ng for some ancestral failing. (p. 54) Ancient Greek playwrights were also restrained by the parts of a tragedy: the contest or conflict, the sacrificial death, the messengers speech, and the lamentation. In Antigone, the conflict is between Antigone and Kreon over whether to bury Antigones brother, Polyneices, or not. The sacrificial death is Antigones, her punishment for disobeying her uncle. The messengers speech is the longest speech in the play, making his arrival and delivery a very important part of the tragedy. Lastly is the lamentation. In Antigone, this aspect affects Kreon after the death of his son, wife, and niece. No, no! Im rising on horror, and horror flies. Why dont you hack me down? Has someone a sword? I and grief are blended. I am grief. (p. 71)The boundaries set by ancient Greek theatre influenced Antigone in many ways, from the need to develop characters quickly due to the use of masks, to the different parts of a tragedy. Sophocles took these obstacles and made them into aspects that helped his play become the highly recognized piece of writing that it was in his day and still is today....
