Depict the heroic nature of Antigone

Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus; a king and Jacosta who was the mother of the king of Thebes who he unknowingly married after killing his father to inherit his kingdom. The heroic nature of Antigone is depicted in various ways.one of the main way is through her name which may even mean opposition was born in her. Antigone is not loving, and easy going around people who are close to her. This depicts a lot courage in terms of she does not expect much favor from them and show independence (Sophocles, and Blondel 12). This qualities are closely associated with heroic nature.

Another heroic nature depicted by Antigone is through her commitment to blood-kinship friendship. This is seen through polynieces and Etekeoles who she stands firm for in spite of them being traitors. She seeks to wash their corpses and bury them in Athens though they are perceived as traitors who should be left outside Athens so that their bodies may rot. Seeking friendship with kin rather than to go out of your way to impress and find other friends depicts heroism nature of a woman who would rather stand alone. She also shows commitment for the family as she wants to bury her kin and mourn them, which shows her strong feminism side (Sophocles, and Ruby Blondell 77)

Atigone does not seek solace in marriage and motherhood which the society prioritize for women.Ismene, her sister, proposes Haimon, a suitor for her sister to marry but she is not interested. She rather focuses on her death and joining her kin who are dead. She is full of grief due to the fact that she lost her paternal family members. Grief that surpasses marriage and motherhood. The fact that she goes against the norms of society without fear of reprehension and other repercussions shows her heroic nature which remains unmoved and untamed. (Weinreb, Lloyd L 76)

Due to quarrelling with her sister, Ismene, Antigone is isolated from the male world of Kreon, her female friends, her family and the entire society as a whole. This makes her to travel to the outside dominated male world of battfields.this choice shows the heroic nature of a woman who is not afraid of male dominated world, but she is ready to join them in the deadly battlefields.( Sophocles, and Ruby Blondell 70)

The society norms dictated on women to wear cloths which would make them seem more submissive, self-controlled and aware of their place in society which did not permit them to have knowledge of the political world of men. This is not seen in the nature of Antigone who knew all these rules imposed on women but instead dwelt in the world of men. Antigone goes directly opposite of the stereotype woman of the society which is seen through her lack of emotions and her lack of interest in marriage and also her use of war language which is seen as masculine. She is also ready to mourn her family deaths without approval from men. This shows heroism nature to stand above everything that the society beliefs (Winnington-Ingram 71)

She breaks protocol of the society by doing all gender roles undertaken by women and also the ones undertaken by the males. Mourning, washing of clothes and giving offering to the corpse is done by women but burying the dead is done by men but she does it in spite of the traditions which are imposed on women in the society. Weinreb, Lloyd L. 65)

In her values and virtues, attitudes and behavior she resembles heroes, for example Achilles. This is seen by her anger which is powerful; her self- assertion and defiance to society and even authority. She believes in revenge and faces death with open eyes and an open mind and eventually brings it upon herself. She is ready to sacrifice her life for what is noble, which shows she is a moral upright woman. She is concerned with honor, status and time. She admires recognition, fame and glory just like a warrior and king hence she has heroic nature (Sophocles, and Ruby Blondel 65l)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

Sophocles, and Ruby Blondell. Antigone. Newburyport: Focus Pub./R. Pullins Co, 2012. Internet resource.

Weinreb, Lloyd L. Natural Law and Justice. , 1987. Print.

Winnington-Ingram, Reginald P. Sophocles: An Interpretation. Cambridge [u.a.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1994. Print.