagles 52). There is also a sense that Sophocles input his feelings and emotions in the words of the Chorus Leader. Throughout the play, the chorus leader tries to emphasize to Creon the right direction, especially when Creon finally agrees with Chorus Leader to free Antigone from the rocky vault by convincing him using his better judgment (Fagles 116-117). The ancient Greek civilization was based off of rules, law, and order; and not off of religious persuasions. The Greek civilization would agree with Creon and his illicit laws, and consider them by explaining, â€Å"in times of crisis, the supreme loyalty of the citizen is to the state and it’s duly constituted authorities† (Fagles 38). This could explain why Sophocles wanted to show the Greek civilization that it is okay to stand up for what you believe in, like Antigone did. Not only standing up for what you believe in, but also showing your honesty towards your family and friends by helping them out in the time of need. Despite Antigone and Creon having both to deal with conflict, the play subsides with the sense of making choices even if others do not agree. The strong tragedy states a separation between traditional religion and politics between Antigone and Creon because it ultimately shared a link to how Greek civilization perceived their society. I believe that the sagacity of a person of the Greek civilization has a sense of judgment on them if they stand up for what they believe in because they are following the rule of man’s law, not their hearts. In addition, I believe that Sophocles is stating through this play that no man is superior, wiser, or more authoritative than the Gods because the people of the Greek civilization only depended and worshipped the Gods. In this case, Antigone defying Creon, the law, was acceptable because the God’s law comes before all else. Overall, Sophocles gave a means of respecting ones authority, but also having the right of individual freedom to reject society’s infringement. Works Cited Antigone by Sophocles. Studyworldworld: Studyworld Guides, Research Papers, Book Reports, Essays. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. http://www. Studyworldworld. com/basementpapers/papers/stack35_6. html. Antigone Themes | Antigone ThemesSaver. Studyworld Guides Essay Editing | Antigone ThemesSaver. Web. 13 Oct. 2011. http://www. Antigone Themessaver. com/antigone/Studyworld-guide/major-themes/. Sophocles, Robert Fagles, Bernard MacGregor Walker. Knox, and Sophocles. The Three Theban Plays: Antigone, Oedipus th e King, Oedipus at Colonus. New York, NY: Penguin, 1987. Print.

buy custom Higher Education essay

buy custom Higher Education essay The importance of higher education in the twenty first century cannot be overlooked. The modern society is mostly inclined to studying, with only those who are left out of this experience being as a result of inadequate time, resources or other personal commitments (Allen, 2005). Generally, higher education helps to improve the quality of life of the person since such people are able to access better employment opportunities, exercise better health practices and are more financially stable among other countless advantages (Allen, 2005). As a result, this article will focus on higher education. It will address the reasons for pursuing a college degree as well as using the learning various styles in relation to effective learning of a student. It will also look at the relation between the results of a GEMS survey and the career that an individual can pursue. People pursue higher education due to different reasons, and therefore my reasons for further learning are outlined below. I would like to get higher education so as to pursue my career job. After attaining a college degree, I will be able to secure a good job that I have always dreamt about. Additionally, I want to develop my personality so that I can be in a position to handle most of the real life situations. I believe that the prcess of attaining a college degree involves a holistic transformation of an individual in almost all life aspects. This entails qualities such as problem solving, effective communication among other life skills. There are various types of learning styles which students adapt to. Some students have a dominant style while others show a combination of various styles. My learning style is more oriented to auditory and tactile. When learning something new, I prefer to read out aloud since this style makes more sense and enhances my level of understanding (LeFever, 1995). As a matter of fact, I am able to memorize more information while using this method. In addition, I like to engage in a group discussion that comprise of a small number of people. This helps me to have the object of discussion in my hands. Consequently, I would prefer to have most of the lessons done in this format where I can apply my auditory stimuli to learning. After a GEMS survey was carried out, it was found that my Grand type was a People Oriented Achiever and a team facilitator. I concur with this result since even at work; I am a very friendly person. One of the my unique qualities is that I like surpassing the targets set for me thereby creating a difference on what I settle down to undertake. In most cases, I stand out as a potential leader but this is usually restricted by my personal reasons and the job positions that I hold. For instance, the story below displays my leadership and people oriented qualities. There is a time when an opportunity presented itself for a leadership role at my duty station. After arriving at the station, I noticed the problem and realized that a social committee to handle the problem was missing. I was not acquainted with the morality of the unit and therefore, I decided to inquire about it from the concerned people in the area. As a result, I understood the activities that were done in the unit as well as how money was being raised in the unit. Moreover, I was appointed the social committee president. This move has allowed us to organize events aimed at raising funds for the unit. This is a clear indication of the correlation between my personality and the career that I will be pursuing at the college level. Therefore, it is worth noting that the GEMS survey helped me a great deal to confirm my career choice. This should be emulated by all the students who intend to pursue higher education. They should be in a position to understand how their career concurs with their personality since it is on this platform that successful careers are built on. Buy custom Higher Education essay

