Antigone (1961) User Reviews

A Greek Tragedy of Sophocles

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 1 August 2009]

In Thebes in ancient Greece, King Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother Jocasta, having two sons – Eteocles and Polyneices – and two daughters – Ismene and Antigone. King Oedipus dies a beggar in the exile after gouging out his own eye, and Eteocle agrees to reign in Thebes in alternating years with Polynices. However, he refuses to resign after the first year and Polynieces raises an army and attacks Thebes, and they kill each other.

The ruler of Thebes Creon (Manos Katrakis) decrees that Eleocles should have an honorable burial while the body of the traitor Polyneices should be left on the battlefield to be eaten by the jackals and vultures. However, Antigone (Irene Papas), who was betrothed to Creon's surviving son Haemon (Nikos Kazis), defies Creon's orders and buries her brother. When Creon is reported of the attitude of Antigone, he sentences her to be placed in a tomb alive. Antigone hangs herself in the tomb and Haemon tries to kill his father first and then he kills himself with his sword. When Creon's wife Eurydice (Ilia Livykou) is informed of the death of her son, she also commits suicide, leaving Creon alone.

The theatrical "Antigoni" is a nice feature about the famous Greek tragedy of Sophocles focused in Antigone, the incestuous daughter of Oedipus and therefore also his half-sister and Jocasta's granddaughter. The movie begins with an important big picture of Thebes and the major characters of that period, and is extremely well acted. This is the first time that I watch this movie and I saw it in an American VHS. I only regret the quality of the subtitles that are visibly too much summarized since there are long speeches of characters that are translated in two or three words in English. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

Pride Goes Before A Fall...

[Spondonman · 8/10 · 18 June 2014]

...Or, Two Rights Make A Wrong. Over the years I've seen many versions of Antigone, both films and TV and even read two translations of the timeless tale by Sophocles but I was mainly interested in seeing this one as I've never heard it spoken in Greek before. Can't understand a word; whether it makes it more authentic or not is debatable - and after digesting all the concepts in the play whether you need another idea to debate is also debatable – but it certainly adds another dimension.

Strong minded woman Antigone wants to bury her brother Polyneices returned from exile who kills but is killed in battle by her other brother Eteocles who is feted as Thebes' saviour and given a hero's burial. Wilful King Creon decrees death to anyone honourably burying the traitor Polyneices bringing calamity and endless moral dilemmas for all concerned. Antigone is excellently played by Irene Papas, fresh from The Guns of Navarone the year before. This is Sophocles whizzed through in eighty minutes, concentrating on this wilfulness, pride and refusal to listen either to their gods, counsel or commonsense. It's been a salutary lesson for all people but especially despots and politicians of all eras; some wilfully blind leaders lead nations to war and destruction with their gods on their side and in the aftermath justify themselves even if it means black must be white…and vv too of course. The ever modern tragedies are that the despots and politicians never heed the lessons in here though and indeed that ordinary people still desire shepherds to lead them. Without going into any of the moral and ethical points raised (plenty mentioned in other comments here) as a film it's a reasonable effort and well acted and engrossing enough although I'd always imagined Thebes to be a little grander somehow. If you're still unsure: memorable, lots to chew over but absolutely no laughs.

Socratic argument through Antigone

[mbroullire · 7/10 · 3 June 2013]

Antigone, written by Sophocles, is a characteristic Greek tragedy where the city's king, Creon, is faced with a moral dilemma that eventually hastens his fall from grace. Set in antiquity, the movie's plot is designed to question presupposed ideas of justice and wisdom as they were seen through the ancient Greek perspective.

In the movie, the protagonist, Antigone, is faced with a moral dilemma after her king, Creon, orders that her brother should be left unburied (a terrible punishment in ancient Greek culture since it would prevent his passage through the river Styx). Eventually, Despite the king's decree, Antigone decided that her brother's death with-out burial was unjust and challenged Creon's authority to prevent his burial by performing the ritual herself. After the discovery of her crime, Creon sentences Antigone to death – an act that created a great deal of unpopularity in the kingdom and incited lines of questioning very similar to contemporary Socratic arguments.

Creon's decision to sentence Antigone to death and her brother to a hellish afterlife were seen as unjust and despotic by the people of Thebes and caused his wisdom/authority to be questioned. Since ancient Greeks believed that the Sovereign set the morality of their city state, the act of questioning alone represents Socratic argument. Sophocles sets up questioning, in a manner very similar to Socratic arguments made through Euthyphro and Apology, by using Creon's own son and oracle to test Creon's judgment in an attempt to show that just being a king does not make someone wise or knowledgeable of justice.

The morality of Antigone eventually surfaces after Creon's fall from grace. At the end of the movie, Creon finally sees the error of his ways but Sophocles uses his downfall to express how even king's judgment can be governed through hubris instead of actual wisdom.

A Greek rendition of a Greek classic, this film has remained with me for 40 years.

