Domestic Influences in the Greek and Roman Theaters Essay

Domestic Influences in the classic and Roman Theaters - Essay ExampleThe Greek and Roman civilizations, which are perhaps devil with the most abundant reference resources having extensively recorded their various(prenominal) eras, do manifest this observation, if, at least, in their literary works alone. Even as both Mediterranean civilizations have expanded the influence of their clout and power, notably the Romans who spread out east to as off the beaten track(predicate) as India, the influence of domestic affairs and interests in the Greek and Roman person is evident counterbalance in the higher echelons of society and governments.Following is a Greek tragedy and a Roman japery that very well typify the works of that classical era. From these two classical works, we shall survey influences in the plot, the characters, and the themes that hypothesise domestic elements, or, better still, to even find these elements central to the stories themselves.The Antigone is a tragedy b y Sophocles written in the beginning or in 442 BC. It is chronologically the third of the three Theban plays but was written first.( Fagles, p. 35) The other two plays in the trilogy by Sophocles being Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone proceeds where Seven Against Thebes, which was written much in the first place by Aeschylus, leaves off. In the Seven Against Thebes, the two sons of Oedipus, Polynices and Eteocles, find themselves at odds against severally other in a civil war over succession to the throne of Thebes which their father Oedipus had to relinquish. The brothers tragically kill each other. The Antigone, this time the story of one of Oedipus two daughters, Antigone and Ismene, sisters of the brothers who slew each other, begins with sisters Antigone and Ismene discoursing on the older Antogones decision to mask the body of their brother Polynices despite an edict of King Creon to deny his body honorable burial as the other brothers body, that of Eteocle s, be honored. Despite the punishment of death by stoning to anyone who defies the kings command, Antigone prevails over her sisters persuasions and proceeds to dorsum her brothers body with earth declaring, I get out do my part,-and thine, if thou wilt not,-to a brother. False to him will I never be found. Reminded by Ismene of the consequence, Antigone retorts, Such be thy plea-I, then, will go to omnibus the earth above the brother whom I love. The play proceeds where Creon seeks the support of the Theban Elders who, in the play, are represented by the chorus, particularly to back his edict regarding the disposal of Polynices body. The Elders pledges their support. Then a Sentry enters with apprehension to tell the king of the news that Polynices body had been buried. Furious, the king orders the sentry to find out who did and if he fails, he faces death himself. The Sentry leaves and, after a while, returns with Antigone in tow. Asked by the king, And thou didst indeed dare t o separate that law Antigone replies, I avow it I make no denial. Creon fumes and swears the king, in his time, will not be prevailed over by a charwoman thus declares, While I live, no woman shall rule me. Then assuming that the sister, Ismene, must have had a hand in the act as well, the king summons Ismene who, by now, also tries to confess falsely that indeed she has a hand in it while in truth she did not. Demanded by Antigone to tell the truth and be spared, she answers, But, now that ills beset