Arts , Humanities & Social Science

Abstract

This essay aims to examine a number of theoretical issues related to the philosophical and literary interpretations of the Sophoclean tragedy of Antigone. The main focus is Hegel’s comments on the tragedy, as his comments have played a significant role in the discussions surrounding the drama and its interpretation during the twentieth century. Following the examination of Hegel’s comments, and in order to elucidate the poetic structure of the play within a broader contemporary context, the essay, in its second and third sections, tries to uncover the limitations of interpretative efforts that concentrate on the juxtaposition of two main protagonists of the play, Creon and Antigone. Instead, the tragedy is argued to depict impasses that marked individual desires and citizenry life in the Greek polis.