[SmilinJack · 8 October 2001]

This film, seen in my youth, has etched itself indelibly into my psyche. Achingly bleak, this story of a sister's love is portrayed in a classical style, with Irene Pappas powerfully projecting the character of the title role. This is a worthwhile way to use your valuable time.

The Search for Justice

[kalyroyster12993 · 7/10 · 3 June 2013]

In the film Antigone, the debate on what is just and unjust is presented. This theme is of course a very popular topic in Greek literature. The Greek philosopher, Socrates, questioned many times what to follow based on what is considered just. The film depicts the character Antigone going against King Creon's decree by doing what she considers just, but ultimately, she died standing up for her cause. Creon, who is the current king to the city of Thebes, has recently taken the throne after the exile and death of the previous king, Oedipus, and the death of his two sons, Polyneices and Eteocles. After Oedipus left Thebes, his two sons were left to switch back and forth being king of the city. The first brother to have a turn was Eteocles. When the time came for his reign to end, he of course, did not want to give up his noble position. So based on his brother's inability to step down, Polyneices decide to revolt and started a war against the city of Thebes. Ultimately, both brothers were killed in the battle. After their deaths, Creon took the throne, and since Polyneices was the one who started the war, Creon deemed him a traitor and Eteocles a hero for defending the city. For Creon's first edict as king, he declares that Eteocles will receive a rightful burial, but Polyneices' body will be left in the desert unburied since he was a traitor and does not deserve a rightful burial. Antigone, who is one of Polyneices and Eteocles' sisters, does not agree with this edict, and viewers too might have conflicting views on this edict. Antigone is faced with the tough decision to either follow the unwritten laws of the gods that say to bury the body or the written laws of the city that say to follow the king's command. Antigone struggles with her decision, but since she sees Polyneices as her brother and not as a traitor, she rebels against the laws of the city and follows what the gods' command. Similarly, in the book Apology, the author Plato transcribes Socrates' speech of defending himself against living a philosophical life. Socrates too had to make a similar decision like Antigone to either follow the god that told Socrates to live his philosophical life, or follow the city's command of him stopping his philosophical life. Socrates, like Antigone, chose to follow the god because he thought it was more just to follow the god than to follow the city's laws in that situation. Due to them both rebelling against their cities' laws, Socrates and Antigone were both sentenced to death. Creon did not want her blood on his hands, so he left the decision up to Antigone to either live or die. Antigone eventually killed herself since she was put in a cave to die. She knew that she was ultimately going to be judged by the gods, so in her mind since she followed the gods' commands, she exemplified justice and had nothing to lose by ending her life for her just cause. At this point in the film, viewers may feel bad for Antigone's death since she was only trying to do the right thing, or they could agree that she broke the laws, and therefore, her death was justified. Socrates too decided to face his death instead of escaping. However, in the book Crito, Socrates reasons for facing his punishment were because the laws of the city told him to do so not the god. Because of this change in who to follow, one could argue that it seems as if it is just to follow both the laws of the city and the gods, but it may depend on the situation and person. So as a viewer of the film Antigone; however, we see that it is more just to follow the gods, because in the end they stopped hearing the prayers of the city and turned against Thebes because of King Creon's actions.

Director's Purpose

[gentendo · 10/10 · 12 October 2007]

I believe the director's purpose was to persuade the audience to consider the following argument: Man is given only a limited number of chances to change his unrighteous/stubborn behavior into something more righteous, just and humble. If man refuses to submit to these chances, thereby procrastinating his repentance until the end, he not only causes unnecessary suffering upon others, but also upon himself. This theme is illustrated through Creon in four ways.

Creon is given many chances throughout the film to change from stubborn tyrant to humble citizen—one who is equal and open-minded with everyone else. His first opportunity to change occurs through the exchange of words he has with his son, Haemon. Haemon attempts to persuade his father to free Antigone by stimulating his mind to reason. He graciously tells his father that he respects him, and that he will submit to his will if it be just. However, Haemon does not believe his father's will is just, and attempts to open his mind to other truths that exist outside his narrow perspective—namely, the truth of what Antigone did for her brother was noble and laudable. Haemon also gives a metaphor to what will happen to his father if he does not submit to humility: "Pliant trees survive even the fiercest storms. But rigid trees will break and collapse in the slightest wind." Even hearing the Chorus say that the words of his son are worth giving attention to, Creon is too dogmatic at this point. It's going to take a lot more to change his heart.

His second opportunity to change is given to him through Antigone's last testimony before she is sentenced to dwell forever in the cave. Feeling that death is about to overtake her, she cries out to Creon, asking him what she has done wrong—what law she has broken. She admits that if her action is wrong, she will repent of her sins. But she also admits and prophesies that if her accuser is wrong, that the same death and curse placed upon her will also come upon him. This is a foreshadow of what was yet to take place to Creon, a man who continued to act as the rigid tree his son earlier warned him about (kind of like an Abinadi moment). Still, Creon is set in his ways and refuses to renounce his unrighteous judgments.

