Cecil Lankfo'd
                                                  English 200
                                                  Final Papuh'

                             ANTIGONE


I.   THE CENTRAL DILEMMA IN THE PLAY:

     In de play Antigone, de primary conflict be between Creon, 
de new kin' uh Debes and Antigone, de sista' of de slain 
traito' Polysupa' fines. Afta' Polysupa' fines had been wasted attackin' 
Debes, Creon attempted t'reenfo'ce loyalty t'de state by 
o'derin' dat da damn body not be buried and dat Polysupa' fines's dead 
not be mourned, dus makin' an 'esample uh de fate uh traito's. 
De penalty fo' disobeyin' dis o'da' wuz dead. Antigone looked 
downon Polysupa' fines as plum ha' broda' regardless uh whut acts he had 
committed. She felt obligated t'hono' ha' broders' dead wid some 
burial. Antigone recon'd dat hono'in' de wasted wuz some law passed 
waaay down fum de Gods and derefo'e sdownerseded any law made by Creon 
o' any oda'  dude . Bod Creon and Antigone felt obligated t'follow 
a conflictin' set uh rules. Dey dus came into conflict wid 
one anoder.  Ah be baaad...

     THE CENTRAL DILEMMA IN A BROADER SENSE:

     
     In some broada' sense da damn conflict in Antigone could be viewed 
at different levels. Dere be de conflict between ones obligashun 
to de laws uh de State and ones obligashun t'de laws uh God. 
De conflict could be also viewed as one between audo'ity and 
conscience.  What it is, Mama! Some sucka's feel dat by not actively pursuin' whut 
deir conscience dictates, dey demselves are in violashun. ah' 
believe dis t'be some distin'uishin' facto' between dose who 
actively protest and dose who are content t'hold opposin' 
opinions.  De central dilemma could also be interpreted as some 
conflict between de pride uh men and da damn pride uh honky chicks, wid de 
State representin' dudes and Antigone representin' honky chicks.


II. Posishuns held by characters in Antigone, dig dis:

     Antigone

     Antigone recon'd dat da damn law made by Creon wuz in conflict 
and inferio' t'de laws uh God dat required dat she bury ha' 
broder.  Ah be baaad... She wuz determined t'bury ha' broda' even if it meant 
ha' dead:
     
     "Dat o'da' dun did not mosey on down from God. Justice,
     Dat dsheeits wid de gods below, knows no such law,
     ah' dun did not dink yo' edicts strong enough 
     To overrule da damn unwritten unalterable laws
     Of God and heaven, ya' bein' only some  dude .
     Dey aint uh yesterday o' to-day, but everlastin',
     Dough wuz dey came fum none uh us kin tell.
     Guilty uh deir transgression befo'e God
     ah' cannot be, fo' any dude on eard.
     ah' knowed dat ah' should gots'ta die, uh course.  What it is, Mama!"
                                                  (Pg. 138)

From de above passage we kin also infa' dat Antigone recon's 
laws made by dude are only uh a tempo'ary nature.  What it is, Mama! Antigone also 
believed dat by not actively pursuin' compliance wid de laws uh 
God, she would be defyin' de laws uh God. To ha' sista' Ismene 
who refused t'risk ha' life and help bury Polysupa' fines, Antigone 
says;

     ".......Live, if ya' will;
     Live, and defy de holiest laws uh heaven.  'S coo', bro."
                                                  (Pg. 128)



     Creon

     Creon recon'd dat he wuz helpin' his country by makin' de 
law concernin' Polysupa' fines, dig dis:

     "...Our country be our life; only when she
     Rides safely, gots' we any homeys at all.
     Such be my policy fo' our common weal.
       In pursuance uh dis, ah' gots' made some proclamashun...
     ah' am determined dat never, if ah' can help it,
     Shall evil triumph ova' baaaad. Alive
     Or wasted,....."
                                                  (Pg. 131-132)

Howeva' afta' his audo'ity wuz challenged, de enfo'cement uh his 
law became some matta' of pride.  What it is, Mama! In response t'Haemon who wuz 
offerin' advice in sdownpo't uh Antigone's posishun Creon makes de 
followin' statements;

