Literary Devices In Antigone

That which cannot be seen can be created by the mind, while what is exposed to the eye stimulates in the audience a memorable impression. In the tragedy, Antigone, by Sophocles, the reader undergoes a calamity in regards to the ideals of Ancient Greek society. The work describes social and political problems of a woman challenging the state, and in return she receives a fatal punishment. Sophocles uses elements of technique and style that create effects in the work and audience. Furthermore, he manipulates the use catharsis and, the concealment and revealing of imagery as elements of style and technique. This causes the audience to imagine what is not being described and a significant impact of the readers’ emotions.

The conflict within Sophocles’

The Messenger recounts the image of the tragedy that was Antigone’s death by saying “Found we her, as she had been hanged by the neck,/ Fast in a strip’like loop of linen” (Sophocles 46). Through the vivid imagery, the reader notes the manner in which she died: suicide, an unexpected death. The dreadful image of “hanged by the neck” causes shock and sorrow as the audience is able to picture the scene and feel touched by her doomful fate. This produces in the spectator/reader a purgation of pity and fear also known as catharsis. Another image described is “loop of linen”, a symbol for Creon's denial of her right to wed. This increases the reader’s compassion for Antigone, as she not only died, but she died without ever marrying the one she loved: Haemon. In the same scene, the Messenger is responsible for delivering the unfortunate news to Creon about his son Haemon’s death. The messenger says, “Upon the sword-point family planted in/ The middle of his breast, and conscious yet/ Clings to the maid...so he lies dead with his arms round the dead” (Sophocles 46-47). The imagery displayed is overwhelming and a major moment of catharsis. Haemon’s love for Antigone goes beyond his family, and once seeing her dead, he kills himself and clings on to her, demonstrating his adoration for her. The audience also feels pity for he was not able to marry due to his father’s willful actions. In Haemon’s last moments, the only thing he wanted was to lie dead “with his arm round the dead” because he wanted his last moments to be with Antigone. This scene is essential for Sophocles to cause a significant moment of catharsis. The imagery disclosed is detailed and evokes mixed