The Burial at Thebes

      The separation of church and state began with the Greeks.  However, their religion seemed to tie more closely to their political affairs as things in Greek society were often done for the pleasure of the gods.  The Jews also had early ideas of this separation because of their religious persecution.  Could you even imagine a country where people are punished or exiled for religious practices?
      While we must obey our laws, what about higher laws?  This is where church and state tend to mix in the United States.  Like Antigone's reasoning, "I disobeyed because the law was not the law of Zeus nor the law ordained by Justice", things like abortion and the death penalty seem to conflict with the higher laws of Christianity.  They should not be an issue if church and state are really separate but they never can be completely.  Most law makers will draw off their personal lives and beliefs.  They must also appeal to the desires of the citizens or they will be challenged and possibly taken out of office. 
      Things like slavery have proved to be unjust in the past and MLK argued in a fashion after Antigone.  Higher law trumps human law.

"Render unto Ceasar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Tragedy on Wall Street

      CEOs and major companies often fall victim to hubris (pride, excessive self-confidence).  Like Oedipus, they bring it upon themselves by boasting and saying things like, "We will do it again this coming decade."  Wrong.
      Hubris comes with a sense of being above the world, like Icarus.  Aristotle explained that tragidies rely on the pounishment of successful but flawed heroes who reach for godly heights.  Demonstrated by the Time Magazine curse, man can only reach so high.  Once he attains a godly height and makes it known to the world, there is no where to go but down.

"Hubris goes out of its way to let you know of its existence, while humility does not."

Antigone's Tragedy

      Antigone's story is just as tragic, if not more tragic than her father/brother's, because she was born into the situation left behind by Oedipus.  After the banishment of her father, the suicide of her mother, and the deaths of her brothers, there couldn't possibly be more terrible things in store for Antigone.  Oh but there were.
      Antigone defied Creon's orders because of the idea of a higher justice.  She claimed that denying her brother a proper burial, they were defying the orders of the gods.  She chose to defy her uncle instead and honor ther gods and her brother.  This idea of justice and the injustices ordered by Creon, makes readers feel for Antigone.  She had done nothing wrong to deserve her past and was condemed by justice.  By defying Creon's orders, she had done the honorable thing.  Most would see her courage and devotion as great.  Instead, they turned her story into tragedy.
      Like her mother and brothers, Antigone became another victim to follow in the wake of Oedipus.  She would committ suicide like her mother.  Creon's son would then stab himself.  His mother would also take her own life.  The story of Antigone became more tragic than her father/brother's.

Free Will or Fate?

      One of the big questions concerning not only tragedy but life in general is: free will or fate?
      When presented with decisions, especially big desisions, people draw on many things.  Decisions are influenced by three major factors: choices presented, life experiences, and human instinct.  Typically, one has many choices. 
      For example, when I get dressed in the morning, I have an abundance of socks to choose from.  Black socks, blue socks, white socks, spotted socks, fuzzy socks, tall socks, etc.  Now, based on past experiences, I may decide that the fuzzy socks are too big for tennis shoes and pinch my toes.  I may also rule out tall socks because they irritate me.  Now left with only the black, blue, white, and spotted, I may choose based on my instinct.  For some reason, I always choose the black socks.  I have no idea why.  I just like them better.
      Now don't get me wrong, I am a big believer in free will.  I don't think life is linear and there is no way your course could be preset.  There are too many factors that are pure science, not chance, that will have an impact on your life.  Hurricane Katrina devistated and displaced so many people.  Weather is science.  They were victims of science and chance, not a predetermined incident.
      While people do have their own free will and past experiences, instinct will always be present.  The number one human instinct is survival.  Except for those few valiant heroes who sacrifice themselves for the good of other people, the majority of the population puts their survival needs first.  As the heroes demonstrate, the survival instinct is not infalliable.  It can be combatted by reason that comes out of past experiences.  It can be defeated by pride, justice, stupidity, and any number of things.  Whenever one is presented with options, human instict will battle with everything else.
      What about when you really don't care what an outcome is or when you don't know what to choose?  Your instinct will contribute it's opinion, but it often falls to default, or chance.  Some mornings I just reach in the sock drawer without looking, don't you?

Tragedy Comes With Greatness

"It must be a paradox that the happiest, most vigorous, and most confident ages which the world has ever known-the Periclean and the Elizabethan-should be exactly those which created and which most relished the mightiest tragedies."
      Tragedy is not an expression of despair, but a celebration of hope and human improvement.  It seems only fitting that the greatest tragedies come out of the greatest ages.  Those or greatness have the most to lose.  It is interesting that literatary tragedy seems to only affect the nobility.  It seems as though the upper classes can fall as well as hope.  It is interesting that tragedy never seems to affect the peasants in, possibly suggesting that when you have nowhere to fall, there is no hope for improvement either.

Odeipus and Tragedy

      First of all, Odeipus was an idiot.  He refused to listen to the prophets when they tried to tell him that he was the killer of Laius.  He also set himself up for failure by proclaiming his greatness.
      Odeipus is tragic because almost every bad thing that could happen happened to him.  He was cast away as a child, killed his father, married his mother, blinded himself, and was banished.  His entire story is very sad and doomed by the prophecies.  While he was somewhat an arrogant idiot, he did have many amiable qualities that made him a good king.  He devoted himself to finding the murderer of Laius in order to save Thebes.  He then called that the murderer be banished.  When it was revealed that he was the killer, he supported the banishment and was exiled.  Most men would back down from banishment, but Odeipus proved that he was loyal to his word.
      Odeipus's amiable qualities make him likable and tragic.  His agony is felt by his mother/wife and the people of Thebes.  It is easily portrayed as tragedy to the reader who sees the drastic changes (a symptom of tragedy) that take place in Odeipus's life.  A fall from power is one of the most tragic and reoccuring instances in history and Odeipus took a very hard fall.

