connection between the ancient perspective of Antigone and contemporary life

You should develop your essay using the academic – persuasive mode of writing. However, you may include the descriptive and narrative modes of writing in the body of your essay. You must have a point of view. You must have a clear, concise thesis statement in the first paragraph of your essay. Then, you should provide at least three (3) examples of supporting evidence in the introductory paragraph, or by the second (2nd) paragraph. Your conclusion should paraphrase and expand upon your opening. In addition, your essay should include logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion as well as between body paragraphs that include evidential support (https://english.purdue.edu). This assignment is worth 25 points towards your final grade: Content 12 pts, Structure 8 pts, Mechanics 5 pts. You will upload your essay to Safe Assign by Mon. 10-30-17.

In preparation for this assignment we have close read and discussed Antigone by Sophocles – Intro. and Trans. by Meineck & Woodruff, as well as distributed and read two handouts: Classical Natural Law Theory – http://www.iep.utm.edu/natlaw/ and Gorsuch’s chance to correct Scalia on the Constitution, The Washington Post, by George Will. Additionally, we have watched sections of Jean Anouilh’s adaptation of Sophocles’ Antigone, paying specific attention to the discussion between Creon and Antigone which includes the punctuated statement by King Creon “It’s just Politics!” A textual analysis of the fiery exchange between Creon and Antigone provides the difference in approach between Sophocles and Anouilh.

Specifically, for this assignment, we see that Sophocles and Jean Anouilh have a different take on politics that may embody similar and different ancient and modern cultural norms and values; Creon tells us “It’s just Politics!” What does Sophocles tell us (376-775) about Creon’s Theban politics? In The Play of Power, Eisenstein et al (1996) offer a broad definition of politics to which we will refer during our spring 2018 Midterm writing assignment. Eisenstein et al formally state: “Politics consists of influence processes involving both conflict and cooperation, and occurring both within and outside of government, that authoritatively determine for a wide range of groups who get what, when, and how” (p. 8).

Moreover, the handouts serve to define and illuminate Natural Law, thus connecting the ancient perspective to contemporary life. The handouts also highlight Paul Woodruff’s introductory statement on the “God’s unfailing Unwritten Laws (p. xxvii & 456-9). Your assignment is to compare and contrast the renditions offered by Sophocles and Anouilh employing three (3) of the following timeless and universal themes in Sophocles’ inexorable tragedy, Antigone (anti – against & gone – birth): 1) unwritten natural law, 2) written law, 3) loss and grief, 4) rest for the tormented soul, 5) women’s power and morality, 6) the state, 7) powerlessness, 8) cultural hegemony, 9) war & treachery, 10) men’s unyielding authority, 11) good and obedient vs bad and obdurate, 12) Antigone’s values, 13) Creon’s values, 14) fate, 15) autonomy, 16) gender and sex, 17) class and status, and 18) agency.