Research Five Critics, Explain Their Perspectives on the Character of Antigone

INTERPRETATIONS OF ANTIGONE
In the play "Antigone," written by Sophocles, the main character is named Antigone. Over the years, critics have been divided in their interpretations of her personality and ideals in both negative and positive ways. This term paper discusses many analysis of Antigone through the eyes of various critics.
Charles Seagal views Antigone as a character that not only fights for personal honor and glory, but for the faith she has inside of her, the faith that urges her to give a formal and proper burial to her family members no matter what. The critic points out that Antigone's choice to bury her brother and the "manner of her death"1 both "constitute a trial of her heroic nature."2 He stresses how she wants to give up her life to defend "the value of family ties."3 The author claims that Antigone strongly believes that family comes first and that her "loyalties are to the family, and to the religious usages in the proper treatment of the dead." …