His third opportunity to change seems to be the most effective in softening his heart. Knowing that the prophet has never been wrong about any foretold prediction, the blind prophet foretells the terrible fate that lies at Creon's discretion if he does not change. These words carry heavy weight into Creon's heart, causing him to now consider freeing Antigone and burying Polynices.

The fourth opportunity comes from the Chorus. Upon contemplating the prophet's words, Creon announces, "Tell me what I must do and I will do it." The Chorus reproaches the king and tells him that he must free Antigone and bury Polynices in order for the curse to be removed. However, by the time he acts on this advice—which was the advice he was given all along—it is too late. Antigone, Haemon, and his wife all end up killing themselves as a result of Creon's procrastination. He now finds himself in a world of pain, having finally learned to comply with obedience through the things in which he suffered, but was now too late to do anything about. The last scene where Creon is escorted outside the walls of the kingdom produced a haunting image for me in what will happen to those who procrastinate the day of their repentance. Those who do so will, in a like manner, be escorted outside the celestial gates by the sentinels that guard them—keeping the impure and unholy out.

The virtues of one versus the virtues of another

[briandyson10 · 7/10 · 5 June 2013]

Antigone begins with a battle just having ended in Thebes. Polynieces has rebelled against his brother Eteocles after he refused to renounce the throne as he had agreed to do so. Thebes then comes under the control of Creon who rules that Eteocles is to have an honorable burial while Polynieces is to remain above ground. Creon saw Polynieces as a traitor of the town and undeserving of an honorable burial. Antigone, sister of Polynieces and Eteocles, decides to defy Creon's orders and bury her brother. As a result, she is sentenced by Creon to live the remainder of her days confined in a cave. Haemon, Creon's son, tries desperately to change his father's opinion but is unable to do so.

Once Antigone is placed in the cave she makes the decision to hang herself. Haemon, going against his father's orders, opens the cave and finds the woman he loves dead. Haemon immediately returns home to confront his father and attempts to kill him. When he realizes this is futile, he decides to kill himself instead. Once Eurydice, the wife of Creon, learns of the death of her son she too commits suicide. In the end, Creon is alone due to the fact that he was unwilling to reconsider his punishment.

This movie raises the question of whether or not the virtues of one are more important than the virtues of others. Antigone was trying to ensure that her brother received an honorable burial so that he could proceed to the afterlife; she had an obligation to do this because he was her brother. Creon, on the other hand, made the edict and felt as though he must adhere to it because if he did not his subjects would think that he was weak and that they could do as they pleased. The movie, in my opinion, shows the need for reason and compassion when dictating laws that others must follow; one must consider the virtues of others while at the same time maintaining the peace and keeping order.

I leave this earth with my life unspent

[brogmiller · 8/10 · 20 February 2020]

The play 'Antigone', written by Sophocles in 441 BC is not just a great piece of theatre but also raises political, ethical and philosophical issues which render it timeless. The blind Tiresias upbraids King Creon with 'All tyrants are gluttons for their ill-gotten power' and warns him that he will pay a terrible price for having denied Polyneices burial and condemning Antigone to entombment. Athenians at the time would certainly have related to the folly of tyranny. Unlike most 'absolute rulers' he relents but alas too late. This is a very accomplshed adaptation by writer/director Yorgos Tzavallas with a fine score by Argyris Kournadis. The cast is uniformly excellent. The striking Irene Papas, no stranger to tragic Greek heroines on both stage and screen, deservedly won an award at the Berlin International Film Festival for her performance as Antigone. Her character arouses our sympathy but one should not forget that her grim fate and the play's tragedy stems as much from her own stubbornness as from Creon's intractability. Manos Katrakis is absolutely stupendous as Creon. He too was recognised for his performance at the International Film Festival in San Francisco. Papas and Katrakis went on to excel in 'Electra' for Cacoyannis two years later. One does not have to be a classical scholar to appreciate this first class film but should seeing it arouse ones interest in the wonders of Greek tragedy then it has more than served its purpose.

Ethical Dilemmas of Antigone

[austinmalcom7 · 6/10 · 1 June 2013]

Antigone is faced with an ethical dilemma at the beginning of the tragedy when King Creon ordered that one of her brothers, Eteocles, would be given the burial of a hero. Her other brother, Polynices, was to be left outside of the city unburied for wild animals to pick apart. Anyone who disobeyed this decree would be put to death. Antigone is forced to make a life-altering decision: to risk death and bury her brother or to go against the will of the gods. Antigone decides to go against the will of the King and bury her brother. No one knows that it was her who went against the king. After the king has his men uncover the body, the guards of the body catch her burying him a second time. Was her action justified? In her defense, she proclaims that the gods order that he must be buried. In Euthyphro, however, it was determined that an action is not just simply because the gods command it. Furthermore, there was no need to bury him a second time, especially in broad daylight. This shows that it was no longer about honoring her brother or the gods; she wanted to spite the king.

