Of all the Greek theatre, few works remain. Antigone is one of the most famous short pieces we still have. It is deserving. This tragedy is a powerful, deep, immense, great work. You had to be Sophocles to do this to us. It's enormous, beautiful, and intense!

Antigone is a real heroine; she stands up for what she believes in. She was faced with a strong dilemma. The law of man, the word of her uncle the king, demands that her brother's body remains unburied in the open with no funeral rights, to be savaged by animals. For King Creon, this is a symbolic justice for a traitor and a rebel, but the laws of the God’s, and the ruling of Antigone’s own mind, demands that she gives him libations (death rights) that all men deserve. She buries the body and faces the consequences of the crime.

Creon: And still you had the gall to break this law?

Antigone: Of course I did. It wasn't Zeus, not in the least,
who made this proclamation-not to me
Nor did that justice, dwelling with the gods
beneath the earth, ordain such laws for men.
Nor did I think your edict had such force
that you, a mere mortal, could override the gods.



So, like I said she’s a heroine, for standing up against tyranny, but she isn’t the play’s tragic hero: it’s clearly King Creon. Who has the right of this situation? It is easy to brand Creon a tyrant, though to do so overlooks the reasoning behind his actions. In punishing Antigone’s dead brother, her rebellious dead brother, he is sending a political message to those that threaten the peace of Thebes. In reality he is being an effective, albeit harsh, ruler. When his niece breaks his law, he has no choice but to punish her as he would any man. He couldn’t allow her to be an exception to the rule, to do so would be to undermine the law of the land and his politics: it would be to make him a hypocrite. But, to sentence her to death, that’s a little extreme.

Thus, Sophocles presents a beautifully conflicted situation. There is no longer a discernible sense of right or wrong, only a thin line of morality that separates a tyrant from a man of justice. And his conviction only gets worse; he refuses to hear what his son and the city (the chorus) think about the situation. He only sees his narrow-minded sense of justice, and ignores the effects it will have on his loved ones. He has no doubts about his actions, and demonstrates the questionable nature of a cold approach to kingship. The laws of man are not always right. Something Creon simply cannot perceive. To his mind, he is morally right, a man of good character and a king of honour. Is this not the most dangerous of leaders?

Creon: I will take her down some wild, desolate path
never trod by men, and wall her up alive
in a rocky vault, and set out short rations,
just the measure piety demands
to keep the entire city free of defilement.
There let her pray to the one god she worships:
Death—who knows?—may just reprieveher from death.
Or she may learn at last, better late than never,
what a waste of breath it is to worship Death.



And this is what makes him the play’s tragic hero. His hamartia, his tragic flaw in Aristotle terms, is his severe lack of judgement, and his inability to perceive the wrongness of his decree. The reversal, recognition and suffering come in the form of the priest Tiresias, an old wise man who speaks to the Gods. He tells Creon what will happen if he persists down his current path, and after much resistance, Creon finally relents his folly. But it is far too late. The blood has already been shed. Tragedy has already struck, death has already struck: Creon is left in tatters. It is the hardest of lessons to learn.

So what do we learn from this? Greek tragedy was didactical in purpose; it was used as a learning tool, a means of imparting wisdom to the audience. What is Sophocles message? For me it’s quite simple: open your eyes and your heart. Never presume that you are right and an absolute morale authority. For Creon, his realisation came too late. The result was a sacrifice he will never forget, Antigone's death, and the one most readers seem to sympathise with. But I implore you to look further into the play, and consider the full role of Creon. To overlook him is to overlook the point of the work:

“All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride.”

This play is a spectacular piece of work. I need more Greek tragedy in my reading diet.

Penguin Little Black Classic- 55



The Little Black Classic Collection by penguin looks like it contains lots of hidden gems. I couldn’t help it; they looked so good that I went and bought them all. I shall post a short review after reading each one. No doubt it will take me several months to get through all of them! Hopefully I will find some classic authors, from across the ages, that I may not have come across had I not bought this collection.

