Irish people are no strangers to tragic literature. In school we’re force-fed the gloomy rhymes of Yeats and Kavanagh; we’re thoroughly examined on the bleak landscapes of Casey, Synge and Beckett.
These are the master stories-tellers of our land. Poets and playwrights, wordsmiths of the highest order, but my god they are depressing. Honestly, you’d have more fun going to a funeral than reading their work.
Maybe it was these childhood memories that lured me towards Antigone. Written 2000 years ago I found something hauntingly familiar in this Greek play’s make up. Maybe it was the hopelessness, the bleak setting, the ending so tragic it was comical - I lost count of the dead bodies. When it was all over, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the playwrights from my school days had picked up a trick or two from their miserable ancient-Greeks counterparts.
Antigone’s story begins an hour or two after the end of a civil war at the city of Thebes. Two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles, have killed each other in a brutal fight for the throne. The newly crowned king, Creon, declares Polynices a traitor and, as such, orders his body to be left on the street to be mauled and eaten by dogs and vultures.
Antigone, our hero, is the sister of the brothers and believes this order to be unjust and immortal. Under the threat of execution, she defies the king and sprinkles dust on the body in an attempt to honour his death.
At first glance this might not seem like a very relevant or inspiring story. But check again. This is a play about rebellion, about standing up and fighting against a cruel system. It also asks interesting questions about where we should place our loyalty. Antigone believes family and god are above the laws of the man. Creon, on the other hand, sees things differently. He believes his rules must be obeyed or chaos will envelop the state.
Written by Sophocles sometime between 450 and 500BC, this is a story that still resonates. And so it should. Unlike the ancient Greek myths of Cyclops and Medusa, this is a human story, a quintessential underdog tale. Traces of its DNA can be found in the likes of David and Goliath, Robin Hood and Erin Brockovich. I’ve even heard it compared to Star Wars and Die Hard, but I think that might be taking things a little too far.
And let’s not forget, Antigone is one of the first dramatic plots to contain a strong female lead. A hundred years ago this would’ve been a bold move, who knows how it was received in the time before Christ was born.
Antigone’s power as a story doesn’t stop there. Buried within the plot are themes that have also inspired countries and movements suffering under oppression. During apartheid in South Africa the play was immensely popular. The plight of Antigone and her courage to stand up for herself struck a chord with people across the cultural divide. Nelson Mandala famously played the role of king Creon in a prison adaptation. He was more than happy to lend his thespian skills to support Antigone, a character who he beloved “would not back down even under the most trying circumstances.”
In Nazi occupied France, the play managed to sneak beneath the strict German censorship radar. On opening night in Paris ,1944, the German officers in attendance were the only members of the audience oblivious to discreet messages within in the play. They were blind to the fact that the German occupiers were represented by the cruel king Creon while Antigone symbolized the brave actions of the resistance.
Ireland’s relationship with Antigone is also interesting. The play has been re-imagined many times on this small island. In 1984 alone, there were three different versions produced and performed. Each version examined the complicated political and social strife occurring up and down the country. Abortion rights in the south, civil rights for Catholics in the north and the overall encompassing call for more feminist rights.
Antigone seemed to encapsulate and articulate the feelings of that generation. Even more so than some contemporary works. It is testament to great writing that King Creon, a character written over two thousand ago, can, in this day and age, simultaneously represent the Catholic church, the Irish State and the British government.
Given Antigone’s knack for appearing during periods of oppression and social upheaval there is no doubt we will see her again. Her story, tragic as it may be, still has wisdom and misery to impart. Maybe it's time to revisit some of those old childhood plays again to see if I can look past the misery.