After her decision, King Creon is forced into an equally challenging ethical dilemma. He must decide to follow through with his word and sentence her to death or to have mercy on her. Despite his son and other's belief that it was a noble deed, the king believes that his power and authority will be jeopardized if he lets her live. He orders that Antigone be sealed in a tomb and left for dead. King Creon changes his mind, but it is too late. Antigone hung herself in her tomb. This triggers a causal chain, in which his son and his wife also commit suicide. He is left alone to suffer the consequences of his decision. The inflexibility of both parties caused the tragedy to occur.

Needs viewing thrice.

[Bernie4444 · 10/10 · 8 October 2023]

It is true the more knowledge of the play by Sophocles and of Greek plays, in general, the more you can appreciate this rendition. However, the interesting thing about this presentation is you can start from ground zero and come away with everything the tragedy is about. Even though the story is well known, I will not go through it in case this is your first time.

There is an introduction to bring you up to date from Oedipus through his descendants and history to today where you meet Antigone and her sister Ismene. Their decisions are partially ordained and those of the new king Creon decide the outcome. You may find yourself quoting this play as you would Shakespeare's plays.

The reason for watching it multiple times is the first time around you may be busy reading the subtitles of which some flash and are gone. The second time around you may keep an eye on the acting. Third, you will get used to the Greek and even if you do not speak it, you will find much filled in that was not subtitled. By now you will be hooked and have to watch it periodically.

Actions and the consequences that come from them.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 16 September 2020]

For those of us who were assigned reading the tragedies of "Oedipus" and "Antigone" in school, this Greek film is a great visual aide to the second Sophocles play. There's a brief recap of the last days of King Oedipus, the tragedies that befell his two sons and the conflict between his surviving daughters of what to do in the light of new King Creon's edict that the traitorous brother not be given a proper burial. Knowing what this means, one of the daughters, Antigone, takes matters into her own hands which results in severe punishment by King Creon. But the curse of a Greek wise man forces the King to change his mind. Unfortunately, It is too late, and the consequences for the king are even more tragic.

Even in Greek and black and white with English subtitles, this is stunning both for research purposes and for dramatic entertainment. Irene Papas is a strong and stunning Antigone, commanding and mesmerizing. Manos Katrakis as King Creon builds up in power as the tables turn on him.

For students of classic Greek tragedy and ancient theater, this is interesting as a view of what it may have looked like for the characters in the play as this is as rustic a civilization as you could ever hope to survive in. It is fine for one sitting for those looking for entertainment, or to be broken down into individual acts for classroom instruction. It is interesting that the perfect break comes halfway through the film and that would be the way to show it for teachers with classes with this type of literary interest.

Movie Review 1

[jenniejen2010 · 6/10 · 5 June 2013]

At the beginning of the movie, Isme exhibits self-preservation when she does not want to help Antigone bury their brother, Polynieces. She values her own life above honorably burying her dead kin. Their other brother, Eteocles, deserved an honorable burial according to the king since he was not a traitor. The king decrees that Polnieces be left to the wild animals to devour because the gods willed it. Antigone is not worried about preserving her own life because she feels like she has a higher calling to respect the dead, especially when it is your own family. She knows by burying Polynieces she could be ordered to be put to death by the king who is also her uncle. However, she feels there is an unwritten law given by the gods which is greater than his law that the dead should be buried. The king is in a position to where he is supposed to govern the city by its laws which is not to bury the enemy near the city. Obviously, he is valuing the law over his family because Isme, Polynieces, Eteocles, and Antigone are his nieces and nephews.

The story is very comparable to the trial of Socrates. Socrates felt like his philosophizing was a service to the gods. The city of Athens accused him of creating new gods and corrupting the minds of the youth. He is placed on trial and sentenced to death because of the charge.

Socrates, like Antigone, chose death over not obeying the laws of the city because they valued their own beliefs. In both stories, there could have possibly been room for compromise. It was noble that the King and the city of Athens were trying to enforce the laws of the land. However, it appeared they did not even consider the views of Socrates or Antigone. In fact, the King regrets his decision to sentence Antigone to death after she has already died. It is not clear whether the city of Athens deemed their decision appropriate after Socrates died.

Justice is when there is harmony between society and individuals. In the story of Antigone, it seemed like the death of Antigone caused more chaos than harmony. By the time the King realizes he had been stubborn in the sentencing, his son, wife, and niece have committed suicide. It seems it would have been more just to give Polynieces some type of burial. If the King had decided to bury him, so much of his family would not have died. Like Antigone, Socrates was no longer living harmoniously with Athens because he was convicted of disobeying their laws. Socrates never made new gods; he just had different views of the gods Athens served. It seems Athens framed him and caused chaos by trying him. It was the city of Athens against Socrates at his trial. Because the city deemed his actions unjust, he was killed even though he did not technically disobey the law.

let's trying judging it without its classical heritage

[deschreiber · 5/10 · 31 July 2010]

Most people who watch this film will be doing it in order to see an example of a classic Greek tragedy. They will be satisfied. It is dignified, stately, and absolutely dripping with fate, destiny, and tragedy.