"But leave me to my own absurdity..."
Antigone, Sophocles



Vol N° 55 of my Penguin Little Black Classics Box Set. This volume contains Sophocles play Antigone (third in his The Theban Plays; Oedipus Rex and Oedipus at Colonus came chronologically before, but were actually written after). It was translated by Robert Fagles. I'm giving it 4-stars because while I LOVE Fagles' translations of Homer's The Iliad/The Odyssey and his translation of Virgil's The Aeneid, I prefer other translations of Sophocles. I can't quite put my finger on it. I'm not sure if I just didn't catch the rhythm of this translation or what? It just seemed heavier, denser, less poetic, and (I feel I might anger the gods) clunkier too.

Anyway, the play itself I love/adore. I love its nuance, its tension, its simplicity.

n  n

I know all too well I’m going to die—
how could I not?—it makes no difference
what you decree. And if I have to die
before my time, well, I count that a gain.
When someone has to live the way I do,
surrounded by so many evil things,
how can she fail to find a benefit
in death?

*Strong female characters did not exist before modern times*

*Old books are boring and outdated*

Antigone premiered in 441 B.C.E. She's still as relevant today as she was centuries ago.

Each time I re-read this masterpiece, I am in awe of its brilliance. I can say with absolute certainty that Antigone is my favorite classic. I first read it in high school. I read the classics because I had to, not because I enjoyed them. Does any teenager enjoy reading? I suppose some of them do. I was more concerned with friends, cool accessories, and rock bands. If you had asked me then what the best book ever written was, I would have said Twilight. (I'm sure some of you are wondering why you even added me as a friend on Goodreads). But even then, at the peak of my teenage angst, I knew Antigone was special. I've read it several times, and it still holds up.

You know how each time you re-watch Titanic, you hope it won't hit the iceberg? Well, each time I re-read Antigone, I hope she gets a happy ending. I know what happens in the end, but I'm saddened regardless. I expect two things from Greek mythology: incest and tragedy. I don't like the first one, but I'm kind of into angst.


*spoilers*

Medea is fascinating, but she's also batshit crazy. Electra is dumb as a post, and I can't stand her. Prometheus deserved better. Iphigenia also deserved better. Antigone's daddy, Oedipus, is the epitome of tragedy. The dude married (unknowingly) his mother. And that's not even the craziest thing in the book. Antigone's book shouldn't have been able to top all that drama, but it did.

I have been a stranger here in my own land: All my life.

I'm sure most of you have heard the story of Oedipus. The man is so legendary Freud named his complex after him. To say Antigone had a lot of family issues would be an understatement. She finds out her father is also her brother, her mother is also her grandmother, her father/brother killed her grandfather, her two brothers died fighting on opposite sides of the civil war, and her uncle refuses to give one of her fallen brothers a proper burial, and her sister is useless.

Antigone's father is in self-imposed exile, and her mother and brothers are gone. Honor is the only thing that she has left. She decides to bury her brother despite her uncle's threats, knowing that the outcome of such an act is certain death. Her uncle warns her, and her sister begs her to obey his command, but Antigone is too brave and honorable to give in. She doesn't fear death. She embraces it.

n  n

Haemon, Creon's son and Antigone's betrothed, takes her side over his father's. He pleads with his father to spare Antigone's life, but Creon remains unmoved. Antigone is punished by being locked inside a tomb while still alive. To spare herself the agony, Antigone takes her own life. When Haemon arrives, he discovers her lifeless body and takes his life as well. Creon regrets his decision, but his realization comes too late.

And so ends the tale of brave Antigone. She stood alone against Creon and his cronies and kept her honor. She proved to be everything a sister should be and more.

Then when I'm out of strength —but only then —I will be stopped.

This is Greek mythology at its best – powerful, heroic and dramatic. It's a beautiful story full of strong characters and inspiring actions.



Antigone is the headstrong daughter of Oedipus, who breaks the law and defies her uncle, King Creon, by burying and honouring her slain brother. When the king finds out, he's less than pleased and questions of morality, honesty and justice arise.

Antigone is the perfect heroine. Not only is she strong willed, but a woman who is brave enough to question authority and raise her voice when she sees injustice. She does what she believes in, knowing that she'll have to face the consequences later. It's interesting the play is named after her, because despite it being her actions that trigger the story, the dramatic focus centres around another character –

The real tragedy lingers in form of King Creon. He forbid the burial of Antigone's brother to make a point, as the latter was a traitor. It's a statement establishing him as a harsh ruler of power, one that will do anything to show others what it means to threaten Thebes. When Antigone opposes him, the question of whether man made law is truly what should be lived by is posed

"All men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong, and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride."

