Analysis of Sophocles' Writing in "Antigone"
Analysis of Sophocles' Writing in "Antigone"
Antigone, written by Sophocles, is written two dimensionally. The basic plot is about a young woman, Antigone, who is trying to bury her dead brother Creon. Her uncle the king, is preventing her from doing so. On a deeper level, using a familiar story, Sophocles sheds light on physics and nomos: the law of the gods against the law of man. In scene II, Haimon, son of Creon, is trying to reason with his stubborn father. Pleading rhetorically with his father to rethink his stubborn laws and trying to persuade him to use reason in his judgments. Haimon offers metaphors to his father to picture for him what his kingdom is like when viewed from the outside. The passage is very dramatic. Through the use of rhetoric, diction, and repetition in scene III (lines 78-118), Sophocles oversees the battle between physis and nomos. Using these writing devices, Sophocles writes about a clash between a father and a son, most importantly underlying, physis against nomos.
The audience, which Sophocles intends to entertain by the drama Antigone, knew the plot before they paid to watch the story unfold. The choice of words creates suspense, but also intensified the emotion of the passage. By the use of rhetoric, a well-known story was made immortal. In line 78, Haimon is doing the unthinkable, offering his father advice. As he tries to ease the fear he possesses, he returns to the innocence of a child by stating “Father” in a way that shows the seriousness and the sincerity of what Haimon is about to reveal. By line 80, Haimon has softened the blow to his father and is about to state his true feelings: “I cannot say-.“ These words are said with such hesitation by Haimon, knowing the defiance in his feelings. Line 82, Haimon finally lifts the weight off his shoulders. He is quick and to the point with his statement, “that you have reasoned badly.” Creon is shocked about Haimon’s findings. He wasn’t aware of the wrong he had placed upon his people. Line 86, “everyone” is powerfully said because it creates an important point that is brought to Creon’s attention. Creon was not aware that Haimon’s feelings were mutual among the town’s people. Haimon doesn’t...