Tragedy and Art

      The Greeks were the first to use tragedy but they certainly weren't the last.  Since the great tragedies, artists have created their own interpretations about tragedy and the human condition.  Art is a celebration of life and often centers around emotion.  Many of the strongest emotions felt are tragic: pain, agony, despair, anguish.  Artists use these strong feelings to create their works and express their own thoughts and ideas about tragedy.

Tragedy and the Common Man

      While the famous tragedies are typically focused on the nobility, everyone can be a victim of tragedy.  The comman man can experience and understand tragedy as well, if not better, than the nobility.  He may even experience it more often, for tragedy is the struggle of man to maintain his dignity.  When you are at the mercy of the nobility, maintaining dignity can be a constant struggle.  Tragedy also comes from the fear of being displaced.  The common man perhaps knows this fear the best.  This fear and struggle may give the basis for the classical tragedies where kings are battling for their nations.  If the nobility is upset, the common man would be as well. 
      There must be a chance for victory in tragedy or the story is one of inferiority.  Even when tragedy overcomes victory, the tragedy implies the optimism of mankind.  We will always fight for what is right.  We will never give up our humanity.

The Teachings of Tragedies

What can be learned from tragedies?
     
      Tragedies can be personal or public.  Typically, the personal are your main concern.  Whether a loved has departed from your life or your career suddenly went south, your personal tragedy is usually your #1 concern.  Personal tragedy is very important to the development of the individual.  How can one appreciate the good without the bad?  Tragedy is great at reminding people that the small things do not matter.  It doesn't matter if you were late for work or if the cashier at the grocery store was rude.  You have better things to think about.  In today's world, it is easy to get caught up in the material.  Tragedy reminds people that money cannot buy happiness, love or even security.  Your world can be shaken, and it will be from time to time. 
     
      Now what about when it's not only your world that's shaken?  Most people don't walk around everyday worring about the other 6.8 billion people on the planet.  Could you even imagine what life would be like if you did?  Probably not.  But tragedy will befall them all.  It is important to remember that when you're on top, you should always reach back down and help someone up.  You'd want them to do the same for you. 
     
      Public tragedy comes less frequently than private.  How many major events can you recall that shook the nation or the world?  I, like every other American, remember when the Twin Towers fell. That single event struck everyone right at home.  Our family, friends, and neighbors were attacked on our own soil.  Our perception of security was shaken.  The very definition of what it meant to be an American was rewritten.  What we thought we knew was proved wrong.  For a time, 9-11 had a major impact on society.  Besides the general uneasiness, the material was set aside and people remembered their friends, families, and what life is really about.
     
      The funny thing about the lessons in tragedy is that they always fade with time.  Like a scrape on your knee, they will heal and be forgotten.  Very few leave permanent scars, and even if they do, they generally fade from mind.  People always go back to their daily lives.  Maybe it's what has to be done.  Maybe the world needs more tragedy.

Let the tragedies begin.

What is a tragedy?

Tragedy is a specific form of drama based on human suffering. 

How did it come about?

The oldest surviving form of tragedy is Athenian tragedy.  This dance-drama was an important part of the city state’s culture.  Athenian tragedies were performed in the spring at a religious festival.  It was a contest between three playwrights whose works were performed on three consecutive days.  Each playwright had three tragedies and one comic piece.  Of the thousands of tragedies written, only one complete Athenian trilogy survives.

Who was Odeipus?

Odeipus is a mythical king of Thebes (Greek city state), who fulfills a prophecy to kill his father an marry his mother, bringing disaster on his family.  Obviously very tragic.

Odeipus the King-Thebes is plagued by disease and the people beg their king to solve the problem.  Like any good king, Odeipus vows to do so.  It is then stated by the oracle that Odeipus must find the murderer of King Laius.  He swears to do so.  Odeipus eventually realizes he is the murderer of King Laius, he just didn't know.  Odeipus’ crimes are revealed.  He rushes to the palace to find his mother/wife and she has killed herself.  He blinds himself and asks Creon to exile him from Thebes. 

Odeipus at Colonus-Odeipus has become a wanderer persued by Creon’s men.  Creon catches up and asks Odeipus to bless his son.  He curses his son and his brother, condemning them both to sudden death.  Odeipus dies.

Who was Antigone?

Antigone was the daughter of King Odeipus and his mother/wife. 

Why is she tragic?

Antigone searches for justice for her brother who became a traitor to Thebes.  It is a tragedy, so the reader should know she won't find it.  Instead, she resorts to burrying her brother herself.  King Creon catchers her and she is jailed.  Antigone then hangs herself.  Creon's son, who apparently loved Antigone, kills himself as well.  Creon's wife cannot bare the things her husband has caused and jumps on the suicide wagon (or chariot) as well. 

What genius wrote these?

Sophocles.  He is one of few Greek playwrights with surviving works.  He was the most celebrated writer in Athens for 50 years.  Out of over 100 works, sadly only seven have completely survived.