Greek plays usually leave you with a specific moral and this one is no exception. Sophocles masterfully (and dramatically to a fault, the ending does go crazy) teaches us lessons that we can still apply and live by over two thousand years after this was created (which is also, crazy). Back then, it was probably mean to tell us that the divine law should never be opposed and that trying to do so will result in sorrow. But a modern reading can leave us with a sense of bravery. We can look to Antigone for inspiration and the strength it takes to speak up for what is right and just.

I first read Antigone when I took a course in college dedicated to the early Greek plays. I find it weathers well, but then that should be no surprise since it has already weathered more than 2000 years.

Twice I was taken by the presence of phrases we still use commonly today. Is this the possible first use of “bit the dust”?

Here, there, great Ares like a war horse wheeled;
Beneath his car down thrust
Our foemen bit the dust

And this of “stand your ground”?

Such a man would in the storm of battle stand his ground.

The story revolves around the girl Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, whose brothers have fought and slain one another in battle. The brother on the non-victorious side, Polyneices, is laid out to be eaten by dogs and scavenger birds, and Creon, the king, makes it a crime for anyone to bury him. Antigone, heeding the laws of the Gods over the rule of one man, defies the king and attempts to bury her brother.

What ensues is tragedy. Creon’s insistence that he, and he alone, rules in Thebes, costs everyone in the play dearly, including himself.

His son, Haemon, pleads with him to listen to reason and be swayed by those who see the other side of the question, but he is stubborn and closes his eyes and ears. Haemon’s words are powerful, especially now, when I find so many people have their ideas set in stone and refuse to entertain the possibility of being wrong about anything.

Haemon’s plea:
The wisest man will let himself be swayed
By others’ wisdom and relax in time.
See how the trees beside a stream in flood
Save, if they yield to force, each spray unharmed,
But by resisting perish root and branch.

Finally, there was a stanza that jumped out at me as being so true of our own time and made me stop and think that little really changes over time:

Of evils current upon earth
The worst is money. Money ‘tis that sacks
Cities, and drives men forth from hearth and home;

I was surprised how much of the mythology I have retained from my school days and my subsequent readings of Bulfinch’s and Edith Hamilton, although I will confess to being happy to have Google available for the more obscure references. I realized, after reading this, that I would really enjoy revisiting all these early plays. Perhaps the other Oedipus plays from this trilogy will make my list before the end of the year.

Δραματικός λόγος από τον τραγικό ποιητή Σοφοκλή! ΄Ενα δυνατό κείμενο σε όλα τα επίπεδα του λόγου, που εμπλέκει τον αναγνώστη στα δρώμενα κάνοντας τον να φιλοσοφήσει και να προβληματιστεί. Μεγάλες αλήθειες και διαχρονικές αξίες παρουσιάζονται στο κείμενο όπως " αναρχίας ουκ εστιν μειζον κακόν" και "«Ούτοι συνέχθειν, αλλά συμφιλείν έφυν» «δε γεννήθηκα για να μισώ με τους άλλους άλλα να αγαπώ μαζί τους» "Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώποισιν οἷον ἄργυρος κακὸν νόμισμ’ ἔβλαστε" "τό γὰρ περισσὰ πράσσειν οὐκ ἔχει νοῦν οὐδένα" είναι καθάρια τρέλα να θέλεις ό,τι ξεπερνάει τη δύναμη σου….
ένα ανυπέρβλητο κείμενο της αρχαίας ελληνικής γραμματείας άριστο και αξεπέραστο από γλωσσικής, αισθητικής και ερμηνευτικής άποψης!

