Essay on Antigone: Exploring Themes of The Good Life

This essay examines the character of Antigone, focusing on her role in relation to the concept of 'the good life'. It explores her defiance of societal norms, her unwavering commitment to family duty, and her embodiment of strong, independent female characteristics. The essay highlights Antigone's courage, her willingness to challenge authority, and her prioritization of familial obligations over personal safety. It discusses how Antigone's actions and motivations reflect her understanding of what constitutes a meaningful and fulfilling life. The analysis also touches upon the historical context of ancient Greece, including the limited rights of women and the societal expectations placed upon them. The author argues that Antigone serves as an inspirational figure, challenging those limitations and advocating for individual principles. The essay concludes by emphasizing Antigone's bravery and strong character as a model for others, particularly in her commitment to her beliefs and family, even in the face of adversity.

Running head: THE GOOD LIFE
The Good Life
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1THE GOOD LIFE
‘Antigone’ by Sophocles is a tragedy, a tragic character written before 441 BC. The
title of the play indicates that the character of Antigone is full of tragedy, whereas the plot
indicates Creon to be the tragic character. Both are of noble birth and proud, who endures a
mighty fall. The character of Creon is tragic in nature and he discovers his foolishness later.
Antigone is clever and understands what are destiny is, since the beginning. Fate plays a very
crucial role in ‘Antigone’ (Mediasite.video.ufl.edu.).
Being a citizen of Thebes, I would have taken the side of Antigone for many reasons.
 She is the protagonist of the play, who actually recognizes her duty regarding to her
family. She is stubborn in nature and in the play, her ideal feminine characteristics is
outlined.
 She didn’t obey Creon’s duty despite knowing all the consequences she might face
later, to honor her dead brother.
 Her love for family is a thing everyone should have.
 She has a very strong character and from the play’s beginning, she is very confident,
passionate and outspoken.
 Even after knowing the consequences, she did what she thought was correct. A
woman should stand up for herself and fight what she thinks is right, fearing nothing.
Antigone’s character is just like that, which is impressive.
 She is bold and fearless. Without anybody’s help, she buries her brother’s body. Even
she asks her sister to tell this to everyone as this is not some secret.
 She boldly and fearlessly followed her heart. Some might argue that she is shameless.
In my opinion, she is not, as she just carried out her family duties, without anybody’s
help. Her strong character is an inspiration to me.
 In the ancient Greece, women had limited rights and the society expected them to stay
at their homes, raising a family. Antigone’s character is the extreme opposite and

2THE GOOD LIFE
bold. She was not dominated by the societal limits and stood up for herself, when
nobody took her side. According to me, an ideal woman must be like this and
therefore, Antigone is my inspiration (Mediasite.video.ufl.edu.).

3THE GOOD LIFE
References
Mediasite.video.ufl.edu. "The Good Life - Antigone Part 1". Mediasite.video.ufl.edu, 2017.
Online. Internet. 19 Oct. 2017. . Available:
https://mediasite.video.ufl.edu/Mediasite/Play/d5672e6f03aa414baf7a1086c360f7de1d.
Mediasite.video.ufl.edu. "The Good Life - Antigone Part 1". Mediasite.video.ufl.edu, 2017.
Online. Internet. 19 Oct. 2017. . Available:
https://mediasite.video.ufl.edu/Mediasite/Play/d5672e6f03aa414baf7a1086c360f7de1d.