Sophocles vs. Anouilh: Comparing Two Versions of Antigone

Introduction

Antigone depicts the human tendency to resist accepting what is destined to be good for oneself, and in its later movement shows the pain and suffering that come from defying a higher order — the result of refusing to accept fate and circumstance. The counter side of human behavior shown in this dramatic poetry is that man, instead of following divine guidance, listens to an inner voice that is part of his conscience and gives in to his inner needs, desires, and compulsions. This leads to the ultimate and mysterious justification of man's actions, behavior, and eventually his life.

Sophocles is known for creating works in which the protagonist is more often than not struggling through an important moral war within, one that always concludes in tragedy due to a particular yet extreme character flaw. In his most celebrated work, Antigone, he executes the task of poetic drama as a beautiful tragedy. The typical Sophoclean theme is evident throughout: the fate of man when he defies the rules and destiny already put in place by God, the human stubbornness toward accepting what is supposed to be good for him, and the pain and suffering that follow from disobeying the divine order. In Antigone, Creon is used to describe the role of a hero who is met with tragedy at every turn. This tragic hero possesses a tragic flaw, and we can see that the will of the Gods is responsible for his downfall — he possesses hubris (Harkin, 2008).

There have been several adaptations of this play; the most prominent is by Jean Anouilh. His version was adapted in 1942, at the time when Nazi forces had occupied most of France. Taking the original theme of the play, Anouilh rewrote it in relation to the human sentiments and political state of that moment. By making Antigone an idealist, a conflict is drawn between her and her strict, unbending uncle Creon over the issue of providing her dead brother Polynices a proper burial — this forms the main conflict of the play. However, other interpretations are also revealed, most notably the struggle of the French Resistance Movement against the Vichy government during the Nazi occupation. Antigone is just one of several plays adapted by Anouilh that are based on Greek mythology. This play was the outcome of his profound disappointment and shock at the events of World War II, and is one among a series of adaptations he produced during this period. Others include Eurydice (1942) and Médée (first performed in 1937; published 1946).

This paper compares and analyzes both versions of the play and explores their common themes. The main focus is on how the themes are represented in accordance with the time in which each was written. Both plays also present characters who must make difficult choices in desperate circumstances; we will analyze those decisions and assess whether they were the right ones to make (Glissant, 1981). A character analysis of each play and a comparison between them will also be provided. Since Anouilh's version is an adaptation, consideration will be given to how Sophocles might have regarded it. The analysis will also include the implications of the plays for today's world and whether they retain significance. Finally, a judgment will be offered as to which play stands out more and why.

Comparison of Various Themes

Given that these plays were written in two different historical periods, with different strategies and motivations behind them, they nonetheless deliver the same message of difficult decisions and fate-filled tragedy (Glissant, 1981). Considering that the situations in both plays are different, the themes present will offer different approaches. Below, the different approaches taken toward the central themes of the play are analyzed.

Antigone by Sophocles is a deep comparison and contrast between two types of laws and justice that mankind follows: the divine religious laws and the human laws that govern states, cities, and countries. The central figure in the play is fate; the law of God is shown to govern all the characters' destinies, encompassing religious authority, customs, and traditions elevated to the status of supreme law. Questions regarding rules, law, and justice form the main subject of the play, and this is best depicted when the standards of divine justice clash with Creon's will as the head of civic authority.

In the version adapted by Anouilh during the Second World War, Antigone's values are shown to be aligned with the divine and moral order, while Creon is shown in conflict with it (Donellan, 1999). This adaptation continues to be a dissident and extraordinarily influential play and has inspired rebels in subsequent generations. In this version — which became one of the most powerful literary works on resistance during the Second World War — the conflict between an individual and the power of the state is rendered as an urgent and immediate matter. Antigone is shown to be a massive threat to the prevailing status quo; she uses the supreme law as a shield for her actions, always grounded in faith and in the unyielding power of her own personal conscience. She offers her life as a sacrifice to principles that stand higher than ordinary human laws (Donellan, 1999). Creon, by contrast, sentences her — a decision that ultimately brings about the condemnation of his own rule.

The conflict between youth and maturity is expressed through excess pride. In Sophocles' works this pride is consistently depicted as a trait that the Gods despise and punish without mercy. In Antigone, Sophocles describes the type of arrogance that leads man to substitute divine laws with manmade laws that are limited in their thinking. In the context of the play, Creon creates laws thinking they can substitute for the laws laid down by the Gods, calling them divine — thus showcasing pride that deserves punishment, since no human is capable of creating laws that supersede divine law and claiming them to be supreme (Saxonhouse, 1992). When the Prophet Tiresias comes to warn Creon that he will suffer a horrible fate, Creon realizes what he has done but still refuses to admit his mistake. He yields before the Prophet only to spare his own life, and does not realize that he has gone too far. As a result, he must witness the destruction of his own family.

In Anouilh's version of Antigone, the Nazi occupation is compared to Creon's kingship, as he is shown to be corrupt and blinded by ambition — just like the occupying regime. The clearest parallels are arrogance, imperceptive power, and downright cruelty toward those around them (Saxonhouse, 1992).

In both Antigones, the difference between the hero and an ordinary human being is evident. It is showcased by the will and determination to challenge routine, rules, and the policies that common people are forced to follow, while the upper strata act as they please. In such times, a hero is needed to demonstrate what is right and what is wrong. Hence, in one way or another, determination is present in every character in the play. Even though fate plays an even more important role in the lives of all the characters, Creon, Antigone, Ismene, and Polyneices are all shown to be extremely driven — and at times stubbornly active in pursuing their individual goals. Determination throughout the play is linked to hubris and proves to be less of a gift and more of a flaw that all characters possess. In such circumstances, the need for a hero is keenly felt, and Antigone rises to fill that role through her sacrifice and her insistence on distinguishing right from wrong (Carpentier, 1994).

Athenians — and Thebans in particular — have always been sensitive to the state encroaching upon individual rights, and they hold a clear distinction between a strong leader and a brutal tyrant. Creon, as the state leader, is shown to be cruel and selfish; yet because he is caught in conflict between his inner self and his public role, he is also rendered as a somewhat sympathetic character who subtly abuses his power, mainly by using his own laws to override the divine law provided by the Gods. He is shown to be completely loyal to the state, but when it comes to accounting for the needs of its individual citizens, he proves weak in judgment and disconnected from human needs (Steiner, 1984).

Conclusion

Antigone's sister Ismene loves her sister and brothers, but she opposes Antigone's plan to bury their brother for fear of disobeying the king. She constantly reminds her sister that as women it is not their place to decide what is right or wrong, but Antigone does not listen. When Ismene learns of her sister's fate, she is devastated by the loss but feels powerless due to her acceptance of her subordinate social role. Ismene ultimately serves as a foil for Antigone: while Ismene defers to convention, Antigone breaks every rule of governance and conduct expected of women in the society, representing instead a strong, intelligent woman who governs herself according to a sense of personal empowerment and self-reliance.

The fact that antagonism in these plays is founded on a valid and right principle is characteristic of polytheistic moral frameworks. The struggle between Antigone and Creon is not simply a conflict between established social structures and the individual's inner self — structures that man sometimes has trouble bringing into harmony (Beacham, 1992). Until inner harmony is achieved, one can never attain ultimate justice without also committing and eventually recognizing a wrong. Throughout history, reformers and fighters have never merely battled against evil; they have also positioned themselves as exemplars of good, so that people learn from them. It is not enough to protest against what is wrong — one must also embody what is right, so that people feel a sense of hope.