History of Comedy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

History of Comedy - Essay Example Old Comedy, like Greek tragedy, has a singing, dancing chorus who are characters in the play. New Comedy, from the middle of the 4th century BC, all over the Mediterranean (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/amahoney/ancient_comedy.html). Greek drama from c. 320 BC to the mid-3rd century BC that offers a mildly satiric view of contemporary Athenian society (http://www.answers.com/library/Britannica+Concise+Encyclopedia-cid-10234587). Many extant examples are representative of these methods. Old Comedy was the mighty genius of Aristophanes grafted in Pantagruelism has influenced Cervantes, Swift, Voltaire and others (Bates 1906). Though the word Pantagruelism is means the characters are sustained by court fool. He exploited both of the spirit and mechanical appliances of old Greek comedy. He adopted the disguise of buffoonery to attack some prevailing hypocrisy. This is what Aristophanes did to master the chief characteristics of his prototype. In Old Comedy, the chorus becomes more separate, and often sings entr'actes that have nothing to do with the play; later, the chorus is dropped altogether. During New Comedy, the chorus and representative of forces reduced to a small band of musicians and dancers.

Plagiarism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Plagiarism - Essay Example This practice has been well-known as plagiarism. This can be universally defined as the act of copying or imitating the works, words, ideas, thought, or feelings conveyed by an author in a particular text without acknowledging the original text and the author. In many cases, the doers of plagiarism are students who do their assignments haphazardly, who do not trust their own knowledge and ability on the given task, and others who aim for a high mark. Aside from this, plagiarism has evolved from being just the mere act of copying and pasting texts. In general, there are two basic acts of plagiarism; these are the total plagiarism and the partial plagiarism. Total plagiarism is defined as an act of an individual to copy all the texts of a specific source and considers them his or her own work. This replication of published texts is a fraudulent act, which also encompasses the act of photocopying a material without asking permission from the author or the publisher. Aside from this, a full plagiarism can also occur when an individual copies verbatim a sentence or a phrase, which is composed of three or more words from a source. It is essential for an individual to avoid full or total plagiarism, especially when the person does not have any intention of citing the source or sources because, in the academe, it is considered as academic dishonesty.

Ideology refers to a set of consistent ideas Essay Example for Free

Ideology refers to a set of consistent ideas Essay Indeed, it encompasses the ideas that appear dominant enough to give reasonable explanations to the world in such a way that it appeals to the simple mind and can become the propelling force for his daily interactions among humans. Is defined as ‘a form of social or political philosophy in which practical elements are as prominent as theoretical ones. It is a system of ideas that aspires both to explain the world and to change it. ’[Britannica Online Encyclopedia] It can also be described as a belief system shared by a specific group of people; the system determines the schema with which they see life and interpret events. It forms the basis of schema formation and modification. This refers to a system of politic that teaches a particular idea to group of people with a view to integrating their cognitive and affectionate skills into such ideas. It is an attempt to sell an idea perceived to be the ideal norm to guide the affairs of a clan of people towards productive living and stable community. Marx devised a base/superstructure model of society where society is greatly influenced by the dominant force-ruling-class, especially in terms of economic factors more than anything else. This model emphasizes the major influence the ruling class has through the superstructure over the base, because of their control of economic forces. The emphasis on economic factors as a major determinant in the model has endeared it to the heart of many critics. Suffice to say that indeed Karl Max has contributed immensely to the understanding of ‘ideology’ in relation to the areas where it has found application: politics, religion, economics, etc. REFERENCES Britannica Online Encyclopedia. http://www. britannica. com/eb/article-9106294/ideology Concept of ideology. Accessed from http://tarlton. law. utexas. edu/lpop/etext/lsf/suretsky5. htm Conceptions of Ideology. Accessed from scholars. nus. edu. sg/post/poldiscourse/marxideology. html John, Lyne. Ideology, Accessed from scholars. nus. edu. sg/post/poldiscourse/marxideology. html.

