After I read this tragic Greek drama Antigone, I felt that this is actually a very good story that had many meaningful perspectives behind it. In this drama, it mentions about the perspectives of what is mean to be loyalty to a country/city, what action will consider being treasonous, and the king Creon’s opinion about how money can lead to evil action. There are many great thoughts that coming from this drama, and what I interested in is two types of behavior, or say attitude towards to our life: to be like a candle or firework.
The background of drama Antigone is based on a city called Thebes, and from the conversation between Antigone and her sister Ismene, we know that their brother have killed each other in the battle; one fought for the city of Thebes, and another considered to be a traitor who fought for the enemy of Thebes. Also in the conversation about whether they should ignore the law and bury the brother who died as a traitor, or just leave it because the king strictly prohibits anyone to bury the body, Antigone and Ismene present two different life attitudes, which I may represent as “firework and candle.” Antigone’s attitude and opinion is that as a sister, she have to bury both of her brothers regardless whether they are honored or dishonored; she willing to do it because she thinks that it is her obligation to do as a family member. Also, she indicates that even if she will be putting in death penalty for bury the body, she still thinks that it is a great honor to do so, and her death will be a glory. Antigone’s attitude is like a firework, strong, unconstrained, shine brightly, but it won’t last long. Antigone will do regardless about the law, but follow what is truly right in her heart; she’s not afraid of deathly restrictions, but only focuses on her loyalty for her family, and it is her glory to do so. Compare to Antigone, her sister Ismene’s attitude is more legally fit into her society. She is afraid of death, she want to be obedient to the king, and she does not think Antigone’s idea is good. Ismene’s characteristic is more like a candle, mild, submissive, and it can last long.
In my perspective, to be like a firework, we have to have lots of courage, and firmly solid faith to things that we insist on, and it is never easy to be one. Most of the time, we are ordinary people like candles, peaceful, mild, obedient to the manmade laws and certain society norms in our life. The question is, when one day we realize that the law or society goes wrong and unfair, will we have the courage to take a stand and fight against it, like Antigone? Or should we choose to adopt it and let it be? Fireworks’ strong, unconstrained beauty or candles’ mild, long last life is what we have to choose to be.
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