Monday, December 30, 2019

Political Power During The Time Of Sophocles King Essay

In the plays of Sophocles, we see various form and displays of political power. It is shown in a variety of ways. In both plays we see very similar displays of political power. When you think of political power today it is very different to how it was viewed back in the time of Sophocles. Sophocles shows examples of political power in his plays and these examples have many connections to people or things. In King Oedipus, we see an arrogant and very mean king. He cares about what the people need and want but he is arrogant and mean about it at the same time. He is also very paranoid about the people around him. During the time of King Oedipus, the king literally controlled everything. Kings during this time often relied on others when it came to making decisions such as the gods. We can ask many questions when it comes to political power in the plays of Sophocles. Can an arrogant leader really make the right choices for the people? We have many examples of how these leaders used thei r political power. Political power in both of these stories had tragic outcomes. We can also ask if the rulers were really making mad decisions or if they were really just a victim of some unfortunate events. One thing is for sure, political power was really prevalent in the time of Sophocles and we can see that in both King Oedipus and Antigone. We also get a sense of how society and politics were in this period of time by learning from the writing of Sophocles and the actions of Creon and KingShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Sophocles Antigone, Creon, The King Of Thebes1280 Words   |  6 Pagesthem† (Sophocles 222). In Sophocles’ tragedy â€Å"Antigone†, Creon, the obstinate king of Thebes, embodies the stereotypical monarch. Ancient Athens, where Sophocles called home, used plays to educate their audience and persuade them to think a certain way; thus, Sophocles wrote of the struggle between Creon, and his son, Haimon, from the perspective of a member if a democ ratic government. Sophocles sought to influence his audiences political beliefs by creating the character Creon, the King of Thebes’Read MoreEssay about Gender Bias Critic of Antigone1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe flaw of one man cannot bring down an entire kingdom, but rather one outlook of the king can lead to the demise of the whole. In Sophocles epic tragedy, Antigone, a strong gender bias is present throughout the tragedy, and is partially responsible for the downfall of the king. To Sophocles the king is not always representative of the people, but acts on his own personal desires and judgments. Sophocles was born in 496 B.C. and from 490 B.C. until 442 B.C. when the first performance of AntigoneRead MoreAn Analysis Of The Of Oedipus And Oedipus Rex Essay1229 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the framework of history, humans have willingly paid a price to obtain power, glory, and wealth. The price for this achievement could include the loss of friends, family, monetary goods, and social status. The story of Oedipus Rex is no exception. A man, seemingly through no fault or causation of his own, rises to power then suffers a great fall at the hands of a manipulative tyrant. Through a political lens, the reader can deduce that Creon orchestrated a plot to slay his brother andRead MoreAntigone Moral Dilemma1253 Words   |  6 PagesPerhaps the most pronounced question in the play Antigone by Sophocles is the value of human law vs. divine law. In this tragic play a newly appointed king Creon declares to his people that treason was committed during battle, and one of the two brothers (Polyneices) killed shall not be buried according to the Gods, but instead He shall be left unburied for all to watch the corpse mutilated and eaten by carrion-birds and by dogs (Sophocles, 1900.). This dilemma is felt by many, especially AntigoneRead More Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle – Antigone, as a Feminist Essay1380 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles’ Oedipus Cycle – Antigone, as a Feminist Throughout history, women have always stood in the shadows of men. In many cultures, the role of women has always been to be seen and not heard. As one of the first feminists in world literature, the character Antigone, of Sophocles’ Oedipus Cycle, displays fine characteristics of a great female leader in order to stand up against male dominance for her religious, political, and personal beliefs. When the king denies her brother, Polynices,Read MoreSophocles As A Master Of Character Development1497 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles is one of the three great Athens tragic playwrights in Greek history. He has written over 120 plays in which they were performed into three tragedies known as the â€Å"Oedipus the King†. Although he has written 123 plays there are only seven of his tragedies remaining and with only a few titles and fragments remaining. The seven tragedies include Ajax, Antigone, Trachinian Women, Oedipus the King, Electra, Philoctetes, Oedipus at Colonus, and Trackers. Sophocles was considered to be a masterRead MoreSophocles Antigone: 441-442bc1285 Words   |  6 PagesThe period that Athens’ Sophocles lived in was a time of important changes to the traditional Greek ways of life. The most significant catalyst of change and concern of the period was democracy. From here stems ideas such as the nature, role and respect of and for the gods, and the individual. The drama of Antigone reflects these concerns in the context it was written through various ways. Athens in the middle of the fifth century BC was at the peak of its power. It attracted foreigners, writersRead MoreHuman Law Vs. Divine Law1487 Words   |  6 Pagesalso a link that being moral should be determined by either human law or divine law. The play â€Å"Antigone†, by Sophocles, shows the complexity of this certain concept of morality. Antigone must determine whether she should defy King Creon’s law in order to bury her brother, Polynices, or reject her own religious beliefs in order to maintain in the King’s good graces. At the same time, King Creon also has to determine what is right and wrong; he must decide if he should imprison and give the death sentenceRead MoreEssay on Analyzing Antigone and Creon1313 Words   |  6 PagesSophocles play titled Antigone, embellishes the opposing conflicts between Antigone who stands for the values of family, and Creon who stands for the values of state. Sophocles explores the depths of Antigone’s mora lity and the duty based on consequence throughout the play, as well as the practical consequences of Creon who is passionate and close-minded. Although Antigone’s moral decisions appear to be more logical and favorable than Creon’s, a personal argument would be that both characters’Read MoreUnderstanding Of Cultural And Contextual Consideration Of Antigone By Sophocles968 Words   |  4 Pagesconsideration of Antigone by Sophocles has developed. You must receive further information about the playwright, the role of women, and the symbols used in Antigone to have a full understanding of the play. Without the knowledge provided from the interactive orals, the play would not have been understood as well as it is now. To understand the importance and meaning of Antigone, you must understand the playwright and his purpose of writing the play. In his play, Sophocles illustrates the rival claims

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.