Tragic Ambiguity: Anthropology, Philosophy and Sophocles' Antigone

274 Pages·1987·11.97 MB·English

by  Theodoor C. W. Oudemans, André P. M. H. Lardinois

BRILL'S STUDIES
IN
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
General Editor
A. J. VANDERJAGT, University of Groningen
Editonal Board
M. COLISH, Oberlin College
J. I. ISRAEL, University College, London
J. D. NORTH, University of Groningen
R. H. POPKIN, Washington University, St. Louis — UCLA
VOLUME 4
TRAGIC AMBIGUITY
Anthropology, Philosophy and Sophocles' Antigone
BY
Th. C. W. OUDEMANS AND A. P. M. H. LARDINOIS
E.J. BRILL
LEIDEN · NEW YORK · K0BENHAVN · KÖLN
1987
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Oudemans, Th. C. W., 1951-
Tragic ambiguity.
(Brill's studies in intellectual history, ISSN 0920-
8607; v. 4)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Sophocles. Antigone. 2. Antigone (Legendary
character) in literature. 3. Cosmology, Ancient, in
literature. 4. Tragic, The, in literature.
5. Ambiguity in literature. I. Lardinois, A. P. M. H.
II. Title. III. Series.
PA4413.A7094 1987 882'.01 87-10360
ISBN 90-04-08417-7
ISSN 0920-8607
ISBN 90 04 08417 7
© Copyright 1987 by E.J. Brill, Leiden, Netherlands
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or
translated in any form, by print, photoprint, microfilm, microfiche
or any other means without written permission from the publisher
PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS BY E. J. BRILL
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vu
1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1. Intercultural comparisons 1
1.2. Premises of our method 10
Appendix 27
2. SEPARATIVE COSMOLOGIES 29
2.1. Fundamental cosmological categories 29
2.2. Aspects of separative cosmologies 31
2.3. Harmonization in separative cosmologies 43
3. INTERCONNECTED COSMOLOGIES 48
3.1. Building materials of interconnected cosmologies 48
3.2. Man and nature 60
3.3. Man and his gods 63
3.4. Social relations 67
3.5. Life and death 73
3.6. Law and order 76
3.7. Darkness and insight 78
4. ASPECTS OF ANCIENT GREEK COSMOLOGY 82
4.1. Building materials of ancient Greek cosmology 82
4.2. Man and nature 89
4.3. The Greeks and their gods 92
4.4. Social relations 96
4.5. Life and death 98
4.6. Law and order 102
4.7. Darkness and insight , 103
5. EXISTING INTERPRETATIONS OF SOPHOCLES'
ANTIGONE 107
5.1. The directly separative point of view 107
5.2. The harmonizing point of view 110
6. THE STASIMA OF SOPHOCLES' ANTIGONE 118
6.0. Introduction 118
6.1. The first stasimon 120
6.2. The second stasimon 132
VI CONTENTS
6.3. The third stasimon 140
6.4. The fourth stasimon 145
6.5. The parode and the last stasimon 151
7. THE EPISODES OF SOPHOCLES' ANTIGONE .. 160
7.1. Creon's speech 160
7.2. Antigone's speech 165
7.3. Antigone and Ismene 169
7.4. Creon and the guard 175
7.5. Creon and Antigone 179
7.6. Haemon, Creon and Antigone 180
7.7. Antigone's reversal 186
7.8. Creon's reversal 193
7.9. Sophocles' cosmology 201
8. TRAGEDY AND SOME PHILOSOPHERS 204
8.0. Introduction 204
8.1. Plato's banishment of tragedy 206
8.2. Ricœur' s reconciliation of tragedy and philosophy 215
8.3. Philosophical acceptance of tragedy 221
Conclusion 233
Bibliography 237
Index locorum 249
Index of selected topics 253
Index of proper names 258
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Although the influence of Lardinois makes itself felt in every chapter, it
is I who bear the responsibility for this book. We both contributed to the
ideas behind the interpretation of the Antigone presented in chapters 6 and
7, but I did the final writing; Lardinois had the greater share in the inter
pretation of Greek cosmology presented in chapter 4.
We have profited by the comments of dr. R. Bremer, dr. J. N.
Bremmer, dr. R. J. A. van Dijk, dr. R. C. T. Parker, I. Sluiter, G. T.
M. Visser and dr. S. Wiersma.
Copy-editing: dr. R. Bremer.
Correction: I. Savelkoul.
Typing of the manuscript: H. de Jong and W. Vermeulen
We gratefully dedicate this book to P. J. Lardinois and to Heleen,
Christiaan and Marietje Oudemans.
Th. C. W. OUDEMANS