نمايشنامه هاي انگليسي Antigone

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Notes
In this scene, Creon makes a complete about-face. Right up to this point, Creon has been resolute, convinced that Antigone should die. Now suddenly he accepts what Tiresias and the Chorus tell him to do. He has obviously been shaken by Tiresias’ prophecy. However, his repentance comes only after Tiresias’ exit.
As a king, Creon cannot bear to be seen losing face before his subjects. Thus, he does not yield to Tiresias’ words. It is only when the Chorus of elders speaks on the side of Tiresias that Creon relents. He finally sees that he has been stubborn to the point of rigidity. He realizes that the citizens of Thebes, as represented by the Chorus, do not approve of his proclamation. He rushes out to rectify the wrongs he has committed, but it turns out that he is too late

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Lines 1115-1154
The Fifth Stasimon:
The Chorus “O God of many a name”
Summary
The Chorus now sings a dithyramb (a short poem), praising the god, Dionysus (or Bacchus). As the Chorus informs the spectators, Dionysus was born of the union of Zeus, the king of the gods, and Semele, the daughter of Cadmus, the founder of Thebes. Dionysus is thus the son of Zeus, who “wields the withering flame.” The Chorus asserts that Dionysus/Bacchus protects the Greek settlers staying in southern Italy. The Chorus refers to the legend of the women of Thebes, who refused to worship Bacchus and were punished with madness

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The Chorus now describes the haunts of Bacchus (the places he frequents). The worshippers of Bacchus include the nymphs of the Corycian grove, close to Delphi. The Chorus describes Bacchus as he moves beneath the mountain of Nysa where the nymphs sing his praises.
The Chorus thanks Bacchus for maintaining Thebes’ prosperity among cities. They ask Bacchus to bring “healing” to Thebes once again. Bacchus is described as the leader of a heavenly choir, and the child of him “who dwells in light” (Zeus). The Chorus requests him to bring joy back to the city

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Notes
In this interlude, the Chorus sings a dithyramb in praise of the god Dionysus. The dithyramb was developed into a literary genre by the poet, Arion. The dithyramb became popular among the Greek playwrights in 509 B.C. The dithyrambic Chorus did not wear masks.
Sophocles introduces the dithyramb not merely as a matter of literary tradition, but because Dionysus was the son of Semele, a princess of Thebes. Therefore, Dionysus is identified as a Theban deity, who protects the interests of Thebes. It is only natural, therefore, that the Theban Chorus should pray to him for help and ask him to heal their “violent woe.” Like the ordinary citizens of Thebes, the Chorus hopes for peace and security

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Dionysus is described as a god who brings joy and soothes cares. His followers, the nymphs, were female personifications of natural objects, such as trees, rivers and mountains. The nymphs of the Corycian grove looked after Dionysus when he was young. Thus, Dionysus lived amidst nature’s beauties. The Chorus describes how on the heights of Mount Nysa, praises are sung to Dionysus by his followers, who include Satyr, Sileni Maenads and Bassarids, all of whom were collectively known as the “Bacchi.”
In the last stanza the Chorus requests Dionysus to bring back prosperity and security to Thebes. Thus the Chorus demonstrates the belief that the lives of men are determined by the gods, or by Fate. The Chorus laments that Thebes is full of “violent woe.” It paints a Bacchic (or Dionysian) scene which reveals Dionysus surrounded by a choir comprising his followers, who sing and dance in ecstasy.

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The Exodus: Lines 1155-1242
Eurydice and the Messenger
Summary
A Messenger enters. He addresses the Chorus, telling them he would neither praise nor criticize any person, since the fortunes of each human being change swiftly. He remarks that nobody can come to any conclusion from mere observation. The messenger divulges that at one time he had envied Creon as a king and a powerful man, the ruler of Thebes. But now, the messenger asserts that Creon has “nothing.” He describes Creon as “a living corpse.” He asserts that although Creon is still materially rich, he (Creon) has no happiness left in life

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The Chorus wishes to know what “new affliction” has struck King Creon. The messenger replies that Haemon has died, by his own hand, as he was filled with rage at his father for causing the death of Antigone. The Chorus observes that Tiresias’ prophecy is beginning to come true. It now announces the entrance of “Creon’s unhappy wife, Eurydice.” The Chorus is unsure of whether Eurydice has heard the news of her son’s death.
Eurydice enters and addresses the Chorus of Thebes, telling them that she had just come to the gates of the temple of Pallas when she heard news of Haemon’s suicide. She still cannot believe it to be true and asks the messenger to relate the incident once more to her. She maintains that she is “no novice in adversity.”

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The messenger swears to tell Eurydice all that he has seen. He does not intend to tell lies that would soften the impact that the tale will have on Eurydice. He intends to tell her the whole truth, filled as it is with harsh facts. He reports how he followed Creon to the spot where the body of Polynices lay open. There, Creon and his men sought forgiveness from the gods of the Underworld, Persephone and Pluto. The body of Polynices was washed clean and then cremated. Following this, Creon and his followers went to the vault where Antigone was to be buried alive. On reaching it, they heard a loud and bitter cry. The messenger recalls that Creon, on hearing Haemon’s cry, ordered his men to enter the tomb. Creon’s men then entered the vault and found Antigone hanging in a noose of her own making. Haemon was discovered on his knees clinging to Antigone. The messenger reports that Creon had entered the tomb and had begged his son to leave Antigone’s body and to step away. But Haemon only scowled at his father and made an attempt to pierce Creon with his sword. When Creon fled from the tomb, Haemon killed himself with his sword, and in a dying embrace, he held onto Antigone’s body. After hearing all this, Eurydice quietly walks off

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Notes
The action has now moved to catastrophe. One learns about Antigone’s and Haemon’s deaths only by means of reportage, as the Greek playwrights of Sophocles’ time did not believe in depicting scenes of violence on the stage.
Once again, Sophocles attempts to create suspense by making the messenger ramble on for some time before he comes to the crux of the matter. From Antigone’s tragedy, the play now begins to become the tragedy of Creon’s family. Of course, Creon is no hero or man of nobility. However, his suffering is great enough in the end to make him appear as a tragic personage. The messenger himself is overcome with grief as he reports the scene to Eurydice.
In a single sentence, the messenger damns Creon, laying the entire blame for the deaths on him: “They are dead, and they that live/ Are guilty of the death

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Eurydice appears to have taken the messenger’s tale in stride, for she does not weep openly. But appearance is not reality, and she is to take her own life soon, due to her despair over Haemon’s death.
The scene of Antigone’s death, although not performed for the audience, is highly dramatic in description, and yet not unexpected. In an earlier scene, Haemon had already quarreled with his father regarding Antigone’s punishment. Haemon’s death is the result of Creon’s obstinacy: Creon was unwilling to bow down to his son’s demands, and he must now pay the price for being so stubborn. Antigone decides to take her own life. She preferred death by suicide to being walled up in a cave. Hers is a brave and noble death, and no cowardly suicide