Statement of Intent Jean Anouilh redefined the intensity of drama and conflict in Antigone, which was originally written by Sophocles. What makes this statement rightfully accurate is the discussion between Antigone and King Creon.
The discussion was brought to action when Antigone went to bury Polyneices, her brother who was a traitor to Thebes and whose body was commanded to be left outside without rightful burial rights.Now Antigone has to bare the strong grip of punishment from King Creon for her alleged actions. But all of this built up frightfulness ended up transitioning into a challenging debate over to whether the job/role of a person with high position like Creon should get in the way of personal matters, like the burial of Polynices. Antigone shows this strong feminist personality that is not scared to die, which resembles the personality many playwrights like Shakespeare and Anouilh try to portray for women who could have a heart and courage of a man.
She did not back down and run away from the responsibility of the burial and exemplified the courage to see death straight in the face. Unlike Antigone, Creon represented the essence of the politicians, put work before everything. Even though he did not like was doing putting Polynices out there to decay while Eteocles had a formal funeral, it was what he needed the people to see. During the argument, it seemed that the power of Creon’s legitimacy was shrinking as Antigone questioned him on topics from the burial to the qualities of a king that Creon did not meet.I will redesign the whole conversation between Antigone and King Creon by cutting off the excess details all over the discussion and focusing primary on a leader’s point of view to commit secrecy in order to keep their legitimacy and to value job values over personal views, expressing both characters’ true potential personalities, bringing in a twist of comic relief into the tone of the discussion, but most importantly try to keep a parallel ending of the scene similar to Anouilh’s version.The purpose of all these revisions is to the change the tone of the play from a very tragic play to a comic relief play with some spice of black comedy.
The Rewrite of Antigone [Guards have left the room] Antigone: Uncle Creon, or may I say “Dad” , you know I’ll just turn right back around and bury Polyneices again. Creon: Little girl, why did you try to bury your brother Polyneices when I told everyone not to do it? Antigone: I would never leave a family member outside in cold. And even if they were, I would bring them into my house, feed them, make sure they treated well, and then go about our necessary business.Same goes for Polynices’s case. I was going to take his body and clean it up with herbs and medicines, and gave him my own way of funeral rights. He was my brother, which means family take care of family.
Creon: That boy was not family at all. All he ever did is come around here to make a ruckus and leave chaos behind. He betrayed the family, and disgraced your family’s name among Thebes. Antigone: [mumbled] And you would know? Creon: What did you say? Antigone: Nothing, geez. Creon: Girl, you are so lucky that your daddy used to be king before the fool died out.Hold up, that just remind me of something.
Did you do it because your daddy had power, so you think you could just walk all over the town and do what you want ? Antigone:[rolls her eyes] No. I told you already- Creon: Don’t get smart with me. The only reason why you still standing here and not at the execution spot is because you are about to marry my son. Listen up, I know you heard the law that anyone who touches that boy’s body would be sent to execution. Because you cross that rule, you are to be escorted immediately home and if anyone asks you what’s wrong, it’s a sickness.Got that? Antigone: Why should I do what you are saying? You’re not my mom or my dad, technically.
I did it , so do what you got to do to me, because it sure does seem like you weigh this role of yours higher than your moral views? Creon:[steps closer to her, raises his voice gradually] What do you mean? Antigone: Stop acting so naive. It seems like whatever the law tells you to do, you roll over like a dog and do the command. How pathetic? Creon: That law you are talking about sure did take your brother life quickly, and maybe the same embarrassment could be said for your father.Antigone:[steps up to Creon’s face] You actually think I’m afraid of you ,huh don’t you? Well newsflash, that’s not my so called “weak pathetic” father left me with. Even though he was put into a hard situation to where fate decided his beginning and end, he handed down to me the power to death in the eye, not being afraid to die. Creon:[backs away to the other side of the room] Woman, you must be crazy! The arrogance and pride of you comes from your dad.
I’ve seen that gesture displayed by him many times, and do you know where that led him, to the ground.Great men are driven by pride and, it’s been proven. As for me, I will civilize Thebes. Girl, being a king is a hard role to play.
Yes, it comes with all the fame, glory and fortune, but it carries baggage of issues alongside, like you. I have to try to keep everyone pleased, which is the reason why your brother is out there. When I woke up in the morning after your father died, they gave me the opportunity to rule. Antigone: So did you say yes? Creon: How could I not.
If I turned the offer back, I would have been viewed as a coward Antigone: Look here, Creon.The only reason why you are in this situation is because you made a very stupid unwise choice of making that law. I’m going to bury even if I die trying and there is nothing you can do to change my mind Creon: [starts shaking Antigone] I’m tired of playing games with you, Antigone. If you don’t want to enjoy everything you have, then fine. But, don’t say I did not try to save you from this tug-of-war you are having with fate.
One thing I will not let politics be the cause of why you Antigone dies. It happened with your brothers Polynices and Eteocles and now you’re causing it again for me.All I want is for you to be happy and live happily ever after with Haemon, baby girl. Antigone: [Breaks free of Creon’s grip] Creon, I love Haemon with all my heart ,but if it is coming to a point, like now, that you are using Haemon as a tool to keep your legitimacy, then no I don’t love Haemon! Also what if Haemon stops doing the things I love about him and starts to change, because I said yes to this!! I absolutely hate the fact that monsters like you cause the world to go down in secrecy because of their lack of reasoning for outcomes for your decisions.I hope you rot in hell! [Attempts to slap Creon] Creon:[ blocks the slap, yanks Antigone by the arms] Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! You ungrateful little brat! [Enter Ismene] Ismene: Antigone! I’m here to help you. Antigone: You’re time had come and gone.
You did not what to go with me, so go away! Isemene: But sister I’m here for you and our brother Polyneices. I have a change of hearth. Creon: Now she knows about it? No, No, No!!! That’s it, guards take Antigone away at once!
