Pathos In Antigone - 978 Words

Antigone and Aristotle’s definition of tragedy The beauty of tragedy is its ability to capture the audience and evoke a particular emotion in it. Tragedy, as Aristotle defines it, â€Å"accomplish[es] by means of pity and fear the cleansing [katharsis] of these states of feeling† (Poetics 1449b 27-28). Aristotle claims that tragedy offers some certain value for the audience – a social and psychological value – through the empathy it sets in place for the audience. Sophocles’ tragic play, Antigone, is no exception to the magnificent use of pathos with the intent to create a valuable katharsis in tragedy for the audience. The intense feelings of suffering felt by the audience are beneficial to those watching as they experience these feelings in†¦show more content†¦The character of Antigone evokes feelings of sympathy before one even reaches this particular scene. From the moment one learns of the deaths of Antigone’s brothers, one feels some form of sympathy for Antigone; however, when A ntigone chooses to follow what she believes to be the moral law, her true character becomes apparent and intense emotions of pity and fear encompass the audience. Not only does Antigone’s character evoke emotion, but also the ideas of the culture arouse emotion. The culture’s view of the role of the king plays a huge part in this tragedy, as it is clear that no one goes against the king’s orders. As Antigone cries out, â€Å"Such was the law by which I honored you. / But Creon thought the doing was a crime, / a dreadful daring, brother of my heart† (Sophocles 914-916), it is certain that Creon’s authority and power are responsible for the fast approaching demise of Antigone. This revelation of the legality of the situation causes some sense of emotion as well. The lexis of the play also is hugely responsible for evoking emotional responses from the audience. In this particular scene, the language that Antigone uses really illustrates her despair and suffering. It brings a strong sense of pity and fear to the audience on behalf of Antigone. As Antigone refers to the cave as â€Å"O tomb, O marriage chamber, hollowed-out house that will watch forever, where [she goes]† (891-892), the language intensifies emotions in the audience. HerShow MoreRelatedExample Of Pathos In Antigone880 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout Sophocles’ play Antigone, Antigone’s persuasion increases from his speech with Ismene to the speech with Creon because she develops from someone being ineffective when persuading through the use of Ethos and Pathos to someone who believes that she has the right for her brother to be buried properly, and that Creon is defying the laws of the god’s. This proves ineffective, as Antigones strong persuasion le ads her to nowhere and death. This showcases Sophocles’ message of despite who youRead MoreProtests In Antigone By Sophocles1278 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout Antigone, Sophocles develops the idea of emotion in protests through the actions of Antigone. Antigone, angry at Creon’s refusal to bury her dead brother, decides to protest and go against the rule of the state. Creon responds in return, rashly sentencing Antigone to death. At the end, the play ends in tragedy, with Creon’s son Haemon, Creon’s wife, and Antigone all dead from their emotionally driven choices. Throughout his play, Sophocles’ develops the idea of pathos in protests, showingRead MoreEssay about Antigone863 Words   |  4 PagesAntigone â€Å"Make these excuses, I will heap/ The earth over my brother’s body† (63). Although no one would help her, Antigone took a stand against injustice and honored her brother by burying him, even though Creon said this act would be punishable by death if anyone committed this act of insubordination. Especially in the age that Antigone lived in, it was considered foolish to simply go against a man’s orders, let alone the Kings. Not to mention that Antigone was related to the King, making theRead MoreCritical Lens Essay (Anitgone)  ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬  811 Words   |  4 Pagestragedy Antigone by Sophocles in which two tragic heroes Creon and Antigone have to endure the pain of trying and failing.   To the naked eye it may seem although Creon and Antigone are the complete opposite of one another, however Creon and Antigone are enduring the similar experiences throu ghout the play despite the despise they have for one another. Creon and Antigone both have the characteristics of tragic heroes but demonstrate those characteristics in different ways. Both Antigone and CreonRead MoreAnalysis Of Sophocles Antigone, Creon, The King Of Thebes1280 Words   |  6 PagesStalonacles â€Å"Your temper terrifies them† (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 democratic government. Sophocles sought to influence his audiences political beliefs by creatingRead MoreThe Modern Greek Tragedy Antigone1602 Words   |  7 Pagestoday. Socrates demonstrates the significance of outspokenness through the characters in his classical Greek tragedy Antigone. Parallel to Antigone, historical figures in our own world exhibit courage through outspokenness. Characters from Socrates’ Antigone supports the claim that bold people can bring forth change in a society. Three characters fit the description well: Antigone, Haemon, and Tiresias. She proved courage through her refusal to abide by Creon’s cruel law against burying her ownRead MoreAntigone, by Sophocles996 Words   |  4 PagesIn Sophocles’ play, Antigone, the main character uses rhetoric to effectively persuade her audiences to sympathize with her. In the play, Antigone’s brother, Polyneices, dies a traitor to the Theban people. The king, Creon, decrees that no one is to bury the traitor despite the necessity of burial for proper passing into the afterlife. Believing that Creon’s decree is unjust, Antigone buries her brother. When she is brought to the king, Antigone uses this speech in defense of her actions. InRead 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 morality 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 MoreSophocles Antigone: 441-442bc1285 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant 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, writers and artists through its wealth, customs and more importantlyRead MoreWhat is Justice: Humanism v. Law in Antigone Essay1728 Words   |  7 Pagescan at times result in more chaos than was originally had. This conflict is no more obvious than in Sophocles’ Antigone. Antigone, the character, represents half of the struggle between what the law says is just and what we inherently deem to be morally upstanding – Creon represents the opposing side which views law and power as the ultimate dictator of life’s unraveling. Though Antigone is ultimately thwarted, she is on the side of justice rather than blindly following the law. Antigone’s empathy