Similarities Between Medea And Antigone

I chose “The Iliad” by Homer and related it to “Medea” with the theme and subject matter of heroism. I specifically chose Achilles from “The Iliad” because I was able to connect his actions, when Patroclus died, to Medea’s, when her husband betrayed her. These two situations are completely different, however, both characters felt deeply betrayed. A hero is defined as someone who has done great things in life, however, this case is not as such.

Anti-Woman Antigone, being a woman, is thought of as less than a man when she commits the crime of burying Polyneices. Antigone’s gender shapes the harshness of punishment of her misdeeds from Creon and the other royals. Creon, astounded at the fact that Antigone went against his wishes and the law, wanted to punish her with a death sentence. Antigone is sentenced to death to show the townspeople that Creon makes no exceptions for crimes committed in the city. Although Creon may think so, the townspeople did not think Antigone was guilty of crimes against Thebes, or the king.

Ismene (Antigone’s sister) points out to Antigone, “Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men,” (Sophocles p.646). This strict patriarchy is symbolized by King Creon, who makes a decree that is opposition with the gods and forbids the proper burial of Polynices (Antigone’s brother).

King Creon The Tragic Hero Character in “ Antigone ’’ Creon “ You there , you with your face bent down towards the ground , what do you say ? Do you deny you did this or admit it?” “ I admit I did it , I won’t deny that . “Antigone admits that she has buried her other brother , which was against king Creon orders . These conflicting motivations cause Creon’s arrogant , stubborn , and anxious ways .

In Antigone, a Greek play by Sophocles, the topic of loyalty was frequently displayed. When family relationships and ties of loyalty conflicted, the plot continued to progress, specifically in Creon’s development as a tragic hero. Creon and Antigone’s contrasting ideas and motivations ultimately resulted in Creon’s excessive pride, sudden reversal of opinion, and inescapable downfall. Antigone's stubbornness and her death, as well as the oracle that advised Creon to let her be free, contributed to Creon’s development as a tragic hero. After considering Antigone’s tremendous impact on Creon, how would have Creon developed into a tragic hero without Antigone as a character?

To Antigone leaving her brother Polynices unburied would result as the bigger crime. So she decides to bury him with honor and if it means death at least she knows she’ll die with honor as

In both Homer's The Odyssey and Sophocles' Antigone, the concept of glory is explored through opposing perspectives, revealing conflict between individual integrity and societal authority. While Odysseus pursues glory through adherence to divine will and the fulfillment of prophecies, Antigone champions a vision of honor rooted in personal integrity and familial duty, all while challenging social norms. Also in Antigone, Creon offers an authoritarian view on glory that prioritizes obedience to the government authorities and the preservation of social orders. Through the characters' actions and dialogue, both texts offer different reflections on the different natures of glory and the dilemmas encountered in its pursuit. In The Odyssey, Homer

Although ancient Greece was a male-dominant society, Sophocles’ Antigone portrays women as being strong and capable of making wise decisions. Antigone, the tragic heroine, rejects the traditional role of women. As such, Sophocles punishes Ismene for embodying traditional attitude. Moreover, Creon is punished for misogyny. Sophocles, accordingly, uses characterization to promote feminist ideas.

While most of society define heroism as a person who saves lives, people with heroism show bravery and opposition to society or its laws. In Sophocles’ Greek tragedy Antigone, King Creon defies his society’s laws for his own self pride while in Voltaire’s novel Candide, a young boy breaks his uncle’s rule to fulfill his desires. Both characters challenge their society’s laws and take a stand against the flawed principles; however, should people consider Creon and Candide as heroes? Individuals do not have an obligation to challenge laws due to the fact that it leads to multiple deaths and the suffering of themselves or of others.

John F. Kennedy once said “A man must do what he must in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures...and that is the basis of human morality”. But when someone’s ambition is to do something wrong, how does their actions reflect on their morality? In the play Antigone by Sophocles, Antigone and King Creon’s decisions and choices reflect on their consequences and morality. One of the main characters in play, King Creon, makes some awful decisions that make him reflect on his own moral values. Another character, Antigone has a compulsive motive to bury her brother, Polynices, but she isn’t allowed to transgress the king’s command and despite the consequences she still attempts to bury Polyneices. Lawrence Kohlberg and Carol Gilligan are two psychologists that created the Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development and Gilligan’s Ethics of Care Theory scales which show where one’s morality may rank depending on one’s actions. Even though Creon and Antigone started with the same circumstances and conditions, their morality causes them to stand on different levels and stages on Lawrence Kohlberg’s and Carol Gilligan’s scales and as well as on other Moral scales.

Medea and Antigone are very determined people who will get what they want no matter what. In the play, Antigone defies the king and buries her brother at night. She says “You may do what you like since apparently the law of gods mean nothing to you” to Ismene which clearly states that she is doing it for spiritual reasons. For if she does not, Polyneices will not be accepted into heaven. Medea allows her sons to be killed and purposely kills Creon’s daughter to spite her husband. She is driven by her desire for revenge and her heart has been poisoned by the betrayal from Jason. Love and infatuation also plays a big role in both stories. Antigone’s love for her brother caused her to bury him whereas Medea killed people because of her infatuation

In any country, war is a matter of great distress and fear, but with the help of its people the country survives. How the citizens of a country at war do this is by supporting the war and ensuring that fellow citizens join the war effort. However, it is not as easy as it seems to get the citizens to support the war effort, so it is up to the government to persuade them. The government incorporates several techniques like propaganda posters and a sense of patriotic duty to implore citizens to volunteer, but the actualities of war are vastly different to why the war is being fought.

Between Antigone and Malala Yousafzai we see many similarities about them. Malala is a young woman who stands up for girls education. She was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman, but managed to survive, and is now a Nobel Peace Prize winner and continues to fight for women's rights. She wrote an inspiring novel named, “I am Malala,” which shares how she grew up in an unsafe country, but she used her determination to change the world and make it a better place. Antigone and Malala were in completely different situations, but the way they handled those situations were very similar, as they both stood up and protested for what they believed was right, valued their morals, and were strong, independent women.

Love and bravery for her family is a key factor for her determination to give her brother a proper burial. She shows immense loyalty and will power as she fights for her family name. Her endurance is extraordinary as she declares "Naturally! Since Zeus never promulgated such a law, nor will you find that Justice, Mistress of the world below, publishes such laws on humankind. I never thought your mortal edicts had such force they nullified the laws of heaven..." (Sophocles 38). Antigone responds to Creon’s speech and disagrees with his proclamation denying Polynices a funeral. Polynices, hated by the entire country, is being deprived of an appropriate burial service and Antigone is determined to honor her brother correctly (Rose 219). The courage she displays is crucial factor in her character development. The devotion towards helping her brother is

Antigone by Sophocles and Medea by Euripides are two plays whose main characters are their namesakes. Antigone is a play based on Antigone’s response to the death of her brothers and Medea is a play based on Medea’s response to her husband Jason leaving her to marry the daughter of a king. Both Antigone and Medea are women fighting against oppression by directly disobeying the law. However, they use different tactics in their battles, and they have different reasons for fighting. In the end, both make their point by bringing down the royal households. These women effectively fight oppression in their own ways.