The Frying Pan :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The metaphors that Conrad Hilberry stated in his poem â€Å"The Frying Pan†, expressed some of the feelings that some women encounter throughout their life. In this poem I believe that Hilberry related this poem to a female that was in a relationship with a very controlling guy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the first stanza it says â€Å"I am another long-necked girl with the same face.†, a girl that has the same face makes me think of a girl that has no expressions, and hardly ever shows emotion, and this could be because she was controlled by her boyfriend or husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout the first stanza it states â€Å"I am emptiness reflected in a looking glass, a head kept by a collar and leash†, the first thing that comes to my mind when I read that is that there is a girl that feels empty inside, and that she is kept on a leash by her significant other. Some examples of this could be that her significant other could have beaten her, or verbally abused her by telling her that should could not do certain things, and that can relate to being on a leash. Also in the first stanza it says â€Å"a round belly with something knocking to get in†, this could refer to her boyfriend or husband. From saying a round belly this might mean that he is over weight, and saying that something is knocking to get in could mean that all he wants to do is to have sexual intercourse with her, as in the â€Å"something knocking† refers to his penis, and â€Å"to get in† could refer to her vagina.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the Second Stanza when it says to cross the handle and she would become Venus could refer to breaking up with her significant other and having the confidence of being attractive because Venus is the goddess of love.

Losing Your Identity Essay

People from around the world immigrate to the United States in hopes of finding the Promised Land. Some may define the promise land, as a land of freedom, a land of abundance, a land of peace, or a land of education. Most define it as a land of opportunity for a better life. America is a land full of culture and diversity, although it is notoriously difficult to characterize â€Å"American† culture. Is it possible to move to a land such as America, full of culture and diversity, and yet preserve your own traditions and cultural identity? Some believe this to be very difficult to do, due to materialism, beliefs and language barriers. The counter argument would be that Americans are open to new cultural experiences, are welcome to newcomers, and are willing to help give support. I believe that it would be difficult to move to America, try to find your place in materialistic culture while preserving your own culture and beliefs while learning a new language. There is a culture in this country whether spoken or unspoken. It is clearly visible in everything we say, do, or think. In the United States, we expect to compete in every aspect of our lives, a daily reminder of our status, the ladder of our success. Americans are materialistic. We want to own the newest iPhone, to wear the newest fashion, to drive the newest and most expensive cars, and to have a big house with a pool. We celebrate holidays and forget the true meaning of the day we are celebrating. Our traditions can easily include consuming goods that are unneeded or even unwanted. A few years ago my friend fell into great debt during the Christmas season because she and her family made too many purchases that exceed their income, only because they wanted to please others. I can see how this kind of behavior would be confusing or shocking to someone with traditions that have little to do with material items or status. In addition to many of our traditions being different, some of our religious beliefs may be confusing to a foreigner. They may want to hold on to their beliefs and find it difficult to do so, due to peer pressure. They may even find it hard to practice their beliefs because of racism. When my children were in grammar school, they were allowed to say the pledge of allegiance in their classroom. One of the students was able to leave the classroom every time they did this because her beliefs were different. As a child, she found it difficult to understand, being the only one in the classroom with those beliefs. Some of the children were open to her leaving and others would make comments. She was moved to a land where she was free to practice her religion, but at the same time shamed from her peers. As a result, she stayed at home on many of the school days that holidays were celebrated in the classroom. Besides adapting to the local weather, the food, work place and new technology, one must also learn a new language. If an immigrant has trouble speaking the language it could be difficult to communicate their wants and needs in life and on the job. If they order the wrong meal it could be dangerous if they are allergic to certain foods. If they do not understand the news or cannot read the newspaper, they may find it hard to seek out individuals who have the same beliefs or traditions. For example, this weekend in San Francisco, there is a grand parade for Chinese New Year. If an immigrant from China had moved to Modesto this weekend and could not speak or read English, they may not have know of this event or be able to find their way to the event. Learning a new language is difficult and can be overwhelming. It may take some time to learn the language before being able to communicate properly. In conclusion, many immigrants do succeed in America. Although, I think it is difficult to stay true to their traditions and beliefs while learning a new language and trying to keep up with the high demands of a materialistic society. Children may feel the pressures of their peers to fit in and be more main stream. Depending on their annual income, immigrants may find it hard to buy the things that they want or feel the need to buy, such as cars, houses, and clothing. It may also be difficult to find peers with similar beliefs and traditions if there is a language barrier. I am the sixth generation born and raised in California, so I find it hard to relate. But, I will remain to be an American who is open to new cultural experiences and will always welcome newcomers and offer support when I can.