Power of Higher Authority in significant relevance to Antigone by Essay

Power of Higher representation in significant relevance to Antigone by Sophocles and Another Antigone by A.R Gurney - Essay ExampleThe modern version for theatre by A.R. Gurney offers an interesting contextualization of heroine Antigones fight against authority. In both the cases, the theme is the same, one of oppositeness of the individual will against a strengthful authority figure. In Sophocles Antigone, this antagonist was Creon the King. In Gurneys assemble it is the Professor in Classics Department George Henry Harper. But the nature of struggle of the dickens heroines is the same. This essay will argue that the depiction of the power of Higher Authority is crucial to the dramatization and moral deliberation of the two plays. Professor Henry Harper is equated to the all powerful Creon of Sophocles conception. To match with his role as an intimidator Harper is presumption a grizzly white beard by author Gurney. The University of Boston and its hierarchy of administrators provide the power structure for Another Antigone, with Henry Harper assuming a key correct of power within in the Department of Classics. He is a tragicomic character in an academic environment that is fight with reduced government funding and decreasing scholarly person enthusiasm. It is in this backdrop that Judy Miller plays out her parceling with power. (Diski 49) Miller, a candidate for valedictorian, presents her bold reworking of Antigone in blank verse orchestrate in the place of a formal term paper. Taken aback by this disrespect for rules, the professor exclaims Another Antigone in seed to both the work being presented and its author. At this point a antagonistic position of the rebellious student and her convention respecting professor is established. In Sophocles Antigone, by tune, the confrontation between Antigone and her uncle Creon (the ruler of Thebes) begins with the demise of her two brothers Eteocles and Polyneices. Since Creon was on the side of Eteocles during the combat between the two brothers, he decrees to honor him in death. In sharp contrast he decrees that Polyneices be left rotting in the battle field sans a proper burial. This is the highest form of punishment in ancient Greek and its evocation is a measure of Creons hostility toward Polyneices. (Botton 20) In Creons own view, what legitimizes his decree is his authority as the supreme ruler of Thebes. He performs very gnomish moral deliberation before setting his order to execution. It is unfair to compare Creon with Gurveys Harper, for the latter is not so much arrogant as formal and conservative. Henry Harpers power in the University is nowhere near equal to that wielded by Creon, the emperor of Thebes. Hence, although the two authority figures share a position of prestige and power, their personalities and purviews are very different. The overbearing undergrad Antigone, Ms. Miller, has as great an irrational self-confidence in her thespian powers as Shakespeares Botto m, and when Henry Harper, that old Creon, refuses to give her play at least a B, she launches a campaign against him, including charges of anti-Semitism, that leads to a proper catastrophe. (Disch 174) But in Sophocles classic, Polyneices beloved sister Antigone is a balanced, intellectual and humanistic person (as evidenced from allusions in the play). Her love for her brother impels her to bury him properly. Though this action would invoke the temper of Creon and jeopardize her life, her humanity and love supersedes all other considerations. Antigone believes that though she may die as a consequence