"εγώ δε γεννήθηκα να μοιράζομαι το μίσος ,αλλά την αγάπη "
Με την "Αντιγόνη ", το ισως πιο γνωστό έργο απο τα τρία ,ολοκληρώνεται ο θηβαϊκος κύκλος . Η υπόθεση φυσικά είναι γνωστή . Τα δύο αγόρια του Οιδίποδα ,τυπωμένα από την δόξα της εξουσίας ,σκοτώνονται μεταξύ τους και ο ένας τιμάται από τους κατοίκους της Θήβας ως ήρωας που έπεσε στη μάχη ,ενώ ο άλλος μένει άταφος και ντροπιασμένος να περιμένει να τον κατασπαράξουν τα ζώα ,ύστερα από εντολές του νέου άρχοντα ,Κρέοντα .η Αντιγόνη ,που ήδη από τα προηγούμενα έργα έχει δείξει τη γενναιότητα και την αγάπη της για την οικογένεια και την υπακοή της μόνο στους ανώτερους νόμους των θεών ,αποφασίζει να πάει κόντρα στον Κρέοντα και να θάψει τον Πολυνείκη ,κάτι που φέρνει ένα ντόμινο καταστροφικών συνεπειών για όλους όσοι εμπλέκονται στην τυραννισμενη κ πολύπα��η γενιά του Λάιου ...
Τα λόγια περιττά ,είναι ένα έργο απίστευτης σύλληψης ,μαθημάτων ζωής και γνωμικων που μένουν αθάνατα .
5/5 αστέρια
""Και θα ξαπλώσουμε πλάι πλάι ,δύο άνθρωποι που αγαπήθηκαν νόμιμα παραβαίνοντας τον νόμο ."

Η Αντιγόνη είναι αρχαία τραγωδία του Σοφοκλή που παρουσιάστηκε πιθανότατα
στα Μεγάλα Διονύσια του 442 π.Χ. Στο πασίγνωστο δράμα αυτό ξεδιπλώνεται αναπτύσσεται η προσωπικότητα του αδύναμου ανθρώπου,γι’ αυτό ο Σοφοκλής έχει ως πρωταγωνιστή του ένα μικρό κορίτσι που υψώνει το ανάστημα του στην παντοδύναμη κρατική εξουσία.Η Αντιγόνη είναι ο άνθρωπος που μένει πιστός στη συνείδηση του,η ελεύθερη βούληση σε ολόκληρο το μεγαλείο της.Ο Σοφοκλής χειρίζεται με επιδεξιότητα ένα από τα σημαντικότερα διλλήματα με τα οποία έρχεται αντιμέτωπος ο Άνθρωπος (με κεφαλαίο το Α).Η συνείδηση,ο άγραφος,ο θεϊκός νόμος,το δίκαιον,το αιώνιων σε αντίθεση με την ανθρώπινη εξουσία την πρόσκαιρη,την αυθαίρετη,την ιδιοτελή που τιμωρεί με την εσχάτη των ποινών,η Αντιγόνη,ο αδύναμος άνθρωπος το μικρό κορίτσι οδεύει προς το θάνατο με απόλυτη ψυχραιμία,ενσυνειδήτως χωρίς την παραμικρή έκπτωση στις πεποιθήσεις της χωρίς καμία διάθεση συμβιβασμού μέσα στον τάφο της παραμένει αδούλωτη.Ο Άνθρωπος που έχει ως πρότυπο την Αντιγόνη δεν πρόκειται να γίνει δούλος ποτέ.
Τι θα ήταν η τραγωδία χωρίς την Αντιγόνη; Το σύμβολο αυτό της αφοσιώσεως μέχρι θανάτου στο υψηλό έμφυτο συναίσθημα της στοργής προς την οικογένεια της,αλλά η Αντιγόνη δεν είναι μόνον αυτό, είναι πολύ λίγο για το ανάστημα της.Είναι εκτός των άλλων η κραυγή της φύσεως που επαναστατεί ενάντια στην επιβολή των τυραννικών ανθρώπινων νόμων που προσβάλουν την αξιοπρέπεια του ατόμου.Πρέπει να θάψει τον νεκρό αδερφό της γιατί αυτό είναι το ηθικό καθήκον της απέναντι στον ίδιο τον νεκρό να του αποδώσει δηλαδή τις νεκρικές τιμές,αλλά πρέπει να θάψει τον νεκρό γιατί το σώμα του θα γίνει η πηγή θανατηφόρας ασθένειας για όλους του κατοίκους,εκπληρώνει δηλαδή έτσι το ηθικό της χρέος και προς την πόλη της .
Το ηθικό δίδαγμα του Σοφοκλή
Ο Κρέων αντιπροσωπεύει τον νόμο του κράτους εξου και Κρέων,Κρέων και κράτος είναι ομόρριζα,με άλλα λόγια λέει το κράτος είμαι εγώ και ο νόμος του είναι αδυσώπητος,είναι ανελέητος,ο παραβάτης εκτελείται η Αντιγόνη θάβεται ζωντανή,ο τύραννος μπορεί τώρα να απολαύσει ανακουφισμένος την υπακοή των τρομοκρατημένων δούλων του.Όμως η Ανάγκη(πάλι με κεφαλαίο)είναι ο συμπαντικός νόμος,αυτή η ανάγκη κινείται σιωπηλά, ήσυχα όπως ρέει το καθαρό νερό μέσα στα σπλάχνα της μητέρας γης από χίλιους δρόμους χωρίς να το βλέπουμε χωρίς να το αντιλαμβανόμαστε,ενώ ο τύραννος Κρέων αναπαύεται ικανοποιημένος η καταστροφή του φθάνει χωρίς να την προσέξει.Ο μονάκριβος γιος του ο Αίμων ερωτευμένος με την Αντιγόνη την ακολουθεί στον τάφο της με την θέληση του η σύζυγος του Κρέοντος απελπισμένη από την απώλεια του γιού της αυτοκτονεί,ο Κρέων καταρρέει.Ο νόμος του τυράννου αδυσώπητος και ανελέητος για τους άλλους στράφηκε τελικά και προς τον ίδιο τον δημιουργό του συντρίβοντας τον.
Η Αντιγόνη ανήκει στα ρωμαλέα συγκράματα,τι είναι αυτό που κάνει ένα κείμενο ρωμαλέο ; στιβαρό ; είναι η δύναμη που έχει,η ρώμη,να πυροδοτεί μέσα μας σκέψεις καθώς το διαβάζουμε,δεν είναι δηλαδή μόνο αυτό που διαβάζουμε αλλά κι αυτό που μας κάνει να σκεφτούμε.
Γι’ αυτό,στην ενήλικη ζωή μας,θα έπρεπε να αφιερώνουμε τον απαραίτητο χρόνο για να επανερχόμαστε στα σημαντικότερα διαβάσματα των νεανικών μας χρόνων.Αν τα βιβλία έμεναν τα ίδια(γιατί κι αυτά αλλάζουν κάτω από το φως μιας διαφορετικής ιστορικής προοπτικής),εμείς σίγουρα έχουμε αλλάξει,και η συνάντηση αποτελεί ένα εξ ολοκλήρου νέο γεγονός.

