This question is for the play Antigone
In the last few lines of Ode 4, the chorus places responsibility for Antigone's death on
a. Niobe
b. Creon
c. the family curse
d. Antigone herself
From reading Ode 4, I know that the answer is not A or B. Personally, I think it is D, but whenever I look online most people are saying it is C.
can someone help please???
Here is all of Ode 4:
All Danae’s beauty was locked away
In a brazen cell where the sunlight could not come:
A small room, still as any grave, enclosed her.
Yet she was a princess too,
And Zeus in a rain of gold poured love upon her.
O child, child,
No power in wealth or war
Or tough sea-blackened ships
Can prevail against untiring Destiny![Antistrophe 1]
And Dryas’ son
Also, that furious king,
Bore the god’s prisoning anger for his pride:
Sealed up by Dionysos in deaf stone,
His madness died among echoes.
So at the last he learned what dreadful power
His tongue had mocked:
For he had profaned the revels,
And fired the wrath of the nine
Implacable Sisters
That love the sound of the flute.[Strophe 2]
And old men tell a half-remembered tale
Of horror done where a dark ledge splits the sea
And a double surf beats on the gray shores:
How a king’s new woman, sick
With hatred for the queen he had imprisoned,
Ripped out his two son’s eyes with her bloody hands
While grinning Ares watched the shuttle plunge
Four times: four blind wounds crying for revenge,[Antistrophe 2]
Crying, tears and blood mingled, ––Piteously born,
Those sons whose mother was of heavenly birth!
Her father was the god of the North Wind
And she was cradled by gales,
She raced with young colts on the glittering hills
And walked untrammeled in the open light:
But in her marriage deathless Fate found means
To build a tomb like yours for all her joy.
Her father was the god of the North Wind
And she was cradled by gales,
...deathless Fate found means
To build a tomb...
What do you think? Is Fate something that is inevitable, determined by something beyond one's own control? https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fate
I think fate is inevitable and beyond one's control. Judging from this, would the answer be C. the family curse?
It might well be. I think so. Keep in mind, too, that there may be disagreement. Art, whether a play or a painting (whatever) means something somewhat different to each observer. Since this is multiple choice, though, only one answer will be considered correct. When the chorus, speaking for Euripides, brings in Fate, though, I think he meant the family legacy.
To determine the correct answer, let's analyze the text of Ode 4 in Antigone. Start by reading and understanding the lines leading up to the last few lines of the ode. Pay close attention to the chorus' tone and message throughout the ode, as it may provide clues to help us identify the responsible party for Antigone's death.
Next, let's examine the lines preceding the last few lines of Ode 4. Look for any specific references or indications made by the chorus regarding the cause or source of responsibility for Antigone's death. Consider any allusions, metaphors, or direct statements that could help identify the answer.
Additionally, it might be helpful to refer to any notes or annotations you have made while studying Antigone. Consider whether any themes or motifs established throughout the play relate to the responsibility for Antigone's death.
If you have access to a copy of the play, review the context surrounding Ode 4 and the subsequent scenes to seek any other supports or confirmations.
Once you have thoroughly examined the text, you can make an informed decision about the responsible party for Antigone's death. While online opinions can be informative, it is always important to form your own interpretation using the evidence available to you.
Remember, the goal is not just to find the correct answer but also to understand how to arrive at that answer through careful analysis of the text.