But what if you are more like an average movie-goer? Does it hold up under more normal criteria? I think it does to some extent, but not particularly well. The plot is started at the very beginning of the opening scene as Antigone expresses her determination to bury her dead brother, and everything else follows inevitably - the entire story is plot-driven. It's a rather simple plot, but it does carry you along. I'm not sure there's a lot more that's really compelling about the film. It's pretty stagey, with actors and extras forming nice patterns, as if lining up with chalk lines on the floor. Although there are a number of small processions and such, this is not a costume epic with a cast of thousands and crane shots filling the screen with colourful eye candy. It's filmed in black and white. Is the acting good? Sure, but bear in mind that the range of emotions is quite limited, and characters pretty much talk in set speeches. They do imbue their dignified speeches with the correct emotions and make them sound sincere.

But, to be honest, I don't think you would recommend this film to anyone unless they had a pre-existing interest in classical Greek drama.

Moral and Ethical Grounds Shaping Characters in Antigone

[burnum-686-537338 · 15 May 2013]

Moral claims do not give rise to philosophical grounds. Yet, In Antigone it is clear that moral actions prompt philosophical questions, and inherently make good drama.

This review acts as a strict focus on how moral and ethical points are made throughout the film, and how they act as catalysts to progress the story and keep the viewer involved. Be it known that I have not read the Sopheclean text of Antigone, and fully derive all of my comments and criticisms solely within the boundaries of the film.

The character flaws present in the film mostly derive from wayward and distorted adherences to moral ideologies. For example, Antigone's ethical and moral backbone throughout the film is guided by powerful intangibles like love and loneliness, which makes her rash and at times misguided. Creon's moral code is also in knots as he acts as a Euthyphro in the fact that he is conflicted and contradictory to many of his beliefs that shape him, i.e. his aforementioned moral code.

Values undoubtedly shaped the society of Ancient Greece. Loyalty was a cornerstone value in this society, yet loyalty drifts and fades as tides turn in Antigone. For example, as Creon is crowned King of Thebes he is shown immediate support as the new benevolent King, yet mourning for Oedipus, or any mention of him whatsoever is non existent. Is this a loyal Thebes? Though support of Creon was warranted by his grace, the remembrances of a fallen king laid flat.

As Creon sits on his thrown surrounded by his court he states, "The country's foe is always mine." Little did Creon know that he was the biggest threat to his country, and thus his own foe. Because of the nature of Greek Tragedies and the intuition of most people, the common viewer could understand this at first glimpse. It was clear that Creon's hubris and pride would be his downfall.

Antigone, acting as the protagonist in the film, is the embodiment of good. Yet, contradictions within her moral ideology leads to questioning what "good" actually is. Is her entire moral and ethical embodiment good? Is it her choices of which moral standpoints to act upon that are what is good? Or is it her actions that are good? Simply put, Antigone is a walking paradox. It is impossible to know what is good. Acting against Zeus due to her undying love and care for her brother, or burying her brother because it is just in the Gods' eyes to do so. Both are contradictory and both can be good.

It is clear that both the protagonist and antagonist have inner conflicts. Their inner ideologies contradict. What makes one a "protagonist" and another an "antagonist" lies in the fact that the shared ideologies between them also conflict. Inner contradictions within an individual which conflict with another individuals already clashing ideologies makes it impossible to know who is right and who is wrong. Both characters were acting upon the same ethical grounds. They acted to safeguard human law, religious law, and family values. Is it then that moral grounds are shaped by convenience and circumstance? Does one's moral backbone fit the skeleton of a different distortion of themselves? Is moral rectitude a variable of space and time? Is it the contradictions of moral standpoints that are convenient because they can be malleable to fit any form? These are the questions that I believe the film poses.

The film does a fantastic job at examining exactly what grants a legitimate moral claim or action, which most people are curious about. Reason is man's most precious gift, and by the will of nature, the tone of his reasoning is determined by his moral code.

Antigone in relation to Plato and Socrates

[adyn12 · 6/10 · 4 June 2013]

Antigone is an old Greek play turned movie that is about family, civil (dis)obedience, and commands of the gods. In the film, King Creon has just occupied the throne and has commanded that Eteocles, the previous ruler, have a royal burial while Polyneices, Eteocles' brother, has been declared a traitor and is to be left to the birds. (I'll give a little bit of the backdrop here simply for clarification purposes. The two brothers, Polyneices and Eteocles have two sisters, Ismene and Antigone; they are all the children of the previous king, Oedipus, and were born out of incest. When King Oedipus vacated the throne, his two sons agreed to rule together; obviously this did not work out as planned, so Polyneices raised an army to attack the city and overthrow his brother. They met on the battlefield and killed each other; right after this is where the movie begins).

