Wong Cheng Lam and Shanti Herve-Gruyer

• How does the play Antigone give us an insight into politics, literature and society in both Ancient Athens and today?
• BA Hons English Literature With Creative Writing and BA Hons Politics and International Relations

Our research aims to investigate the political values and philosophies of Ancient Greek societies, and explore its relationship to politics, literature, and society today. Through the play Antigone by Sophocles, reading secondary sources and field work in Athens to understand the impact of Ancient Greece; we have analysed the themes in the tragedy which are autocracy and despotism, gender, and civil disobedience. The play deals with a tyrant, Creon, the king of Thebes who forbids Antigone to bury her brother. This tyrannical act is defied by Antigone deciding to bury her brother anyways and was executed for it. The autocracy shown in the play reflects Ancient Greece at the time and remains relevant to nowadays as we can see from Russia and North Korea. Antigone also depicts the struggles of women that are still apparent in Ancient Greece and modern society. For example, men still hold the most positions and power in politics. Finally, the question of civil disobedience is still something that is debated in present times. Antigone breaks a law (by burying her brother) because she believes it is the right thing to do; and people are still breaking laws in peaceful, nonviolent ways nowadays to protest what they think are right. In conclusion, a lot of issues in Ancient Greece still exist today; literature and politics are intertwined and have always reflected on societies and commented on them. Henceforth, Antigone will forever remain a classic.

Funded by: Newcastle University Research Scholarship

Project Supervisors: Dr Skyler Hawkins and Professor Federico Santangelo