“Antigone,” by Sophocles, and translated by Robert Fagles, is a play that teaches a story of fate and freewill in which a character’s own ideologies and motivation lead to their demise. The protagonist, Antigone, is the most obvious hero in the play and also serves as a perfect representation of the heroic archetype of a tragic hero. Nevertheless, this play begins in the royale house of Thebes where Antigone is going through the loss and coming to accept the deaths of her two brothers Eteocles and Polynices, who have killed each other in battle. In the advent of the battle, their uncle Creon became the new king of Thebes and to Antigone’s disheartenment, learns that her very own brother, Polynices, will not be allowed a proper burial of any
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For example, Antigone states, “Of course I knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed?,” when speaking to Creon. This conversation with her uncle is a powerful event as she is explicitly saying she is aware of what she has done and profusely accepts all punishments. Furthermore, this action creates even more tension between her and Creon, and between her freewill and fate. Also, Antigone states in line 560 that “Then why delay? Your moralizing repels me, every word you say-- pray god it always will. So naturally all I say repels you too,” when asking what more Creon wants than her execution, and he answers “Nothing, I have it all,” which furthers her fate down the path of death as she is only motivating Creon to have her executed. Antigone’s actions by mouth help exemplify theme as it is out of her own free will, but this reacts badly with fate. One last example, the most consequential action, is whenAtigon actually does bury her brother. She states “I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still, I would not welcome such a fellowship. Go thine own way; myself will bury him. How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,--Sister and brother linked in love's embrace--A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,” (69-70). This action ultimately sealed Antigone’s fate as it was against Creon's laws, and the tragic ending of her death, creon’s wife’s death, and son’s all contribute to the tragic hero archetype and help reveal the theme othe the play that fate and freewill do not always coincide together in the right
For example, Antigone states, “Of course I knew. Was it not publicly proclaimed?,” when speaking to Creon. This conversation with her uncle is a powerful event as she is explicitly saying she is aware of what she has done and profusely accepts all punishments. Furthermore, this action creates even more tension between her and Creon, and between her freewill and fate. Also, Antigone states in line 560 that “Then why delay? Your moralizing repels me, every word you say-- pray god it always will. So naturally all I say repels you too,” when asking what more Creon wants than her execution, and he answers “Nothing, I have it all,” which furthers her fate down the path of death as she is only motivating Creon to have her executed. Antigone’s actions by mouth help exemplify theme as it is out of her own free will, but this reacts badly with fate. One last example, the most consequential action, is whenAtigon actually does bury her brother. She states “I urge no more; nay, wert thou willing still, I would not welcome such a fellowship. Go thine own way; myself will bury him. How sweet to die in such employ, to rest,--Sister and brother linked in love's embrace--A sinless sinner, banned awhile on earth,” (69-70). This action ultimately sealed Antigone’s fate as it was against Creon's laws, and the tragic ending of her death, creon’s wife’s death, and son’s all contribute to the tragic hero archetype and help reveal the theme othe the play that fate and freewill do not always coincide together in the right