King Creon proclaimed that anyone who was caught trying to bury Polyneices would be stoned to death. Antigone wants to bury her brother anyway because she believes that it is against the gods' will not to give him a proper burial. This is synonymous to the Greek philosopher Socrates, who claimed he must live the philosophical life by questioning Athens' "wise men" on their self-proclaimed knowledge. He said that this was a command by the gods, and that he was doing his city a service; therefore, he would not stop living a philosophical life even if the cities' rulers command it. Antigone is caught with her brother's corps, King Creon has her buried alive in a cave. Antigone accepts her sentence with dignity, claiming that she did right by the gods for burying her brother.

In the Apology, Socrates is sentenced to death by the city since he will not abstain from his questioning lifestyle. Similarly to Antigone, Socrates knew he would be found guilty and accepts his fate calmly. Both protagonists stuck with their moral beliefs rather than bending to the pressure of man; they felt it would be better to die than to live in disobedience to the gods.

At one point, Socrates questioned a man named Euthyphro about the meaning of piety. Euthyphro gives multiple definitions throughout the dialogue for what piety is: doing what is pleasing to all the gods, the part of justice which is concerned with care of the gods, and praying and sacrificing to the gods. Socrates finds holes in each of these definitions however, and the conversation ends unsatisfactorily. I believe Euthyphro would have told Antigone that she was correct on obeying the gods and honoring her brother; he also would have told the king that he was just in punishing Antigone despite her being engaged to his son.

Socrates taught that obeying the gods was more important than obeying human law. However, in Crito his friend tries to convince Socrates to run away from his death sentence and Socrates refuses because he doesn't want to disregard the laws of the city, thus weakening the state. Haemon, Creon's son does not outright tell his father, thus the law, that he is wrong in punishing Antigone. Merely that Creon ought to think it over and change his mind. Because he does not, Haemon and Creon's wife ultimately commit suicide and Creon is left alone and unhappy. Not too many years after they put Socrates to death, the great city of Athens fell and it has since never returned to its previous glory.

Ethical Dilemmas in Antigone

[lesbrand10 · 6/10 · 3 June 2013]

The movie "Antigone" made justice a very large topic. Antigone buries her brother even though King Creon had ordered everyone to leave him unburied and untouched. The grounds for Antigone's moral claim were her religion and her family values. Antigone believed in the unspoken rule of the gods, and she believed that burying her brother Polynices was a right and just act because of the gods. Antigone is indifferent to what is right and wrong unless it pertains to the gods. This reason is very closely linked to Socrates' reasons for his actions. Socrates is sent to court because he is charged with corrupting the youth and not believing in gods. Socrates claims that he could not have been acting unjustly because the gods ordered him to go search for someone that was less knowledgeable than he. When the courts claim that he has been acting wrongly, Socrates claims that he will not stop living a philosophical life even if the courts tell him to. Likewise, Antigone claims that she will not stop burying her brother even though the King has ordered her not to.

King Creon claims that Antigone committed an unjust act because she disobeyed him, and the king demands obedience whether his rules are right or wrong. This ties in with Socrates' argument that one must never do wrong, return an injustice for an injustice, or mistreat others. Even though Antigone knew that the King's orders were not just, she should not have buried her brother Polynices because that was a wrong act. She should not have returned the injustice of the king ordering the people not to bury P with disobeying the king by burying him. If the laws were to ask Antigone if they had made an agreement, Antigone would have said yes. Because she was a resident of that city and was ordered to adhere to its laws, her action of burying her brother was unjust.

Loyalty

[apwebb93 · 6/10 · 4 June 2013]

The question of where does your loyalty lie when the objects of it seem to conflict is central to this movie. On the one hand, Antigone must remain loyal to her brother and is obligated to bury him. On the other hand, it was forbidden to bury enemies of the city near it. The only real problem I have with this movie is that there was nothing stopping her from burying her brother further from the city. While in the movie the command is that he shall not be buried, in actuality there was no such rule; only that it could not be near the city. But I suppose that would result in a boring movie. Even though she seemed to go against the commands of the gods, it was the ruler who ended up being punished by the gods for retaliating against Antigone. What does this tell us? Perhaps that commitments to family are stronger than to the law; but if this were so how would the city's existence be possible? Clearly the laws are more important. Perhaps the only thing that really irked the gods was the way in which the ruler handled the situation. Executing Antigone went too far and insulting the prophet of the gods sealed his fate. Where do our true loyalties lie? Our society or our family? Are they one and the same? Overall a decent movie. If you have a bit of time to ill I recommend you check this movie out.

Justice

[asdf4-693-788396 · 4/10 · 23 May 2013]

Antigone represents the epitome of philosophical thought in antiquity. The ruler in Creon is set opposite to the loyal sister in Antigone. The ethical dilemma presented in the film is much like Plato's works: Euthyphro and Republic. Creon, as the ruler Thebes, thinks it just to not bury the fallen enemies near the city as it would disgrace the city. Antigone on the other hand feels it just to her fallen brother, a confederate to the previous regime, that he be given a proper burial in regard to his and Antigone's beliefs in the Gods.