     "Indeed.  Right On!   Am ah' to  snatch lessons at mah' time uh life
     From some fellow uh his age?
     ah' am kin', and responsible only t'myself.  What it is, Mama!..
     ...........Wrong? To respect mah' own audo'ity?"
                                                  (Pg. 146)


     Ismene

     Ismene would not help here sista' bury Polysupa' fines. She felt 
dat she could not challenge da damn powa' of men, which she felt wuz 
represented by de powa' of de State.  What it is, Mama! She felt t'do so's would be 
insane, dig dis:

     "....O dink, Antigone; we are honky chicks; it be not fo' us
     To fight against men; our rulers are stronga' dan we,
     And we must obey in dis, o' in wo'se dan dis.
     May de wasted fo'give me, ah' can do no oder
     But as ah' am com dude ded; t'do mo'e be madness...."
                                                  (Pg. 128)

Ismene also dun did not recon' as Antigone dun did, dat she wuz defyin' 
de laws uh heaven by not actively pursuin' dem, dig dis:

     ".......I do not defy dem; but ah' cannot act
     Against da damn State.  What it is, Mama! ah' aint strong enough."
                                                  (Pg. 128) 


     Haemon

     Haemon recon'd dat his fada' had made some mis snatch by 
enfo'cin' de law concernin' Polysupa' fines's body, dig dis:
     
     "Haemon, dig dis:
     .........I know ya' are wrong, wrong."
                                                  (Pg. 146)

He recon'd dat his fada' wuz in conflict wid de higha' 
audo'ity uh God. In response t'his faders statement about 
respectin' his own audo'ity, Haemon says;

     "What radical respect tramples on all dat be holy?"
                                                  (Pg. 147)

Haemon also tries t'convince his fada' dat he be not plum 
concerned wid de sheeit bein' uh his future mama, but wid de sheeit 
bein' uh Creon himself, dig dis:

     "Creon, dig dis: Yet ya' plead ha' cause.  What it is, Mama!
     Haemon, dig dis:
     No, yo's, and mine, and dat uh de gods uh de wasted."
                                                  (Pg. 146)


     Teiresias

     Teiresias gots'ta observed some bad-ass omen and recon's dat da damn 
acshuns  snatchn by Creon are t'blame, dig dis:

     "........de blight downon us be yo' doin'..."
                                                  (Pg.153)

Teiresias recon'd dat it wuz Creon wuz wrong in whut he dun did t'
de body uh Polysupa' fines, dig dis:

     "Teiresias, dig dis:..Pay t'de wasted his due.  What it is, Mama! Wound not da damn fallen.  'S coo', bro.
     It be no glo'y t'kill and kill again.  'S coo', bro.
     My wo'ds are fo' yo' baaaad,, as be my will,
     And should be acceptable, bein' fo' yo' baaaad."
                                                  (Pg 153)

Teiresias also recon'd dat whut Creon dun did t'Antigone wuz wrong. 
Dis be evident in de way he refers t'Creon's acshun against 
Antigone, dig dis:

     "....De life ya' gots' abominably entombed"
                                                  (Pg 154)



III. Does Creon's attitude toward honky chicks enta' his argument?


     Creon gots'ta some very negative attitude toward honky chicks and it enters 
his argument.

     "We'll gots' no mama's law here, while ah' live.  What it is, Mama!"
                                                  (Pg. 140)

     "Ismene, dig dis:...Kill yo' own son's bride?
     Creon, dig dis: Oh, dere are oda' fields fo' him t'plough."
                                                  (Pg 141)
     "...I hold t'de law, 
     And gots'ta neva' betray it - least uh all fo' some mama.
     Betta' whup'en, if need be, by some  dude ,
     Dan let some mama git de betta' of us."
                                                  (Pg 144)
     "Despicable coward.  Right On!   No mo'e gots'ta dan some mama.  Right On!  "
                                                  (Pg 146)