The Aspect of the Tragedy of the Sophocles Plays Written in Ancient Times - Research Paper Example

First Sur Suicide and Gender in Sophocles Greek Tragedies The prominence of Sophocles tragedies after many centuries down the line continues to prevail. Despite the advent of other plays in the recent past, the plays of Sophocles remain preferred. Specifically, his tragedies used a unique language of tragedy with the aim of passing his intended themes to his audiences in an efficient way. As a matter of fact, he featured the aspect of suicide in most of his plays or tragedies such as “Antigone” and “Oedipus the King.” However, there is an interesting point to note concerning the inclusion of females in his suicide story-lines. In the two tragic plays, Antigone and Oedipus the King, the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles utilizes the comparable deaths of significant female characters to play a crucial role in conveying the main themes to the audience. The paper seeks to look at the use of women suicides in the two plays separately to establish whether the playwright used the technique to pass his themes to his audiences. Themes Portrayed by Female Suicides in ‘Antigone. The contemporary world considers the Sophocles’s ‘Antigone’ as one of the greatest Greek tragedies that survived the modern age. The themes that the play raises since its origin paved way to some of the most celebrated philosophical reflections. Hence, it allowed the chance to the diverse interpretation of some of the central lessons. The mode of viewing female suicides changed significantly both in the ancient times and in the contemporary times. Indeed, the playwright achieved more than his limits of expectation as he unraveled several hidden aspects applicable in the modern world. Through Antigone’s suicide, Sophocles introduces the theme of dedication of women to the fight against political and religious tyranny. He also adds the aspect heroine bravery towards the masculine domination evident by the Creon’s talks and treatment (Miller 169). The principle suicide used in “Antigone” does not appear relevant in the society today. It arises in the context of the judicial death penalty. However, it has a similarity with the conventional suicides that occur today among the youths. It depicts devotion to individual beliefs and ideals. Antigone’s death indicates an extraordinary focus on family and religion to an extent that the believer succumbs to eminent suicide. Rehm mentions that Antigone is a strong willed young woman who stands up for tyrannical rule and pays the ultimate price (187). Sophocles portrays Antigone as being so committed to her religious beliefs and dealings with her family and Gods. Through her death, she aimed to pass a message to her society that religion and beliefs were fundamental aspects that women were supposed to die for during his time and in the contemporary world. Sophocles succeeds in communicating the message that women are also people who can die for what they believe in as opposed to the earlier beliefs that portrayed women as cowards. Rehm encourages the non-Creons living in the contemporary world to draw inspiration and courage from the deep-rooted resistance to political manipulation that Sophocles elaborated using the feminine character (205). As opposed to Antigone’s suicide that was used to reveal the aspect of the feminine bravery, Sophocles used female deaths to show the weaknesses of women and their inability to withstand emotional situations. Sophocles mentions that Eurydice’s death is a tragic incident that leaves the audience questioning the nature of the female character (Antigone 1282–3, 1301–5). Though people could perceive her reaction to the demise of Antigone and Haemon as normal, it was too extreme in the sense that the nature in which she took her life was very tragic and unusual. According to the description given by the messenger, she stood at the household alter and stabbed herself in the belly. She died lamenting on the fate of both their sons blaming Creon, her husband, for causing the deaths of both of them. In this scenario, Miller says that Sophocles clearly depicts the emotional weaknesses existing in women (165). As opposed to the men who may withstand tragic situations, women in the play are emotionally wrecked and vulnerable. Therefore, through the death of Haemon’s mother, Sophocles succeeds in showing his contemporary and ancient audiences the underlying weaknesses of the feminine characters. Themes Portrayed by Female Suicide in “Oedipus the King.” In yet another spectacular presentation of a play, Sophocles includes the coverage of female deaths. Jocasta kills herself after a particular quote that tell more about the society and kingship during the time of writing the play. The suicide victim pleads with Oedipus to heed to her advice as she tells him to be brave. She adds that even if the child is born from a shameful mother, from a lineage associated with slavery for three generations Oedipus will still have his noble lineage. The manner in which Jocasta dies triggers questioning into what Sophocles intended to pass to his audiences. Through the use of female suicide in “Oedipus the King,” Sophocles introduces the theme of escapism. Escapism is a term that describes the state where an individual act in a way that relieves him or her of any eminent danger in the future. In this situation, Jocasta commits suicide due to reasons of escaping from realities that she was yet to meet in life. She killed herself due to some of the most obvious grounds in the play. She committed incest with her son. However, she does not commit suicide when she realizes that she has married and had children with her offspring. Instead, she takes her life after Oedipus discovers their relationship and blood connection to his mother. She does not wait for her husband (son) to be tortured by the knowledge of the unfortunate information. In her perspective, she cannot live with the heavy guilt. In a bid to protect herself from this traumatic condition, she decides to take her life. Revermann indicates that she, ‘killed herself, to death or desolation’ (796). She hangs herself in a scenario that portrays the utmost level of escapism from the realities of life. Sophocles passes the theme of escapism in the ancient and contemporary society. Without the death of Jocasta, it would not be possible to depict how women are creatures of cowardice who cannot withstand the emotional extremities. Therefore, they choose a path that shortens their life to relieve them from the eminent burdens that arise from their actions. Sophocles also reveals the theme of commitment to the religion and God through the incorporation of Jocasta’s suicide ordeal. At the beginning of the play, Theban Queen Jocasta disrespects the gods through thwarting a horrible prophecy about her husband and her child. Although unknowingly, she compounds the issue by marrying her son Oedipus and bearing children with him, an issue that Nassaar considers to culminate the aspect of murder and incest in the family (187). Incest is a serious offense against the gods. Through committing suicide, she seems to have an admission of the wrongs she committed and apologized for her misbehavior. This is another instance through which Sophocles portrays women as dedicated to matters of religion and beliefs. Hence, the theme of religion pertaining to women is evident in the play and the society, both in the contemporary times and in the ancient times. Conclusion In conclusion, the Sophocles features the aspect of tragedy in most of his plays written in the ancient times. The two tragic plays, “Antigone” and “Oedipus the King,” are no exceptions. While the death of female suicides in “Antigone” portray the themes of religion, the fight against political manipulations and bravery of women, the deaths in “Oedipus the King” exemplifies the theme of escapism and dedication of women to religion. Indeed, the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles utilizes the comparable deaths of significant female characters to play a crucial role in conveying the central themes to the audience. Works Cited Nassaar, Christopher S. Sophocles Oedipus the King. The Explicator 55.4 (1997): 187. Print. Miller, Peter. "Destabilizing Haemon: Radically Reading Gender and Authority in Sophocles Antigone." Helios 41.2 (2014): 163-185. Humanities Source. Web. 15 May 2015. Rehm, Rush. "Sophocles Antigone and Family Values." Helios 33. (2006): 187-218. Humanities Source. Web. 15 May 2015. Revermann, Martin. "Spatio-Temporal Dynamics in Sophocles "Oedipus the King.” University Of Toronto Quarterly 72.4 (2003): 789-800. Academic Search Alumni Edition. Web. 15 May 2015. Sophocles, Antigone. Cambridge [u.a.]: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1999. Print. Sophocles., Oedipus the King. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1982. Print. Read More