Antigone’s Optimistic Heroism
Being created by Sophocles in 452, his tragedy “Antigone” inspired a lot of writers, poets, and sculptures to reflect social issues and sing of characters depicted by Sophocles in their works. Antigone, the leading character of the cognominal tragedy, has become a symbol of idealism and optimistic heroism due to her deeds and personal characteristics.
The plot and clash of the tragedy are based on the ancient Greek myth of Antigone and Oedipus. Along with the mythological heroine, Antigone accompanies her father in his voluntary exile from Thebes and returns home after his death; she buries her brother Polynices in spite of king Creon’s interdiction.
Heroes and heroines, typical of the Greek tragedy, were semigods or supernatural individuals, such as Heracles, Agamemnon, Penelope, Odyssey, etc. The majority of heroes were powerful and courageous soldiers who fought against monsters and accomplished a wide spectrum of feats. Personal characteristics of heroes corresponded to the Greeks’ morals and principles. Heroes were the embodiment of goodness, wisdom, intrepidity, firmness, loyalty, honesty, and dedication. In accordance with the Greek philosopher Aristotle, a hero of the tragedy should be “better than the ordinary man” and evoke approval and compassion of spectators (Fiero, 2011, p. 95).
Today, heroism and heroic deeds are generally associated with outstanding actions performed to the benefit of the public. Fiero (2011) states that a major motif and driving force in “Antigone” is “heroic idealism” (p. 85). Antigone, the protagonist, is involved in numerous morality-related issues and intrigues of the tragedy.
The complete evaluation of Antigone’s optimistic heroism should take into consideration specific historical peculiarities of ancient Greece, females’ rights and duties, religious beliefs, and the Greeks’ ideals of divine justice. The Greek polis of Thebes was a special world living under its own laws and rules, with specific customs and rituals, activity conditions, etc., often mysterious and inaccessible to understanding of modern people. Antigone’s uniqueness and heroism encompass a range of her deeds, uncharacteristic of women of ancient Greece in general and Thebes in particular.
Antigone is perceived as a remarkable individual; her deeds do not appear to be a revolt but natural behaviour, consecrated with centuries-old traditions, dedication to her family, and religious beliefs. The integrity of Antigone’s heroic nature would ruin if fear of death or passion for Haemon could force the heroine to change her decision.
Being completely aware of consequences of her actions and possible punishment, she, nevertheless, violates Creon’s prohibition against the burial of her brother Polynices. Such a fate of the killed opponent has to diminish his posthumous glory. Antigone cannot come to terms with Creon’s order, “When Creon gives honors to one of our brothers, but condemns the other to shame” (Fiero, 2011, p. 86). Furthermore, according to the Greeks’ creeds, while a body of the dead is not inhumed, the soul cannot find a place in Hades, the shadow land, and wanders around the Earth troubling all alive. “Driven by familial duty and the wish to fulfil the divine laws requiring burial of the dead, Oedipus’ …