Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone

This article examines the use of general statements by characters in Sophocles’ Trachiniae and Antigone. After a discussion of proverbs and gnomic statements more broadly as speech acts closely linked to the presentation of authority, I examine the particular reliance on generalization exhibited by...

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Main Author: Vanessen-Fishman, L
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: University of Chicago Press 2020
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author Vanessen-Fishman, L
author_facet Vanessen-Fishman, L
author_sort Vanessen-Fishman, L
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description This article examines the use of general statements by characters in Sophocles’ Trachiniae and Antigone. After a discussion of proverbs and gnomic statements more broadly as speech acts closely linked to the presentation of authority, I examine the particular reliance on generalization exhibited by Deianeira and Creon in their respective plays. I argue that gnomic statements allow both Creon and Deianeira to build and maintain a level of authority, and that the circumstances under which they generalize and the ways in which their generalizations are received are indicative of their ability to function within the social world of the play.
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spelling oxford-uuid:f7de680b-2a3c-4d7f-94a5-e09775d054292024-02-22T10:31:45ZGeneralization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and AntigoneJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:f7de680b-2a3c-4d7f-94a5-e09775d05429EnglishSymplectic Elements at OxfordUniversity of Chicago Press2020Vanessen-Fishman, LThis article examines the use of general statements by characters in Sophocles’ Trachiniae and Antigone. After a discussion of proverbs and gnomic statements more broadly as speech acts closely linked to the presentation of authority, I examine the particular reliance on generalization exhibited by Deianeira and Creon in their respective plays. I argue that gnomic statements allow both Creon and Deianeira to build and maintain a level of authority, and that the circumstances under which they generalize and the ways in which their generalizations are received are indicative of their ability to function within the social world of the play.
spellingShingle Vanessen-Fishman, L
Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title_full Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title_fullStr Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title_full_unstemmed Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title_short Generalization and characterization in Sophocles' Trachiniae and Antigone
title_sort generalization and characterization in sophocles trachiniae and antigone
work_keys_str_mv AT vanessenfishmanl generalizationandcharacterizationinsophoclestrachiniaeandantigone