Choral Ode II of Antigone
Within Greek culture, the Ode was intended to be addressed to the audience in plays. Thus in Antigone the choral ode II addressed the tragic history of the Oedipus’s family.
The first stanza of Ode II explains the nature of the vengeance and its unpredictability in life. Also, in the first stanza, it states that, “Fortunate is the man who has never tasted God’s vengeance…” (line 1). This quote is creating a statement about fate, where it is trying to pity Antigone, which is the daughter and sister of Oedipus, where the gods have cursed the family, and this statement can also apply to Creon, because of his unjust laws, the gods will curse him. Additionally, the first stanza also goes on saying: “For ever: damnation …show more content…
It goes on saying that the curse was foreshadowed earlier on, moving from generation to generation and the line the supports that is: “I have seen this gathering sorrow from time long past loom upon Oedipus’ children: generation from generation…”(line 10). Thus, ode uses diction when using the last flower meaning the last child of Oedipus’ legacy, Antigone. Also, “Drank the sunlight///and a handful of dust have closed up all its beauty”(line 16), meaning Antigone passionate thoughts and defiance has doomed her to death once she made the choice of sprinkling the dust on her brother for a proper burial, so her brother can have a peaceful afterlife. So, Antigone spoke up with a wise and moral mouth to attest to her actions; however, she is being executed for doing the right …show more content…
The stanza starts off by saying: “The straying dreams of men may bring them ghost of joy…” (line 27), expressing the symbolic of Creon and his unjust laws. The dreams may refer to what he believes to be an ideal society where all citizens obey his commands. Furthermore, Creon may find pleasure in making unfair laws and not listening to others opinion although a quote says: “But as they drowse, the waking embers burns them; or they walk with fixed eyes, as blind men walk.” (line29) is symbolic of Creon’s obliviousness to his wrongdoings. The reference to the walking embers may foreshadows events in the future that will come back to haunt Creon for his unwise choices. Also, Creon’s ignorance is compared to the limited awareness of a blind man. The few last lines of the ode says: “But the ancient wisdom speaks for our own time: Fate works most for woe with Folly’s fairest show. Man’s little pleasure is the spring of sorrow.” (line 31), this can be illustrated as a metaphor by stating that the actions Creon takes in order to make himself superior to others and his choice to leave Antigone’s brother burial will someday bring grief and sorrow to his life. So, basically saying that the negative choices he made in his lives in order to have a moment of happiness will bring sorrow and hardship later
Within Greek culture, the Ode was intended to be addressed to the audience in plays. Thus in Antigone the choral ode II addressed the tragic history of the Oedipus’s family.
The first stanza of Ode II explains the nature of the vengeance and its unpredictability in life. Also, in the first stanza, it states that, “Fortunate is the man who has never tasted God’s vengeance…” (line 1). This quote is creating a statement about fate, where it is trying to pity Antigone, which is the daughter and sister of Oedipus, where the gods have cursed the family, and this statement can also apply to Creon, because of his unjust laws, the gods will curse him. Additionally, the first stanza also goes on saying: “For ever: damnation …show more content…
It goes on saying that the curse was foreshadowed earlier on, moving from generation to generation and the line the supports that is: “I have seen this gathering sorrow from time long past loom upon Oedipus’ children: generation from generation…”(line 10). Thus, ode uses diction when using the last flower meaning the last child of Oedipus’ legacy, Antigone. Also, “Drank the sunlight///and a handful of dust have closed up all its beauty”(line 16), meaning Antigone passionate thoughts and defiance has doomed her to death once she made the choice of sprinkling the dust on her brother for a proper burial, so her brother can have a peaceful afterlife. So, Antigone spoke up with a wise and moral mouth to attest to her actions; however, she is being executed for doing the right …show more content…
The stanza starts off by saying: “The straying dreams of men may bring them ghost of joy…” (line 27), expressing the symbolic of Creon and his unjust laws. The dreams may refer to what he believes to be an ideal society where all citizens obey his commands. Furthermore, Creon may find pleasure in making unfair laws and not listening to others opinion although a quote says: “But as they drowse, the waking embers burns them; or they walk with fixed eyes, as blind men walk.” (line29) is symbolic of Creon’s obliviousness to his wrongdoings. The reference to the walking embers may foreshadows events in the future that will come back to haunt Creon for his unwise choices. Also, Creon’s ignorance is compared to the limited awareness of a blind man. The few last lines of the ode says: “But the ancient wisdom speaks for our own time: Fate works most for woe with Folly’s fairest show. Man’s little pleasure is the spring of sorrow.” (line 31), this can be illustrated as a metaphor by stating that the actions Creon takes in order to make himself superior to others and his choice to leave Antigone’s brother burial will someday bring grief and sorrow to his life. So, basically saying that the negative choices he made in his lives in order to have a moment of happiness will bring sorrow and hardship later