The conflict gets its genesis from a varying view of what is just or the right thing to do. Take Plato's dialogue between Socrates and Euthyphro in Euthyphro. Euthyphro explains to Socrates that something pious (just, good) is something unanimously loved by the Gods. Socrates raises the question as to whether the gods love the pious because it is the pious or whether something pious is only pious because it is loved by the gods. The circular dilemma present by Euthyphro brings a question to Antigone. Is she right for wanting her brother buried and disrupting edicts by Creon's rule? Is her pious belief in the Gods something she ought to uphold? Does the good or justice in her brother's burial supersede Creon's rule? Additionally, in Plato's Republic Thraseymachus explains to Socrates that the just is the advantage of the stronger, and that it is just to obey one's rulers. Socrates argues against this conclusion but with weak premises. For Euthyphro, Antigone would be justified in wanting her brother buried in his religious fashion which would dictate his corpse not rotting in the woods. Thraseymachus on the other hand would say that the justice resides in the ruler, Creon, for better or worse. Which is right?

a fist of questions

[Kirpianuscus · 9 September 2023]

Easy to define it as inspired adaptation of Sophocles play. The superb Antigone proposed by Irene Papas, Creod isolated in his convinctions and fears and presumed vulnerabilitz, well performed by Manos Katrakis , Maro Kodou as Ismene or Ilia Lyvikou as Euridyce are the good reasons to see it as exceptional adaptation.

But the basic reason remains the option of Giorgos Tzavellas to suggest a direct interogation to audience.

Gestures in name of justice.

Laws and attitudes.

Radical answers against injustice.

And falls.

Indeed, all known from the Old Greek or Philosophy classes , from lectures of early ages , from other adaptations.

But the strong virtue of Irene Papas to be one with her character , maybe the language itself , maybe the set are details giving to this Antigoni a profound special status . And this makes it real different.

The Ethical Dilemmas in Antigone

[haidennunn · 3/10 · 23 May 2013]

The movie, Antigone is based on Sophocles' tragic play. It follows the play's plot perfectly, and does a great job showing the emotional responses of the characters. There is great turmoil within the city after Oedipus left because of exile. His two sons, Polynices and Eteocles are fighting with one another because Polynices raised an army to fight against Thebes. They ended up killing one another leaving Oedipus' two daughters, Antigone and Ismene. Creon was named king after Oedipus left, and he decided that a proper burial should happen for Eteocles, the brother that died as a hero defending his city. As for Polynices, King Creon decided that he was not worthy of a proper burial, and his body must be left unburied for the animals and scavengers. When Antigone heard his edict, she was shocked and upset that King Creon was not going to give both brothers a burial. She plotted against him and decided she would bury him herself. She goes to her sister Ismene for support in her decision, but Ismene wanted no part in Antigone's plan. When the people of Thebes discovered who buried Polynices' body, they were shocked. King Creon sentenced Antigone to death for disobeying his law even though she was engaged to his son, Haemon. He told his people that the laws are the laws and no one is exempt from them, not even his family. The plot quickly turns tragic when Antigone hangs herself in the cave she was sealed in. When Haemon finds her, he is so stricken with grief and anger that he lashes out at his father and ends up killing himself.

With this story, there are two major ethical dilemmas that the characters are faced with. Antigone's dilemma deals with her religion and belief that the Gods command all bodies to be buried, and they will cause unhappiness within the city and her family if these commands are not followed. She is also trying to grieve for her lost brother in the best way that she knows how, being a dedicated and honoring sister by burying his body. Antigone was handed a hard circumstance in which she had to choose between the honor and loyalty of her Gods and Family or choose to obey the King. King Creon's dilemma is the fact that his soon to be daughter-in-law disobeyed him, and he has to treat her like a regular citizen in order to maintain the respect he has from the citizens of Thebes. If she was pardoned from the law, other people would start to use that as an excuse to stop following the laws and orders of the King. These two dilemmas are in direct relation to Plato's idea of justice and what is right and wrong. According to Plato's accounts of Socrates' dialogues in Crito and Apology, justice is never doing wrong or causing harm to anyone. In this movie, Antigone felt that it was an injustice to her family and her brother to not bury his body, and it was wrong and unjust in the eyes of the Gods. As Euthyphro would say, it was an impiety to the Gods to leave his body unburied.

