Antigone- Journal #12

Anouilh uses the conflict of yes vs. no through the character of Creon, and his decision to obtain the throne after the death of Etecoles. Through this situation it seems like to say yes to this situation or other conflicts within the play seems to be not what the character wants to do, but feels like it's their obligation to complete the task. After Antigone shows Creon that he had the option of saying no, Creon states "it would have been cowardly" (35) to not take on the throne. Anouilh continues to show yes vs. no when Antigone and Creon continue their conversation. Antigone states that because Creon has the throne he can only do what is socially acceptable by saying that she can say yes or no to "anything I think vile" (35). This means that Creon cannot say anything that goes against the societies values because he is kind and has to represent their beliefs as a whole. This can kind of go back to the struggle for power because Creon wants to create this societal image but people like Antigone don't share the same values therefore begin to defy Creon. I think that Anouilh uses this tension to show the importance of having your own voice, and doing what you want to do. Creon did what he though was right and didn't say no when he wanted to. This has caused his unhappiness, and lack of self-esteem which he replaces with the feeling that power gives him. Antigone on the other hand is content with herself in the decisions that she has made because they have been what she wants to do.

Antigone- Journal #11

The chorus has become less casual. After yesterday's reading and today's discussion I feel like Anouilh has transitioned from a casual narrator of the play to a narrator that mainly focuses what a tragedy is, along with a depressing tone that compliments the chorus' description of a tragedy. The vocabulary that Anouilh uses with the chorus this time seems to focus more on "neutralizing" that goes along with death. Anouilh uses words like tranquility, doubt, numb, silence, stillness, tears etc. One thing that I noticed about all these words is that, they all have something to do with death. I think that this helps create the depressing tone that Anouilh is trying to use in the Chorus. The chorus comments on the tragic elements of the play by mainly describing the concept of a tragedy and how the play so far has been tragic. This is shown when the chorus says how one little thing can topple over and cause a ripple effect that therefore becomes tragic.

Antigone- Journal #10

- Oedipus dies
- Etecoles and Polynices agree to share the throne. (Reign in alternate years)
- After being kind for one year, Etecoles decided not to give the throne to Polynices
- Civil War
- Polynices and his six allies were defeated
- Brothers fought outisde city walls
- They kill each other
- Creon becomes king
- Creon decides that Etecoles will be buried with pomp and honours, while Polynices is to be left to rot
- Anyone who tries to give Polynices a religious burial will be put to death.

The previous events seem to be focused all around death. The description that Anouilh uses kind of changes the audience's or reader's mindset towards the play to make them expect death and betrayal. The words that Anouilh uses to describe these events also aid in creating kind a depressing tone that spreads throughout the mind of the reader. I find this kind of confusing because it was my understanding that part of the tragedy is to show some one's downfall, but how is that possible when starting the play off in this depressing tone? Although Anouilh did very clearly show a downfall through the events that occurred before Antigone was caught. Through Anouilh's description, I feel like the reader or audience immediately begins to hate Creon. Creon is seen in this past events who someone who has a major lust for power. I feel like this is shown through his actions when stating that anyone who tries to give Polynices a religious burial will be executed. And the fact that he can makes the decision of who can or can't have a burial shows that he is either showing his dominance or is staying loyal to an ally. This can aid in the plays definition of the tragedy because some people can view both sides as being correct. Because Creon took the side of Etecoles, who was the one who didn't want to give up power, I think that Anouilh is trying to show Creon as a character who is obbsessed with power and is driven by the want to obtain more of it.

Blood Wedding Topic Sentence

The moon personifies death through Lorca's poetic monologues that focus on the Moon's lust for blood.

Blood Weddong- Journal #9

Death is inevitable so live: Theoughout this play Lorca symbolizes death through ,ultisols characters along with other props that are used in the play. The knife is a classic symbol of death that reoccurs throughout the entire play. Lorca then uses the moon, the beggar women, and the three wood cutters to emphasize death at the very end of the movel. I think that Lorca is trying to say do what makes you happy because you never know when your happiness will be ripped out from underneath you. I think this is shown in Lorna's choice not to have the bride die because she was having trouble ,asking a desicison and them right after making it lose the two people that she claimed to love. This is Lorca's way of showing the importance of having your own voice. Control isn't necessary: Throughout the play the Bride seems to always be lacking in control. This is seen through her mother always telling her what to do and she is under the pressure of being accepted into the society after leaving the man that she promised to marry. Through these instances I think that Lorca is trying to say that control doesn't really make anyone happy but rather creates tension between two people or in the case of the play between a person and the community. So in a way Lorca is kind of downgrading control I People want what they can't have: This is shown when the bride runs away with Leonardo even though it is highly looked down upon in their society. I think that Lorca is trying to show that humans shouldn't get greedy and just accept what they are give. Because they will end up with nothing in the end. (I don't know what's going on with the format. I apologize.)

Blood Wedding- Journal #8

During the second act the plot mostly takes place within the house that the wedding guests are meeting and I believe they are on their way to the church where the wedding will be held when they learn that Leonardo and the Bride have run off. The setting in Act 3 begins in the forest that Leonardo and the Bride are hiding in from the people hunting them. In the second act the setting is mostly connected to the happiness of being married. Getting married is usually one of the happiest moments of a person's life because they are around the people that they love along with being with their future spouse. This creates a very happy and optimistic tone throughout the whole act. In the third act the tone completely changes to a more depressing tone. This is felt through the character of the moon. The moon and its light represents death and the loss of hope and this character along with others help contribute to the development of this tone. Some of the other characters that aid to this development is the Three Woodcutters, and the beggar women. The Beggar Women mainly foreshadows that death is an event that will occur later in the play which again helps develop this depressing tone in the third act. The three woodcutters I see equivalent to the moon because I believe that trees resemble hope and family within the play, and if this were the case then by cutting down the trees the woodcutters are trying to diminish this sense of hope createing a depressing tone within the third act compared the optimistic and happy tone that is felt within the second act.

Blood Wedding- Journal #7

I think that Lorca breaks the fourth wall in the play by using monologues with different characters. One example of this is at the beginning of act two scene one when the maid isn't really talking to herself but just thinking outloud. The author also used this same technique at the beginning of the book with the mother's monologue. I think that the author might do this to suppress the dressing feel of the play. By doing this I think that Lorca is trying to attract all audiences to his play because some people might not enjoy the Depressing feel of the play. Also by reminding the reader that the events are not real it allows the reader to stay more kmterested in the play by making predictions of the ending or analyze different symbols and motifs within the play. This is different from nonfiction in that there is only one end or there is nothing to analyze but rather take in the events. And based on whether the plot keeps the audience's attention determines if the play will or will not be successful. So by breaking the fourth wall in BLOOD WEDDING, Lorca suppresses the depressing mood of the play that opens it up to a bigger audience, and then opens it to an even bigger audience by allowing the audience to either analyze the play or just enjoy the plot as it unfolds.