Anthony Peter Vignola, Fall Semester 1997, Professor Armus, Saint Joseph’s College, NY, Western Civilization Part I
The ancient Greek tragedies Antigone and King Oedipus are deeply rooted in the ideas of “fate” and the “will of the gods.” As a matter of fact, Greek theater evolved from the performance of ancient, religious songs and dances. The author of these two plays is named Sophocles. He wrote some of the earliest literature in Athens and Western culture as a whole. Ninety-two plays were completed in all; however, we only have eight of his plays left. Both Antigone and King Oedipus are considered great works of literature. Both of these plays transcend its time because of their universal plots. Namely, moral issues regarding such topics as politics, state, religion and conscience are contemplated in Sophocles’ plays. The issues of irony and excessive pride are also addressed in Greek tragedies. Ultimately, one should consider the historical context that these works of literature were written in to understand the conclusions that Sophocles wanted to communicate to the audience. Prior to Sophocles’ fame, in approximately 479B.C., the Hellenic city-states drove the Persians out of Greece. This led to a flourishing of Athenian society whereby law and reason were emphasized over the barbaric chaos that the Greeks associated with the Persians. At the time of Sophocles, Athens was the capital of Greece. Since then, Athens “…has justifiably come to be the symbol of ancient Greek culture” (118 Tansey, Kleiner). The works of Sophocles teach us much about the people during this period of Greece. He designed these plays to be performed in a type of poetry. The people of Athens enjoyed the poetic nature of the plays. Surprisingly, the dramas were typically performed for up to twenty-five thousand people at a time. Moreover, in ancient Greece, everyone was familiar with the myth of Antigone. Hence, different writers could have treated the play in different ways without effecting the inner coherence of the plot. The Greeks believed that a tragic sufferer could not be evil. For example, Creon thinks he is doing the right thing but he still becomes a tyrant. Also, the accepted view was that a tragedy could only occur to a prominent person. An ordinary person suffering was only pathetic, not tragic. The concept of a Greek tragedy demonstrates the interaction of one’s personality in the unfolding of one’s “fate.” Therefore, a tragedy has to do with one’s circumstances, in the form of one’s “fate.” Sophocles achieves this goal by showing the complexities involved between conflicting personalities. When searching for the conclusions that Sophocles wanted to convey, one needs to study the interaction of the different characters in the play. One may explore questions such as: To what degree are both characters responsible for the tragedy? What is it in their personality that drives their “fate?” Ultimately, Sophocles wanted us to contemplate how much free will the characters actually have. Antigone demonstrates the universal issue of disharmony between one’s religion and obligations one has to his/her country. Creon symbolizes the law and the state. In contrast, Antigone symbolizes one’s conscience, family, and religion. One of Creon’s character flaws is that he traps himself. He sets up rigid rules and then is forced to follow them. Ultimately, Creon has good intentions; but, his rigidity in the pursuit of order causes him to become a tyrant. Creon also has an insecure personality. This is evident when he suspects Ismene and the sentry are part of a plot. The truth is that Antigone acts alone to bury her brother. This is against Creon’s order that Polynices not be buried. Antigone feels strongly that it is God’s law that her brother be buried. Indeed, she is willing to become a martyr to accomplish this task. As Antigone said, “I know my duty, where true duty lies” (129 Sophocles). A Greek tragedy usually contains some ironic occurrences. Indeed, the legend of Oedipus contains a major ironic twist. Upon entering into a discussion about irony, the “will of the gods” must be considered. In fact, “Greek drama was not pure entertainment, but was closely associated with religious rites” (169 Tansey, Kleiner). The Greeks give spiritual meaning to a blind prophet that is called an oracle. Moreover, an oracle was a type of wise-man that had the ability to interpret the “will of the gods.” The Greek’s believed that blindness symbolized inner knowledge. Specifically, gaining the ability to look within oneself made up for the loss of one’s sight. In the legend of Oedipus, his parents are given a warning by an oracle. They are told that their newborn son will one day kill his father and marry his mother. Indeed, “Apollo’s oracle had nothing but ill to foretell of him” (23 Sophocles). In response, Jocasta and Laius (Oedipus’ parents) attempt to have Oedipus killed. Unknowing to his parents, Oedipus is saved and grows to become Prince of Corinth. As Prince of Corinth, he is given the same warning that his parents were given by the oracle when he was a baby. The only problem is that Oedipus does not know that he is adopted. He tries to escape the “will of the gods” by fleeing Corinth. Nonetheless, Oedipus kills his real father while traveling to Thebes. Eventually, the final step of the oracle’s prophecy comes true when Oedipus unknowingly marries his mother. Both Oedipus and his parents make a futile attempt to avoid the “will of the gods.” The major ironic twist is that by trying to avoid their “fate” Oedipus, Laius, and Jocasta actually fulfill the undesirable outcome. Hence, the “will of the gods” actively interplay with each character’s own free will. One other characteristic of an ancient Greek play is the issue of excessive pride. Greeks called excessive pride “hubris.” In addition, “hubris” usually contributes to the downfall of the character. For example, in King Oedipus, Jocasta tries to convince Oedipus to stop investigating the issue of whether or not he was adopted. If Oedipus finds out that he is adopted, he will realize that the oracle’s prophecy has come true. Jocasta says, “… It makes no difference.” Oedipus responds, “Nonsense: I must pursue this trail to the end, Till I have unravelled the mystery of my birth” (55 Sophocles). As a result of Oedipus’ excessive pride, he refuses to listen to Jocasta’a plea. Hence, this element of his personality combines with “the will of the gods,” to bring about the unfolding of his tragic outcome. The ancient Greek plays Antigone and King Oedipus are deeply rooted in the ideas of “fate” and the “will of the gods.” One must study the historical context that Sophocles wrote in to better interpret these plays. The characters experience moral crises’ which symbolize larger conflicts. One of the conflicts that is symbolized is one’s allegiance to the state and to law versus one’s obligation to God and conscience. Also, the issues of excessive pride and irony can usually be found in a Greek tragedy. In essence, both personalities of the characters in conflict are held accountable for contributing to the tragic outcome. Antigone, Creon, Oedipus, Jocasta, and Laius all personally contribute to the unfolding of their fate. However, “the will of the gods” also influences the tragic outcome. Sophocles’ ultimate goal was for the audience to question the topic of one’s free will in relation to the ideas of “fate” and the “will of the gods.” In other words, How much free will do we actually have?
Works Cited:
Sophocles. The Theban Plays. Penguin Books, 1947.
Tansey and Kleiner. Gardner’s Art Through the Ages. Tenth Edition, Vol. 1, Harcourt Brace and Co., 1996.