Analysis Of Homer s The Iliad And Sophocles Antigone Essay

Homer’s The Iliad and Sophocles’ Antigone paint a mural for what Greek society and people were like during their time; a mural that has survived through the ages, and ultimately allows us to see into their way of life. Both stories revolve around two main characters, Achilles and Antigone, respectively, who face a dilemma in a society where the monarch’s rule is absolute. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Achaean army, constantly faces the oppressive rule of Agamemnon, with the understanding that being the greatest warrior of all time will never be as great as the King. On the other hand, Achilles faces an existential dilemma, where he has the choice to face the preordained fate of an early death by seeking glory in battle, or going back home and disappearing into oblivion. Antigone is faced with the moral dilemma of giving her own brother a proper burial, even though he raised an army to fight against her own city for the throne. Antigone also faces this di lemma under the oppressive rule of her king, Creon, who refuses to allow Antigone’s brother, Polyneices, a proper burial, instead branding him a traitor. Both these protagonists share similarities in their dilemmas, ultimately perishing to achieve what they believe in. In fact, both Achilles and Antigone are the most believable and truest personification of what is represented in a member of Greek Society. As heroic and ethereal these characters seem, both protagonists give us a perfect representation of the idealsShow MoreRelatedCharacteristics Of Classical Mythology729 Words   |  3 Pagesin universities on the national level. British anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski claims that culture functions to meet the needs of individuals rather than society as a whole (MLS). Through the analysis of Morford’s publications in addition to ancient myths Heracles, Antigone, Metamorphoses, and the Iliad, Malinowski’s theory of functionalism exploits the idea that human behavior, actions, and social beliefs in myth, establish a connection between Greece and Rome. Depending on the region, religiousRead MoreOedipus Trilogy Analysis1214 Words   |  5 PagesNovel Analysis of The Oedipus Trilogy Oedipus Rex, or Oedipus Tyrannus as it is in Latin, could be what we call today a Freudian work of literature. The Oedipus Trilogy was originally written by Sophocles and is meant to be told in a story-telling fashion. But this Grecian tragedy was revised and translated into English by Paul Roche and put into a novel form. The Oedipus Trilogy is a novel that deals with destiny and fate. The reader is shown a series of events plotted out from which OedipusRead Moretheme of alienation n no where man by kamala markandeya23279 Words   |  94 Pagesï » ¿ANTIGONE KEY LITERARY ELEMENTS SETTING This tragedy is set against the background of the Oedipus legend. It illustrates how the curse on the House of Labdacus (who is the grandson of Cadmus, founder of Thebes, and the father of Laius, whose son is Oedipus) brought about the deaths of Oedipus and his wife-mother, Jocasta, as well as the double fratricide of Eteocles and Polynices. Furthermore, Antigone dies after defying King Creon. The play is set in Thebes, a powerful city-state north of