Antigone by Sophocles: Analysis Literature & Language Essay (Essay Sample)

Ralph James
Professor
ENG 205
Spring 2019
Antigone by Sophocles: Analysis
Introduction
Antigone is a Greek tragedy character published by Sophocles and is arguably one of the greatest ancient heroines recognizable. The young girl exhibits stubbornness and steadfastness as she acts out of honor for Polyneikes her dead brother in objecting the regal edict by Creon that prohibits burial of her brother’s body, which she deems as repugnant to justice. Antigone makes a decision to sacrifice her own life out of this respect. Antigone by Sophocles may generally be understood to be about a young girl’s devotion and feeling to her brother; faithfulness to one’s ideas and values, to one’s family and to one’s self; and about the sacrifice of life in the name of principles espoused as valuable, justified and important. However, the feelings Antigone exhibits are reflective of the universal, timeless and common issues of life that are ever valid – the importance of human life, the significance of natural ties among family members and the courage to take a firm stand for beliefs even at the threat of peril. This paper analyzes Sophocles’ Antigone in terms of its cultural context and genre. This paper finds that Antigone falls within the genre of tragedy and that by reading through the play, family curse, loyalty and obedience can be distilled as the Athenian cultural context of the time.