Antigone Persuasion Analysis

Greek Philosopher, Aristotle divided methods of persuasion into three categories: emotional, ethical, and logical. These appeals have been used for ages and are still used today. Antigone, a play written by Sophocles in Ancient Greece is an example of the use of the appeals. Antigone, Creon and Haimon used Aristotle’s Greek appeals to persuade individuals.
Antigone primarily uses an emotional appeal to try to provoke the feeling of guilt in others to persuade them into helping her. Antigone uses an emotional appeal to try to convince her sister Ismene to help her bury their brother Polyneices. Antigone and Ismene had two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles. Eteocles defended his home kingdom of Thebes, however Polyneices was a traitor, and …show more content…
During Creon’s opening speech to the citizens as a new ruler following Polyneice’s and Eteocles’ battle, he says Gentlemen: I have the honor to inform you that our Ship of State, which recent storms have threatened to destroy, has come safely to harbor at last, guided by the merciful wisdom of heaven” (196.) This quote presents his use of an emotional appeal because he mentions the recent chaos that has occured in the kingdom and the stress that it put on every citizen of Thebes. He also tells everyone how it is now at peace under his control because he claims that he is guided by the gods. Mentioning religion is going to spark an emotion of the people making them believe that he is actually guided by the gods, therefore convincing the people that they can trust him. Also by using the example of the gods, he is using an outside source making him sound more credible. That quote also presents Creon’s use of an ethical appeal because he uses words like “our” to humble himself out and make the people feel like they can trust him to be a good leader because he is just like them. After proclaiming that no one shall bury the body of the traitor Polyneices, or they will be sentenced to death, Creon uses the tragedy of the demise of his nephews again to tell his citizens, “As long as I am King, no traitor is going to be honored with the loyal man” (197.) By saying this, Creon uses an ethical appeal to once again persuade his audience that he will be a great ruler and keep them safe. He makes a promise to his people, and makes them feel as though they can trust him because of his promise. He also uses an emotional appeal again because he mentions that there was recently a traitor to their kingdom, his use of that event will evoke feelings of their despair earlier on, and his promise makes them feel hopeful. Creon uses emotional and ethical appeals in his