Antigone figlia di Edipo, è la protagonista di questa tragedia greca. Dopo la morte di Edipo, re di Tebe, i due tratelli di Antigone, Eteocle e Polinice, nella sfida per il trono, soccombono entrambi. Così prende il potere Creonte, che vuole dar degna sepoltura al solo Eteocle, così Antigone insorge e...

Continua la mia personale avventura, attraverso la letteratura greca antica. Missione ostica, ma piena di scoperte e conoscenze letterarie mitologiche. Ostica, perchè la scrittura mi risulta difficile da seguire, devo riprendere a leggere intere pagine, ma è un mio problema!
Questa tappa mi porta dalle parti di Sofocle, drammaturgo tra i più importanti, insieme a Eschilo ed Euripide. (Eschilo, Eschilo, che qui si Sofocle, attenti alle scale che sono Euripide e c'è Pericle di cadere.")

I studied this in college and now have read it again as part of my Open Uni studies. Read it in the park on a beautiful summer afternoon and enjoyed losing myself briefly in Antigone and Creon’s tragic tale.

'I was born to join in love, not hate -
that is my nature.'

In this Greek tragedy we follow Antigone's attempts to bury her brother Polynices. She faces ethical dilemma in going against King Creon's decree, facing punishment while placing the burial above human law, an act of civil disobedience. For Creon, obedience is above all else (state comes before family). She acts out of a desire to honor her family, her right of individual freedom, even when facing death. The events portrayed in Antigone occur as a result of human error, not by intervention through the gods. The play addresses themes of morality, loyalty, authority and gender - important then and now. Antigone is the tragic heroine of this masterpiece, a strong, fearless and brave character. She's the epitome of compassion.
Highly recommended, beautifully written immortal classic.