Review deals with moral dilemmas in Antigone

[mk01678 · 4/10 · 4 June 2013]

The plot of Antigone is about the city of Thebes having just come under new rule after the death of Oedipus, along with his two sons, Polynices and Eteocles. The city's new ruler, King Creon, is plotted against a citizen mourning her brother's death, Antigone. After the death of both of her brothers, Creon states that only Eteocles shall be given a proper burial because he died defending his city. On the other hand Polynices got together an army to fight against Thebes and died an enemy of the state. Antigone has the internal dilemma of choosing to obey her king or to obey the divine ruling of the Gods, and to honor her brother with a burial. The moral dilemmas presented in this film can be related to those in Plato's works, Euthyphro and Republic. The main question brought about it what is right or just? Antigone must question is the justice in her brother's burial a greater justice than Creon's rule? Euthyphro would argue yes, it would be justified to bury her brother in a religious fashion for he was a believer and its what the Gods would want, therefore, it is just and pious. In Plato's republic, Thraseymachus argues that just is the will of the stronger. He believes that a ruler must be obeyed. Thus in his perspective Antigone would have gone against what was right and just by going against her ruler, her king, Creon. The problem that we as the viewers must question then is how can you decide which justice is the greater one? Antigone apparently sees going against the will of the gods a s a greater injustice for she buries her brother despite Creon's demands. It is then King Creon who is placed in a difficult situation when his punishment to Antigone, his son's soon to be bride, causes her to hang herself and thus he tears apart the family. Though he once stated that a rule with exceptions is a weak rule, one can argue that the rules of morality must have exceptions, so are they therefore weak? Or are they stronger because they can be molded to fit any question. I saw the min questioned posed in the film as which injustice was greater, thus presenting each character with their own internal argument.

Memorable parts of the film having to do with morality: "How hard is it for a mind to be changed by force?"- King Creon "Reason is man's most precious gift, and by the will of nature, the tone of his reasoning is determined by his moral code."- Antigone, the movie

Morality in Antigone

[bleckleymk · 3/10 · 5 June 2013]

When Antigone's two brothers are killed, King Creon rules that only Polynices will be denied a proper burial because he died an enemy of the state. While Polynices died banding together with others against the city of Thebes, his brother Eteocles died defending the state. Antigone buries her brother Polynices even though the King ordered that he be neither touched nor buried. When caught, Antigone did not argue nor deny her actions, for she believed what she did was right. When banished to a cave, Antigone killed herself before the king could retract his punishment. The morality in question here is about the placement of Antigone's loyalty. Should she obey the commands of her God or the commands of her city's ruler? In Crito, Socrates claims that disobeying one's country is worse than disobeying one's mother and father; that doing so harms the soul, and makes life not worth living. Antigone's moral beliefs however were to obey the rules of her God and give her brother a proper burial, and rather than breaking those rules, she acted upon them and accepted her fate calmly just as Socrates did in the Apology. In Euthyphro, Socrates ponders over the meaning of "piety" with Euthyphro, and although a definition is never reached, many examples of piety are given. Actions that are pleasing to the gods, or that are concerned with the care of the gods are all pious actions and therefore good and moral. This is because the gods would not will anything that is immoral. I think that in Euthyphro and Socrates' opinion, Antigone's actions would be moral because she is acting upon her knowledge of the rules of the gods.

Justice vs. Morals in Antigone

[kjhylton225 · 2 June 2013]

Antigone is a tragic tale that centers on honor, justice and morals. The story takes place in Thebes soon after the city has been attacked. The movie begins with Antigone and Ismene being devastated after their two brothers killed each other in battle. Antigone tells Ismene how the new ruler, King Creon, is going to provide an honorable burial for Eteocles, but leave Polynieces unburied for the vultures to pick apart for his betrayal to Thebes. The Ancient Greeks held the honor of their cities in very high regard. The fact that Polynieces attacked the city that gave him his life was appalling to King Creon. King Creon based his decision off of divine law and what Zeus would want for betraying ones homeland and brother. This basis can be compared to Socrates' argument that he must obey the gods and his divine sign. King Creon believed he stood for justice and was doing the right thing by following the gods rule, yet in Euthyphro Socrates came to the conclusion that something is not right or just, just because the god commands it.

On the other hand, Antigone sees honoring her family and her love for her brother as the right thing to do. Antigone tells Ismene that she is going to give Polynieces a proper burial even if it goes against the King's command. Antigone also bases her decision on the unwritten law of the gods because she thinks it is higher in power than the King's edict not to bury her brother. After Antigone buries Polynieces he is unburied by the King's soldiers and they catch Antigone at the burial site when she returns to her brothers side a second time.

King Creon sentences Antigone to death without any deliberation. Haemon, King Creon's son, stands for reason and tells his father that others can be right too and one should not be so fast to judge. He tells his father how the city sees Antigone as noble, but they are too afraid to speak out against the King's verdict. This situation is similar to the trial of Socrates in that all parties on both sides say they believe in the gods and base their decisions off them, yet they all have differing views of what is right. Antigone believed she was following the rules of the gods and standing for the justice of her own blood. King Creon also believed he was following the god's laws and stood for the justice and values of the state. Socrates claimed to be obeying the command of the god and stood for all that is right and good (i.e. virtues, truth, fairness and justice). The jurymen in Socrates' trial accused him of being impious and used the justice of the laws to sentence Socrates to death. In both cases neither side showed any flexibility in what they saw as right and just. There is an ethical dilemma in that what is just is not always morally right and one should use reason to determine this rather than basing decisions solely off the gods command.