It was really interesting to see the format and purpose behind the viewing of these plays. The plays were supposed to pull a community together, where individuals of all social statuses could view the play and simultaneously question their own values and governments. The plays created a community around these influential plays where everyone would congregate and internally debate the themes. Rather than modern theaters, which effectively isolate individuals to experience performances alone, these plays were intended to be experienced and debated as communities.
While part of the purpose was entertainment, more importantly, it engaged viewers to apply the controversial themes of leadership and government to their own systems. Questioning the inherent values their systems have instilled in them. The first half of Antigone brings into question the practical superiority of gods or kings. When the supposed values of gods conflict with the doctrines of kings, which reins superior. These are themes that the average person likely never toiled with, however, they are intrinsic to any functioning system that values the opinions of the populus. When should one blindly follow the king's order, like Ismene in the beginning, and when should one stay true to oneself and their religious beliefs, like Antigone. These plays gave the unique opportunity for everyone to equally reconsider the values that they followed just because they were told to.
It was also very interesting to see that politics and free speech were so controversial that Sophocles intentionally set a play that questioned leadership and government, not in his own government. Questioning government was dangerous, especially if it directly affected one's government.
Hey Noah! It's really interesting how Sophocles wrote a play about challenging leadership and government, but set it in a completely different society than his own. I have not seen the lecture yet and didn't know this. It's interesting how he has made 2 characters Ismene and Antigone, both with completely different comfort levels in defying the government, while he himself is conforming and too afraid to go against the government.
ReplyDeleteHi Noah! I totally agree, this part of the lecture was really interesting to me as well. I also thought it was cool when Michelle brought up the comment from the Classics professor about thinking about how much our own democracy would benefit if we were all forced to challenge our ideals as they had to in ancient Greece. I am so curious what the experience of being at one of these plays would have felt like, especially since, as you mentioned, it is very different from the theaters nowadays.
ReplyDeleteHey Noah, I agree with you and find it interesting that people were allowed to talk about the politics behind the plays in ancient Greek. For some reason, in my mind, I have always imagined that speaking against those who rule or politics in general was a touchy subject. But I guess that it was more open to discussion than what I thought. I also find it interesting that, unlike modern theaters, watching the different plays were a community event instead of a more isolated one.
ReplyDeleteHi Noah! I think it is really interesting how plays created a sense of community and brought together people of all classes and statuses. I never thought about how modern theaters isolate people of different statuses, which makes sense with all the different types of seats. I find it interesting that people could debate their values and government, which I did not think would be possible. I wonder if modern plays attempt to let people reflect on their values and morals, or are more just for entertainment.
ReplyDeleteNoah, I agree that it was super interesting to learn about how these plays were meant to prompt viewers to question to norm/what they'd been taught. I think it's cool that Sophocles took a risk to analyze/question the government, even though he played it safe an analyzed Thebes instead of Athens. I'm interested to know what people in ancient Greece would criticize about their governments.
ReplyDeleteNoah, that's a great theme that you saw between the values of gods and the values of kings. One thing that it reminded me of was when Antigone asked why she has to follow what a human says if it does not make sense since they are both humans and it is not the order of a God.
ReplyDeleteHey Noah! I agree with your thoughts about the debate on questioning authority, and I think its a debate that has remained relevant still thousands of years after Antigone was written. To be honest, that theme in Antigone reminded me of the Euthyphro Dilema from CTW and the ethical implications of obeying gods. I wonder if Socrates had studied some of Plato's work and incorporated that into his play?
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if any or all of you have thoughts about whether we have a parallel to the ancient Greek opportunity to practice this kind of discussion in community about important political and cultural topics. The Greeks did it through drama and festivals, at least in part; does our modern society have an equivalent? Do novels do the same, or not?
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