Ms. Gokturk

Composition

Antigone Critical Lens

Your Task: Write a critical essay in which you discuss Antigone from the particular perspective of ONE of the statements that provided for you. In your essay, provide a valid interpretation of the statement, agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it, and support your opinion using specific references to appropriate literary elements from the play.

Critical Lens Bank (CHOOSE ONE):

“As the tyrant dies and his rule ends, the martyr dies and his rule begins.” –Kierkegaard, philosopher

In the play, Tieresias says, “Think: all men make mistakes, but a good man yields when he knows his course is wrong and repairs the evil. The only crime is pride” (lines 32-35).

“I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul.” – poet William Ernest Henley from the poem, “Invictus”

“Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.” –Thomas Jefferson

“The inflexible heart breaks first.” –Creon

“The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.” –Sophocles

“The keenest sorrow is to recognize ourselves as the sole cause of all our adversities.” –Sophocles

Find a lens/quote of your choice that applies to the play. Please have it approved before commencing your essay.

Guidelines:

Be sure to

· Provide a valid interpretation of the critical lens you chose that clearly establishes the criteria for analysis

· Indicate whether you agree or disagree with the statement as you have interpreted it

· Use the criteria suggested by the critical lens to analyze Antigone

· Avoid plot summary. Instead, use specific references to appropriate literary elements

· (For example: theme, characterization, conflict, irony, setting, imagery, etc.) to develop your analysis

· When appropriate, incorporate the terms you learned in this unit: tragedy, tragic hero, hamartia, hubris, dramatic irony, etc.

· Organize your ideas in a unified and coherent manner

· Specify the titles and authors of the literature you choose

· Follow the conventions of standard written English

· Your essay should be approximately 800-1000 words