The Island written by Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Winston Ntshona draws numerous parallels from Sophocles’ Antigone. Firstly, the roles are played by men. Secondly, the characters of the play denounce apartheid by performing this piece similar to how Antigone defies the law by burying her brother. Lastly, Winston shares parallels with Antigone. The story line and characters of The Island draw copious amounts of parallels from Sophocles’ Antigone. In Antigone, the roles were played by men, even the role of Antigone. The same goes for The Island where the role of Antigone is played by Winston, a male. The play draws parallels between Antigone’s fight against political boundaries, and the situation of non-whites during the apartheid in South
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Justice, unfortunately, is not always served. In the case of apartheid, the separation required everyone to carry identification card specifying their race, according to four racial groups – black, white, mixed, and Indian. It was illegal to marry outside your race, and each race had separate public facilities. Using Antigone creates a discussion of morality verse the law. Much like Winston, most people would say that Antigone has every right to bury her brother even though it is against the law. Is she guilty for breaking the law or is she not guilty because she was doing what one believes is right? These are the questions that using Antigone …show more content…
Firstly, the writers of The Island kept the element of men playing women roles. Secondly, the writers/performers risked arrest to gain the opportunity to create art, encourage social justice and political change, and enable audiences to fully understand the past and present. Lastly, the characters of The Island are sentenced to life in prison for crime that most spectators would see as the right thing to do, much like the character of Antigone. The character of Winston in The Island also accepts his fate for life in prison, like how Antigone accepts her death
Justice, unfortunately, is not always served. In the case of apartheid, the separation required everyone to carry identification card specifying their race, according to four racial groups – black, white, mixed, and Indian. It was illegal to marry outside your race, and each race had separate public facilities. Using Antigone creates a discussion of morality verse the law. Much like Winston, most people would say that Antigone has every right to bury her brother even though it is against the law. Is she guilty for breaking the law or is she not guilty because she was doing what one believes is right? These are the questions that using Antigone …show more content…
Firstly, the writers of The Island kept the element of men playing women roles. Secondly, the writers/performers risked arrest to gain the opportunity to create art, encourage social justice and political change, and enable audiences to fully understand the past and present. Lastly, the characters of The Island are sentenced to life in prison for crime that most spectators would see as the right thing to do, much like the character of Antigone. The character of Winston in The Island also accepts his fate for life in prison, like how Antigone accepts her death