Why is Antigone so concerned with glory (113)? Should she be?
I believe Antigone is not so much concerned with glorifying herself as much as glorifying her action. She wants the whole world to know that she was the one who gave her brother a proper burial. Antigone is so upset with Creons decree, which betrays the law of the gods in her mind, that she wants everyone to know it is ok to go against Creon. Antigone wants to put a face to the action of burying her brother, because it is easier to remember an act a person did rather than something that occurred and no one knows who did it. Antigone puts the gods before the state, and this causes some tension when she is talking to Ismene about her plans. I believe Ismene values life and does not want to disobey Creon because she still wants to live. Antigone knows that death is more important that mortal life, and she believes that pleasing the gods instead of Creon would do her better in the long run. Antigone should be concerned with glory because she, a woman, is breaking an unjust law. People should know that Creon is being irrational and Thebes should know that Antigone was the one who gave a proper burial to Polynices.
Why is Creon so surprised when the Sentry brings in Antigone?
At this time Creon is being very narrow minded and irrational. He had previously blamed his soldiers for taking a bribe and succumbing to the temptations of money. He thought is was his own soldiers who had given a burial to Polynices or that they had taken a bribe to let Polynices have a proper burial. Creon is so surprised when the Sentry brings in Antigone because he thought he already knew who committed the crime. He is also surprised that it is Antigone because he did not expect her of all people to disobey him. Creon asks the Sentry to tell what he saw Antigone doing because Creon wants to make sure it Antigone actually did something against the law.
To what does Haemon appeal in his attempt to save Antigone?
Haemon appeals to his father by saying Antigone’s action was “glorious.” He says “She couldn’t bear to leave him(Polynices) dead, unburied, food for the wild dogs or wheeling vultures.” Haemon also tries to get his father to open up his mind a little. Haemon knows is father is being “single-minded” and “self-involved.” Haemon even tries to paint a picture for his father by making a comparison to trees getting ripped out because they were stiff, and that sailors cannot have taught sales because they will capsize. He says his father is being to stiff and it is not good for a king to be so angry and tense.
What does the failure of Tiresias' sacrifice have to do with Polynices and Antigone?
Tiresiass sacrifice is very important because it portrays the corruptness of Creon at the current moment in the book. It also displays the god’s displeasure for his actions. The sacrifice will not work because the gods are upset that Antigone is being punished for trying to obey the “higher law” of the gods by giving her brother a burial.
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2 comments:
Pearl, I like the question about glory, and your answer as well. It seems Antigone thinks, even expects, that her actions will win her the eternal approval of the gods. That's probably why she does what she does in the first place, and also the reward she expects to earn. by the end, I'm not so sure she is still confident; in fact, she seems to have her doubts, at least as expressed in that passage we read in class the other day. Anyway, thanks for raising a good question and giving it a thoughtful answer.
Religious fanatics like Antigone who think they know the will of God(s) while not caring a bit about human beings are utterly repulsive to me. How does she know the will of gods? And even if she does, what is so noble about that, provided that those gods do not care a bit about human beings? (Illustrated by the fate of the same Antigone. The gods need her dead, not alive.)
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