Sunday, January 25, 2009

Rebel or Martyr?

Antigone is perhaps one of the most strong-willed women in Greek literature. Her unwavering self-confidence and spirited nature cannot be but admired. However, her single-minded commitment to burying her brother can be seen as either an honorable act of love for her family or a rebellious teenage act against authority. Is Antigone a rebel or a martyr? The evidence points both ways at first. When Creon decrees that Polyneices should not be buried because he died a traitorous death, there is never any sign that Antigone has faltered in her decision to disobey Creon. The play starts with Antigone trying to convince Ismene to join her in burying their brother. Either Antigone is extremely close to her brother or she has been waiting for a reason to defy Creon. The first sign that Antigone’s motives are perhaps rebellious is when she becomes angry with Ismene because she is too timid to break the law. Instead of forgiving Ismene or understanding her sister’s hesitant nature, Antigone accuses her of being a traitor to the family. On the other hand, if Antigone truly loves her brother as strongly as she professes, Ismene’s refusal to help her could have upset her deeply. Indeed Antigone insists, “I will bury him; and if I must die, / I say that this crime is holy; I shall lie down / With him in death, and I shall be as dear / To him as he to me” (1326).

However, when she is captured, she is more intent on lecturing Creon and criticizing his policies than professing her love for her brother. This Antigone is more concerned with becoming a martyr than the peace she supposedly wants to secure for her brother’s soul. Indeed Creon accuses her of this when he declares, “[t]he girl is guilty of a double insolence, breaking the given laws and boasting of it” (1334). And she reveals her real intention when she says, “I should have praise and honor for what I have done” (1334). If she really was breaking the law because of love for her brother, she would not want praise and honor and attention. Finally, when Ismene is brought in and accused by Creon of having a part in Antigone’s plan, Antigone refuses to allow Ismene to share in the blame. Ismene is now ready to share responsibility for Antigone’s actions because she realizes her duty to her brother and does not want to live if Antigone is dead. Antigone however refuses to let her be condemned to death as she does not want Ismene “to lessen [her] death by sharing it” (1336). These actions are a demonstration of Antigone’s self-centered motives. She will not allow Ismene to share her death, because she wants all the glory a martyr’s death will bring.

This arrogant and selfish Antigone is not representative of the traditional strong-willed martyr of Greek mythology. Yet her personality flaws make Antigone a more believable, if imperfect heroine. Regardless of her motives, Antigone still sacrifices herself for her family, and is able to give her brother peace in the Underworld. Indeed it is Antigone as the imperfect heroine that makes her one of the most fascinating women in Greek drama.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Loveless

Ronald Blythe’s statement in his introduction to the Death of Ivan Ilyich that “[Love] could have rescued Ivan Ilyich from all the fright and despair which terrorized him during the final two weeks had he allowed it to. . . Love masters death [only at the end],” intrigued me. It was not until I read this statement that I realized that Tolstoy does not use the word “love” or “loving” to describe any of Ivan Ilyich’s relationships. When he marries Praskovya Fedorovna it is not because he loves her but because she “came of a good family, was not bad-looking, had some little property,” and because she fell in love with him” (289). Indeed the narrator points out that “to say Ivan Ilyich married because he fell in love with Praskovya Fedorovna” would be incorrect (289). Nor does he grow to love his wife in the seventeen years they are married; instead he spends most of his time in the “fenced-off world of official duties” away from the unpleasantness of his marriage (290). In addition he views his son and daughter more as nuisances and added responsibilities instead of family to be loved. On his deathbed Ivan recalls his happy childhood, but does not reminisce about his love for his family. He only remembers a pleasant joy to which he wishes he could return. Ivan Ilyich’s life was most terrible not only because it was “most simple and most ordinary” but because it was conspicuously lacking in love (286).

The reader gets a taste of this lack of meaningful relationships in Ivan Ilyich’s life in the first chapter when his “nearest acquaintances” are more concerned with what promotions his death might occasion for them than his actual death (282). Tolstoy chooses his words carefully in this chapter. He describes Ivan Ilyich not as loved or respected by these men but rather “liked by all” (281). Indeed his description of Peter Ivanovich and Fedor Vasilievich as “nearest acquaintances” and not something more meaningful help the reader form initial impressions about the nature of the relationships in Ivan Ilyich’s life. I agree with Ronald Blythe’s statement that love could have rescued Ivan Ilyich in his final days however I do not believe that Ivan was ever aware of the absence of love in his life. In his final weeks, Ivan Ilyich does not want his family to show him love but rather honesty and pity. One of the reasons Ivan Ilyich enjoys Gerasim’s company is that the butler’s assistant recognizes that he is a dying man and does pretend otherwise. Ivan Ilyich resents his family and doctor because they refuse to confront his pending death. Another reason Ivan Ilyich enjoys Gerasim’s company is that he craves his pity. Ivan Ilyich wishes to be pitied “as a sick child is pitied” and once again does not grasp the fact that the suffering of a sick child would be eased with love (306). Because his life has been devoid of love, Ivan is unable to recognize his subconscious yearning for love in his final days.

In the end, it is his grieving son, who sneaks into the room in his father’s final moments, and demonstrates love in a simple gesture which convinces Ivan Ilyich that he can still rectify the mistakes in his life. He feels sorry for the boy and he tells his wife that he is sorry for both of them and to forgive him. He realizes that he must “act so as not to hurt them: release them and free himself from these sufferings” (316). So in his last moments, Ivan finally accepts the existence of love in his life and is able to embrace his death in peace. (618)