Differences in the Treatment of the Tragedy Antigone by Sophocles and by Anouilh

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Name: Manali Desai Course/Year: MA English-I Subject: Representation of Women in Dramatic Texts Submitted to: Polly Ma’am Submitted on: 24th September, 2012 Q. Discuss 3 major differences in the treatment of the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles and by Anouilh. What are the reasons and the effects of these differences? Discuss with reference to both the texts. A. The plot of both the plays, by Anouilh and by Sophocles circle around the story of a girl defying her uncle Creon (who also happens to be the king), in the face of death. They both go on to present the same story through a play, but with a difference. As in the ancient representation by Sophocles, in Anouilh’s play too, Antigone buries Polynices (her brother) regardless of Ismene's (Antigone’s sister) advice. She disobeys Creon’s direct orders, and the king commands her death. The similarities exist in the names and basic natures of the characters and that’s where it ends. All characters including Antigone herself have been portrayed differently in both the texts. Even so, her loyalty towards her brother, her stubbornness and her responsibility as well as acceptance of her death as a punishment is the same in both plays. Though both plays have the same ending, there is a distinct differentiation in its presentation (the chorus, character portrayal, etc) and how the death of Antigone wrought on the deaths of Haemon (Creon’s son) and Eurydice (Creon’s wife) which resultantly lead to Creon's despair. One major difference in the two texts is the character of the nurse, which is absent in Sophocles’ Antigone. Also a new element added by Anouilh is Haemon’s appearance on the stage and the dialogue thereafter exchanged between Antigone and him. The dialogue exchanged between them also throws light upon, how the previous night Antigone had gone to meet Haemon, decking herself using Ismene’s clothes and powder,

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