Analysis Of Sophocles Antigone And David Hares - 1314 Words

In both Sophocles’ play Antigone and David Hares’ drama Page Eight the plots center on politics and personal identity. The ideas of personal identity and politics are, however, presented in very distinct manners. In Antigone, Sophocles portrays politics and personal identity in a nullifying manner as they lead to death and there is no happy ending. Hares, on the other hand, presents politics and personal identity in a more constructing manner as there is no tragic deaths and there is more of a pleasant ending. In Antigone, politics are portrayed in a nullifying manner due to the tragic events that follow the decisions of the ruler. The political plot is set early in the play as the story is unveiled. Creon, as presented in the ‘Persons†¦show more content†¦(Pg. 9) This at the time, as according to the ‘Notes’ page of the book, was a â€Å"terrible punishment, striking at the most elemental Greek feeling concerning the proper treatment of the dead...† Once Antigone learns about this she insist on burying her brother even if this means defying the law. (Pg. 2-4) Antigone goes through with her plan; she, however, is caught doing so and taken in to Creon’s custody and sentenced to be sent away to a ‘deep catacomb’ in which she is expected to eventually die. (Pg. 15-16 and 33) Politics are brought up once again when Hà ¦mon, Creon’s son and Antigone’s fiancà ©, confronts his father. When Hà ¦mon first faces his father he m entions that he is only there to give advice to him since he is his son and he believes that it is his duty to inform him about what the people of Thebes are talking about. (Pg. 26-27) However, Creon misinterprets this and goes on to say that Hà ¦mon is fighting on a woman’s side. (Pg. 28) Politics play a role in this scene because Hà ¦mon simply served as the voice of the people of Thebes and because it shows that women were threated and viewed as lesser individuals. In the end, Creon’s decisions as the ruler backfire as Antigone, Hà ¦mon, and his wife, Eurydice, wind up being dead due to his actions. If Creon had never placed the proclamation of not burying Polynices, then many deaths could have been saved. The personal identity in Antigone